New York Knicks: 25 Best Players To Play For The Knicks
By Phil Watson
27. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Trade, San Francisco Warriors, May 7, 1971.. C-PF. . Jerry Lucas. 17. player
Jerry Lucas already had a Hall of Fame resume but wanted a ring. The New York Knicks were willing to try and oblige him, sending former No. 1 overall pick Cazzie Russell to the San Francisco Warriors in May 1971 for the seven-time All-Star.
Lucas was fifth in the NBA in field-goal percentage in 1971-72, but was mostly a role player with the Knicks, helping them to two NBA Finals.
In 1972, Lucas averaged 20.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 46.6 minutes per game as New York lost to the
in five games, shooting 50 percent from the floor and going 12-for-15 at the line.
He played a lesser role in 1973, averaging 7.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 18.4 minutes a game as the Knicks beat the Lakers in five games. Lucas shot 40.5 percent from the field and was 4-for-5 at the foul line.
Lucas retired after the 1973-74 season.
In three years with New York, he averaged 11 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 29.7 minutes per game, shooting 50.2 percent from the floor and 77.3 percent at the free-throw line.
Taken as a territorial selection by the Cincinnati Royals out of Ohio State in the 1962 NBA Draft, Lucas played one season with the Cleveland Pipers of the old American Basketball League before joining the Royals in 1963.
He was the Rookie of the Year in 1963-64, a six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection in Cincinnati.
He was traded to the Warriors in October 1969 and was an All-Star once more with San Francisco.
Lucas is 16th in NBA history with 12,942 rebounds, eighth with an average of 38.8 minutes per game and fourth with an average of 15.6 rebounds per game.
A member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996, Lucas was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980.
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