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Los Angeles Clippers: 25 Best Players To Play For The Clippers

By Phil Watson

Apr 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the Los Angeles Clippers logo at midcourt during game two of the first round of the NBA playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Staples center. The Clippers defeated the Trail Blazers 102-81 to take a 2-0 lead. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the Los Angeles Clippers logo at midcourt during game two of the first round of the NBA playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Staples center. The Clippers defeated the Trail Blazers 102-81 to take a 2-0 lead. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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LANDOVER, MD - CIRCA 1975: Garfield Heard #24 of the Buffalo Braves grabs a rebound over Jimmy Jones #15 of the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1975 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Heard played for the Braves from 1973-76. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Garfield Heard; Jimmy Jones
LANDOVER, MD – CIRCA 1975: Garfield Heard #24 of the Buffalo Braves grabs a rebound over Jimmy Jones #15 of the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1975 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Heard played for the Braves from 1973-76. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Garfield Heard; Jimmy Jones /

<strong>How acquired:</strong> Trade, Chicago Bulls, Sept. 10, 1973; Veteran free agent, Oct. 14, 1980.. PF. 1973-76, 1980-81. Gar Heard. 25. player. 77

Gar Heard hadn’t been able to land a starting job in two NBA stops, but he got his break in September 1973 when the Buffalo Braves acquired Heard along with Kevin Kunnert from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for John Hummer and second-round picks in 1974 and 1975.

Heard jumped into the starting power forward role and excelled, helping the Braves to their first two playoff appearances in 1974 and 1975.

John Shumate
John Shumate /

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Heard returned to the franchise, at this point in San Diego, in October 1980 as a veteran free agent. The Clippers sent third-round picks in 1981 and 1983 to the Suns as compensation for the signing.

In parts of four seasons in Buffalo and San Diego, Heard averaged 10.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.5 steals in 29.7 minutes per game, shooting .411/0-for-7/.638.

Heard averaged 21.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game as a senior at Oklahoma, where he was a three-year starter, and was taken by the Seattle SuperSonics in the third round of the 1970 NBA Draft.

He was a part-time starter in his second year, which was limited to 58 games due to injury.

In October 1972, he was traded to the Bulls.

With Phoenix, Heard is most famous for “The Shot,” catching an inbounds pass and draining a turnaround jumper from 20 feet as time ran out in the second overtime of Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

The Boston Celtics eventually won the game in triple overtime and clinched the title in Game 6, but Heard’s heroics kept the Suns alive.

Heard retired after the 1980-81 campaign, later spending 17 seasons as an NBA assistant coach. He had one head coaching stint, going 14-30 with the Washington Wizards in 1999-2000 before he was fired in late January.

He was also interim coach of the Dallas Mavericks in 1992-93, going 9-44 with the Dallas Mavericks in 1992-93 after the firing of Richie Adubato after a 2-27 start.

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