Maurice Lucas’s Season is Over

Yes, even assistant coaches undergo season-ending surgery: “Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach Maurice Lucas underwent successful bladder cancer surgery on Tuesday, the Trail Blazers announced today. Doctors anticipate a recovery period of 6-to-8 weeks. Lucas will not return to the bench for the remainder of the 2008-09 season. ‘I’m disappointed that I will be missing this stretch run,” Lucas said. “I am so proud of how our guys have played and I’m confident that I will spend a good deal of my recovery time watching us win games.’ A 14-year NBA/ABA veteran and four-time All-Star, Lucas was a starting forward on the Trail Blazers 1977 NBA Championship team.”