Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The current franchise owner is U.S. Senator Herb Kohl.

History

Early years

Original Bucks Logo

Original Bucks Logo

The Milwaukee Bucks were formed in January 1968 when the NBA awarded a franchise to Milwaukee Professional Sports and Services, Inc. (Milwaukee Pro), a group headed by Wesley Pavalon and Marvin Fishman. In October, the Bucks played their first NBA regular season game against the Chicago Bulls before a Milwaukee Arena crowd of 8,467. Their first victory came in their 6th game as the Bucks beat the Detroit Pistons 134-118, they would win only 26 more games in their first year.

But their record earned them a coin flip between them and the Phoenix Suns to see who would get Lew Alcindor, later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in the 1968-69 NBA season. The Bucks won the coin flip and got their man, and instantly the Bucks became contenders. In only their second season the Bucks made the playoffs and Alcindor was named rookie of the year. In their third season, the Bucks became the fastest expansion team in either of the four major leagues to win a world championship.

1970s-1980s

The following season, the final piece of the Bucks' championship puzzle came when Oscar Robertson joined the team, and in only their third season, the Bucks won 66 games, and on April 30, 1971, the Bucks won Game 4 of the NBA Finals over the Baltimore Bullets in Milwaukee 118-106, to win the NBA Championship.

In 1972, the Los Angeles Lakers had their record 33-game winning streak snapped by the Bucks during a nationally televised game, and in 1973 the Bucks recorded their third consecutive 60-win season, the first NBA team to do so. One year later, the Bucks were back in the 1974 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. In Game 6 of the Series, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made a patented "sky hook" shot to end a classic double overtime victory for the Bucks. The Bucks lost Game 7 and the series to the Celtics. After the 1974-75 NBA season, the Bucks pulled a mega-trade by sending Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Lakers for Elmore Smith, Junior Bridgeman, Brian Winters, and David Meyers.

After the mega-deal, the Bucks brought with them several seasons in transition, but later on, most of these players would bear fruit. After being sold to cable television executive Jim Fitzgerald in 1977, the Bucks would enter in another era of greatness. It began with coach Don Nelson. In the 1977 draft, the Bucks drafted in Marques Johnson, Kent Benson, and Mark Grumfeld. Johnson would become a staple in the Bucks for years to come. Rookie Sidney Moncrief made his debut in 1979.

In 1979, the Bucks also brought in veteran center Bob Lanier to fill in the hole left by the departure of Kareem. They then won the Midwest Division title in 1980. After losing to Seattle in the semi-finals, the Bucks moved to the Eastern Conference's Central Division. There, they would win 6 straight division titles and have .500 seasons for the next 11 years. Within those years, the Bucks became perennial Eastern Conference contenders, primarily due to the strong play of Moncrief, Paul Pressey, Craig Hodges and the arrival of Terry Cummings, Ricky Pierce, and Jack Sikma from trades with the Los Angeles Clippers and Seattle respectively.

Other notable players who played for the Bucks in this era included Larry Krystkowiak, Randy Breuer, and Paul Mokeski. However they were perennially stymied by the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics: starting in 1980-81 season the Bucks were eliminated by either the Sixers or the Celtics for 7 consecutive seasons, including twice in 7 game series. On the occasions in which they did beat one of the two teams they would often lose to the other as in 1982-83 when they swept the Celtics only to lose the Sixers and in 1985-86 when they beat the Sixers only to be swept by the Celtics (see below section for season by season playoff recap).

In 1985, Milwaukee businessman (and now U.S. Senator) Herb Kohl bought the Bucks after fears that out-of-town investors could buy the team and move it out of Milwaukee. (In 2003, after considering selling the team, Kohl announced that he had decided against selling the Bucks to Michael Jordan and would "continue to own them, improve them and commit them to remaining in Wisconsin.")

In the 1988-89 season, after 20 years at the 11,052-seat MECCA (Milwaukee Arena, now U.S. Cellular Arena), the Bucks moved into the new 18,700-seat Bradley Center, located directly across the street from the MECCA in downtown Milwaukee. The Bradley Center was one of the first arenas in the country to be built with luxury suites. The Bradley Center was privately financed from a $90 million donation from Milwaukee businesswoman Jane Bradley Pettit in memory of her father.

1990s-present

File:Milwaukee Bucks logo 1993-2006.png

Bucks logo from 1993 to 2006.

To honor their 25th Anniversary in 1993, the Bucks changed their uniforms, replacing the cartoonish deer in favor of a more regal one. Also, red was replaced by purple.

