Maurice Lucas: Roughing It in the NBA, 1977

Lucas plays aggressively, and critics say he plays dirty. “I play very aggressively. I play with intelligence,” he said. He paused a moment and added a footnote. “I play rough.”

Billy Cunningham: Confessions of an Ex-Coach, 1988

Once you become a coach, you look at the game differently. I began to believe in creating your offense from the defensive end of the court. And, I think the 76ers became a very good defensive ballclub. 

Mike Gminski: No Ands, Ifs, or Buts, 1989

Gminski almost never makes a bad pass or a goofy shot. How could he? Inherent, implied, in every move he makes are thousands and thousands of hours of solitary practice.

Bill Cartwright: Is He Mean Enough to Make It Big? 1980 

Veterans do not like being outplayed by rookies, and they will do whatever they can—within the rules or without—to gain an advantage. Cartwright had the additional problem of being labeled, “a very nice guy.”

Moses Malone: The Indestructible Sixer, 1984

Moses Malone was the hard hat—6-foot-11, 255 pounds of steel-driving man. He showed up in overalls every night. And when everybody else was wobbly with fatigue, he was the guy still pounding rivets, drenched in sweat, a fierce scowl on his face.

Darryl Dawkins: Manchild in the Promised Land, 1980

Toward the end of the game, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar comes out to guard Dawkins. They hit each other as Dawkins crosses into the lane and suddenly Jabbar is going backwards. Dawkins gets the ball and dunks.