'Nobody, but nobody, is going to hurt my teammates'
http://www.si.com/vault/1977/10/31/626402/nobody-but-nobody-is-going-to-hurt-my-teammates By John Papanek SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, 31 ottobre 1977 Five very large men—and one little guy—were approached gingerly recently and asked this question: "Do you consider yourself an NBA enforcer?" Without exception, the six initially replied, in as many words, "No, I wouldn't call myself an enforcer." "Well, um, how do you think the rumors got started?" "Yeah, well, we all know where the words come from," says 6'9", 215-pound Maurice Lucas, the quintessential power forward and enforcer of the Portland Trail Blazers. In Lucas' case, the word got out and around three years ago when, as an ABA rookie, he decked 7'2" Artis Gilmore and dared to duke it with Julius Erving, which is roughly akin to spitting on the flag. "A lot of people think I'm just one of these mean guys," he says indignantly. "W...