Mo Luke The Enforcer:
https://twitter.com/ballislife/status/1097545027104862208?lang=enSome crazy stuff.
Check out the vid before reading my synopsis below.
Great NBA theater.
So:
Darryl Dawkins obliterates a guy ripping a rebound away.
The guy (Bobby Gross) gets up mad, but Dawkins is up quickly, meanly, and is huge. So the Blazer guy points his finger and says something.
Dawkins gets angry, runs by and throws a cheap shot that hits Doug Collins, his teammate in the head. Collins had been semi-restraining Gross. Collins needs 4 stitches.
Dawkins backs up towards halfcourt, without noticing anyone is there. Mo Lucas gives Dawkins a forearm shiver to the back of the neck that sends Choc Thunder flying.
So Lucas and Dawkins square off in boxing stances center court.
You gotta be pretty tough to go toe-to-toe with Darryl Dawkins.
Everybody gets on the floor to break things up.
Blazer coach Jack Ramsey tries to keep Dawkins back.
Lotta guys from both teams restraining Lucas.
Lots of ushers on the court. Also fans wandering around and getting involved. It's Philly in '77.
Did I mention this is G2 of the NBA Finals?PHI wins to go up 2-0, but then loses 4 straight.
As this tweet says, many thought Mo Luke standing up for his mate turned the tide and gave POR the pride.
'6ers had a better team on paper.
Bob Gross was POR's 3rd best player in the Finals after Walton and Lucas.
Couple interesting sidenotes:
-The call on the floor was a jump ball after Dawkins body slammed Gross. It was a good hustle play by Dawk, to get back, contest the shot and fight for the board.
- Herm Gilliam, who missed the shot, comes down limping, and the melee gets underway around him while he's hobbling on one leg.
- As Dawkins and Lucas square off, one official almost gets between them then (probably wisely) backs away
- Lucas is the only one to get off a punch or two
- The fans on the court is wild as well.
The whole thing has shades of later Knickdom. Jack Ramsey like JVG crazily trying to stop a very large enraged human from fighting, though Ramsey remains upright. Dawkins suckerpunch and run away is not unlike Melo v. NYK. And hitting your own guy is like Camby winding up and clocking his coach (JVG again).