Notes on WWE, Luke, Miller's dunk, Roy's picks, football and more

By kerry eggers

The Portland Tribune, Mar 9, 2010

Trail Blazers assistant coach Maurice Lucas thanks all those who have supported him in his recovery from bladder cancer.

THOMAS OLIVER / GETTY IMAGES

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Touching on a number of subjects in our local sporting universe ...

• It’s not how you win, it’s only if you win that counts.

Vince McMahon emphasized his favorite creed again in the feature match during a Monday Night Raw show before a sellout crowd at the Rose Garden.

Pro wrestling’s traveling circus had the locals stirred up for nearly three hours, but the capper was McMahon’s victory over John Cena in the feature “Handicap Gauntlet Match.”

McMahon – who once wanted to put an XFL team in Portland – brought in several wrestlers, one at a time, to weaken Cena, including 390-pound Mark Henry, once the world’s strongest man. But it was the ‘roided-up Mr. McMahon, looking amazingly fit for 64, who delivered the three-count as the victorious heel.

Cena took more punishment than did Simon Cowell when he suffered through William Hung’s act on “American Idol.”

But Cena and Triple H – a freak of (un)nature at 40 – got the last laugh, teaming to pound Batista and Sheamus in a tag-team finale.

I’m guessing most of the fans left thinking they got their money’s worth.

• Maurice Lucas is making progress as his body mends from chemotherapy in his fight with bladder cancer.

The former Trail Blazer great and current assistant coach on Nate McMillan’s staff is at his Tigard home gaining strength three weeks after ending chemo.

“So far, so good,” says Lucas, 58. “I’m feeling better. I’m cancer-free at this point.”

Marcus Camby told me Monday that Lucas has been included in the Blazer players’ pre-game prayers.

“I heard about that,” Lucas says. "That’s pretty cool.”

Lucas says he has heard from hundreds of friends and fans in recent months.

“I’d like to thank all the people who have been so kind and thoughtful in sending their prayers up for me,” Lucas says. “All the cards and the e-mails and the texts I’ve received, they’ve given me the inspiration to be more than I am. It’s been beautiful, man.”

Lucas has had visits from several ex-teammates. On Monday, Bill Walton stopped by, in town to see his close friend as well as attend the Memorial Coliseum concert that night performed by “Dark Star Orchestra,” featuring former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh.

A return to coaching next season is the goal.

“I’d like that,” Lucas says, “but it’s a slow process.”

• In last Wednesday’s game against Indiana, Andre Miller was about to dunk on a breakaway when he was fouled in the act by the Pacers’ Brandon Rush.

It was striking, because the vertically challenged Miller plays a style that is close to the floor.

On Friday, I asked the 6-2 Miller the last time he had dunked. The veteran point guard, who turns 34 on March 19, said he thought it was back in the 2007-08 season with Philadelphia.

“I can still dunk,” he said, adding with a grin, “When I lose a little more weight, I’ll get up there. I’ve never had more than basic hops. There are a whole bunch of guys who can a lot more jumping than me. But I could dunk if I needed to.”

So Sunday night, he windmills one home on a breakaway at Denver!

“Wasn’t looking for it,” he said after Monday’s practice session. “The opportunity was just there.”

• I asked Brandon Roy for his top five picks for this season’s Most Valuable Player award, and this is the way he would vote:

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