Five time NBA all-star Maurice “The Enforcer” Lucas, the intimidating power forward who helped lead the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA title, has died of bladder cancer.
The Trail Blazers said Lucas died Sunday at his home in Portland. He was 58.
Lucas was a force to be reckoned with during his NBA career where he posted career averages of 14.4 points and 8.8 rebounds.
As a schoolboy, Lucas 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.
Walton would go on to name his son Luke after his former teammate.
Lucas’, No. 20 jersey was retired by the Blazers in 1988.
He scored 14,857 points and pulled down 9,306 rebounds during the course of his 14-year professional career with Portland, New Jersey, New York, Phoenix, the Los Angeles Lakers, Seattle Supersonics and the Spirits of St. Louis and the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA.
