MVPs: 0. Finals MVPs: 0. All-NBA 1st Team: 3. 2nd Team: 2. All Star: 7. MVP: 1.
Defensive POY: 0. All-Defense Teams: 0.
eFG% Champ: 1.
Career Averages: 17 PPG/ 16 RPG/ 3 APG/ .4 SPG/ .3 BPG/ .499 eFG%/ .783 FT%.
Best Season: 18/ 18/ 4/ .551/ .755 (1968-69).
Postseason Averages: 12 PPG/ 10 RPG/ 3 APG/ .4 SPG/ 0 BPG/ .467 eFG%/ .786 FT%.
Best Postseason: 23/ 21/ 2/ .507/ .773 (1965).
Championships: 1 (#2 player). Runner-ups: 1 (#2 player).
Why he's below Nate Thurmond: The two players have similar resumes overall, so it's a question of whether you'd rather have the great shooter or great defender. I'd take defense here, especially considering Thurmond scored more points in his career than Lucas and had nearly as many PPG. Lucas was never a star scorer and wasn't a very good defender except for his defensive rebounding.
Why he's above the rest: Lucas was the best shooting power forward of his era. He led the league in eFG% once and was in the top 5 four other times. He didn't dominate physically like many of the big men with high shooting percentages at the time; he was a skilled shooter like the guards with high percentages at the time. Lucas also has the second highest career RPG of any forward, behind only Bob Pettit. He averaged a 20-20 twice, the only player besides Wilt to average those numbers in more than one season. He finished his career as more of a role player with the Knicks, helping them to 2 of their Finals appearances in the 70s.
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