PORTLAND — Maurice Lucas, the fierce power forward known as “The Enforcer” who helped lead the Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA title, died yesterday after a long fight with bladder cancer. He was 58.
Lucas died at his home in Portland, the team said.
Lucas, whose No. 20 was retired by the Blazers in 1988, joined Portland in the 1976 ABA dispersal draft and led the 1976-77 championship team in scoring with a 20.2 average. He also averaged 11.2 rebounds that season, which ended with the Blazers upsetting the 76ers in six games in the Finals.
At public appearances, fans often greeted Lucas with cries of “Luuuuuuke!” His competitive demeanor on the court was in contrast to his gentle nature off it.
He served as an assistant with the Blazers for six seasons, but last year he left the team to undergo surgery before suffering a setback last November. He did not return to coaching this season.
Lucas averaged 14.4 points and 8.8 rebounds in 12 NBA seasons with the Blazers, Nets, Knicks, Suns, Lakers and Sonics. He joined the Nets midway through the 1979-80 season and played the full season for them in 1980-81, averaging 14.7 points and 8.5 rebounds that season. As a Knick in the 1981-82 season, he averaged 15.8 points and 11.3 rebounds.
In two seasons in the ABA with St. Louis and Kentucky, he averaged 15.2 points and 10.8 rebounds.
Lucas, a five-time All-Star, led Marquette to the 1974 NCAA title game against North Carolina State and was selected to the All-Final Four team along with future Portland teammate Bill Walton. He averaged 15.8 points and 10.6 rebounds as a junior that season.
Marquette also retired his No. 20 and inducted him into its Hall of Fame, and Walton named his son Luke, a player for the Lakers, after him.
“I hadn’t seen him as much lately, but he and my dad still talked all the time,” Luke Walton said. “From what I heard, he had been in some pain for a while. It’s tough. He’s a great guy.”
Lucas is survived by wife Pamela, sons David and Maurice II and daughter Kristin.