Maurice Lucas passed away yesterday. He was the old time power forward from the Championship Portland Trail Blazers where he was Bill Waltons right hand man. He was one of the prototypical power forwards who changed the game. He could rebound shoot and pass and was a deadly competitor.
I remember when he played one season with the Knicks. It was the first year I bought a lot of tickets. Red Holzman was till coaching in 1981. They had some old timey guys. Marvin Webster. Randy Smith from the Braves. Michael Ray (the ship be sinking) Richardson. I remember when we got Paul Westphal from Boston. He played the last half of the season on and off due to injuries. When he threw a bounce pass the Garden went nuts because he and Lucas were one of the few on that team that knew how to play the game. Certainly Hollis Copeland and Larry Demic had no freakin idea.
Maurice was only a Knick for a year. Hubie Brown came in and brought his guys like Truck Robinson and Pat (I look like I had a Stroke)Cummings and turned the team upside down. But I have fond memories about Maurice as a Knick.
If you ever want to read a great book about Basketball, get "The Breaks of the Game" by David Halberstan that commie writer. He actually did a good job detailing the Trail Blazers year after they won the Championship. Especially the stuff with Kermit Washington. A good sports read.
Rest in Peace Maurice.
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