Bob Lanier. Rudy Tomjanovich. Pete Maravich. Dave Cowens. Those names now are part of NBA lore, the players revered for the brilliance of their skills and validated by championship rings, plaques in the Naismith Hall of Fame or both. That those men were stacked up at the top of the 1970 NBA Draft – Nos. 1 through 4, picked in rapid succession by the Pistons, the Rockets, the Hawks and the Celtics – only adds to their legend. So much skill, so many highlights, so much winning. Well, the guy taken at No. 5 was no slouch either. When the news of Sam Lacey‘s death broke Saturday, it hit hard for many who knew him or at least knew of his terrific basketball achievements. Here’s how the Las Cruces (N.M.) Sun-News framed it in a late-night report: Read more http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2014/03/16/slick-passing-big-man-sam-lacey-dies-at-65/