Tom Nissalke, Jazz's 1st Coach in Utah, Dies at Age 87

Former ABA and NBA coach Tom Nissalke died at the age of 87 on Thursday, according to Brad Rock of the Deseret News.

Rock noted Nissalke had "faced a series of health-related problems" in recent years.

Nissalke spent a total of five seasons coaching in the ABA and nine seasons as an NBA head coach. After helping the Milwaukee Bucks win the NBA championship as an assistant in 1971, he earned his first head-coaching gig with the ABA's Dallas Chaparrals in 1971-72. 

He returned to the NBA the next season as a head coach for the Seattle SuperSonics.

Nissalke enjoyed a solid three-year run with the Houston Rockets from 1976-79. Houston went 124-122 under Nissalke, reaching the postseason in two of his three seasons on the sideline. It reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 1977 before falling to the Philadelphia 76ers in six games, with Nissalke being named  the NBA Coach of the Year.

When the Jazz made the move from New Orleans to Salt Lake City in 1979, they made Nissalke the first head coach for the Utah-based franchise. He went 60-124 in two-plus seasons with the Jazz.

He also coached the ABA's Utah Stars from 1974-76.

Nissalke's last NBA coaching gig came with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he spent two seasons (1982-84) on the sidelines. He last served as an assistant coach in the NBA back in 1990-91 with the Denver Nuggets.