Maurice Lucas

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Lore & Background

Lucas played college basketball for the Marquette Warriors. He began his pro career with two years in the ABA with the Spirits of St. Louis and Kentucky Colonels. He then played 12 seasons in the NBA with the Trail Blazers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knickerbockers, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and Seattle SuperSonics. The starting power forward on the Trail Blazers' 1976–77 championship team, he was nicknamed "the Enforcer" because of his primary role on the court, which was best exemplified in Game 2 of the NBA Finals that season. During his career, he organized celebrity sporting events to raise awareness and money for children's care at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, where his daughter was treated as an infant. Established in 2010, the Maurice Lucas Foundation in Tigard, Oregon, continues his legacy of supporting children's health and youth programs.

In Their Own Story

The 1977 NBA Finals provided the stage for Lucas to define his role when Bill Walton's ankle injury limited his mobility in critical moments. While Walton was often described as a "gorilla" who went into hiding during fights, Lucas took charge of the physical battles. In Game 2, after Dawkins and Bob Gross wrestled for a rebound and crashed to the floor, the chaos erupted. Dawkins threw a wild punch that missed Gross but hit Doug Collins. As Dawkins reached mid-court, Lucas stepped in with an elbow to the head. The benches emptied, and both players were ejected. Though Philadelphia took a 2–0 series lead after that game, the Blazers' response was immediate. They won the next two games at home in blowouts, then traveled to Philadelphia for another victory before returning home to clinch the title 4–2. Lucas's ability to assert dominance and alter the emotional trajectory of the series proved vital. His performance throughout the season saw him lead Portland in every major statistical category, proving that the "Enforcer" was also their most complete offensive weapon.

Reader's Guide

Lucas was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the ABA Dispersal Draft after the ABA–NBA merger. In the 1976–77 NBA season, he led the Trail Blazers in scoring, minutes played, field goals, free throws, and offensive rebounds. He and Bill Walton led the team to a 4–0 sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals and a 4–2 upset victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1977 NBA Finals. Lucas remained with Portland until 1980 when he was traded to the New Jersey Nets. After stints with the Nets, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Lakers, he moved to the Seattle SuperSonics for one year, before returning to the Trail Blazers for his final NBA season in 1988. He was a five-time All-Star (one in the ABA, four in the NBA) and was named to the 1978 All-NBA-Defense First team, the 1978 All-NBA Second team, and the 1979 All-NBA-Defense Second team.

Did You Know?

• Lucas punched Artis Gilmore in the jaw during his rookie ABA season after Gilmore missed a punch at him.
• In Game 2 of the 1977 NBA Finals, Lucas elbowed Darryl Dawkins after Dawkins threw a punch, altering the momentum of the series.
• Lucas made a 60-foot shot at the regulation buzzer on December 4, 1985, to send a Lakers game into overtime.
• Former NBA player Luke Walton, son of Bill Walton, is named after Maurice Lucas.
• Lucas was a Catholic chaplain at the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility.