PHOENIX -- John MacLeod, the longtime NBA coach who led the Dallas Mavericks to the 1998 Western Conference finals and the Phoenix Suns to the 1976 NBA finals, has died. He was 81.
MacLeod's son, Matt, confirmed his father's death Sunday to The Associated Press. The elder MacLeod fought Alzheimer's disease for more than a decade.
MacLeod is the winningest coach in Suns history, going 579-543 in the regular season from 1973-87. He also coached the Mavericks from 1987-89 and the New York Knicks in 1990-91, finishing his 18-year head coaching career with a 707-657 mark.
The 1987-88 Mavericks team finished 53-29, ultimately losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games in the conference finals.