From the 1994-95 season on, the Bucks were led by the strong offensive play of Glenn Robinson and power forward Vin Baker,who later left Bucks for a new deal with Sonics. The Bucks obtained Robinson with the first selection in the 1994 NBA Draft Lottery. With the steady addition of talent such as Ray Allen, Tim Thomas, and Sam Cassell, as well as the hiring of head coach George Karl, the Bucks grew to become an elite team in the Eastern Conference, winning the Central Division title in 2001. However, the Bucks lost Game 7 of the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Behind the strong encouragement of George Karl, the Bucks acquired Anthony Mason in the 2001 offseason. Statistically this made the Bucks the team to beat in the Eastern Conference for the 2001-02 season. On the court and off, however, team chemistry was destroyed by the presence of Mason. The Bucks, who at the season's midway point were the number one seed in the Eastern Conference, began an unthinkable free-fall that was culminated with a loss to Detroit on the final night of the season that eliminated the Bucks from NBA playoff contention. The resulting fallout caused tension between the team's three stars and coach, resulting in the eventual trades of Glenn Robinson to Atlanta (for Toni Kukoc and the rights to T.J. Ford), Sam Cassell to Minnesota (for Joe Smith), and Ray Allen to Seattle along with the firing of Karl.

In the midst of the 2002-03 season, the Bucks traded their superstar Ray Allen to the Seattle SuperSonics for Gary Payton and Desmond Mason. The trade allowed for increased playing time for Michael Redd, and with Gary Payton in the backcourt, the Bucks finished the season with a 42-40 record and made the playoffs; however, the Bucks lost in the first round to the New Jersey Nets.

Following a disappointing 2004-05 season with a 30-52 record, the Bucks were placed in the NBA Draft Lottery. Despite only having a 6% chance for the first selection in the lottery, the Bucks won the first pick for the 2005 NBA Draft, which was used to select Andrew Bogut of Australia and the University of Utah.

On April 1, 2006 the Bucks set a new NBA record for the fewest team turnovers in one game when they committed just two turnovers in a 96-89 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Earlier that week, on March 28, they set a new NBA record with 11 3-pointers in a quarter, another new NBA record with 14 3-pointers in a half, and a team record with 18 3-pointers in a 132-110 shootout victory over the Phoenix Suns.

The Bucks finished the 2006 Regular Season with a loss to the Wizards, giving them a 40-42 record, dropping them to the 8th seed in the East. The Bucks lost to the Detroit Pistons, the defending Eastern Conference Champions, in the 1st round of the 2006 NBA Playoffs, with a final series tally of 4-1. The Pistons also won the regular season series 3-1. Milwaukee had their only win in the playoff series when they beat Detroit 124-104 on April 29, 2006.

On June 28, 2006, the Bucks revealed a new color scheme as well as an updated logo. The new colors revealed were dark red and forest green, returning the team to its original color scheme. Its new uniform identity was also revealed on the last week of September 2006.

After the 2005-06 season, the Bucks made substantial changes to their roster, trading several of their key players. The Bucks traded starting point guard T.J. Ford to the Raptors for forward Charlie Villanueva, and starting center Jamaal Magloire to Portland for Steve Blake, Brian Skinner, and Ha Seung-Jin. On August 10th, 2006 the Bucks traded Joe Smith to the Denver Nuggets for Ruben Patterson[1]. In January 2007, Steve Blake was traded to the Denver Nuggets for point guard Earl Boykins, Julius Hodge, and cash considerations. In Earl Boykins Bucks debut he contributed 11 points and 11 assists while Julius Hodge added 2 points and 1 rebound. Hodge was later waived by the Bucks.

The beginning of the 2006-07 season gave Bucks fans high hopes. The Bucks had a fantastic December going 11-6, but soon after, starters Michael Redd, Charlie Villanueva, and Moe Williams suffered key injuries. This left Andrew Bogut as the only remaining starting player from the anticipated lineup for the beginning of the season for much of January, with Bobby Simmons already side-lined for the season. Their record suffered as a result of these injuries, with the team recording only 2 wins in the month of January. In February the Bucks lost a crucial game to the Boston Celtics who were riding a franchise long 18 game losing streak.

Season-by-Season Records

Note: W = wins, L = losses, % = win–loss %

Season	W	L	%	Playoffs	Results
Milwaukee Bucks
1968-69	27	55	.329
1969-70	56	26	.683	Won Division Semifinals Lost Division Finals	Milwaukee 4, Philadelphia 1 New York 4, Milwaukee 1
1970-71	66	16	.805	Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals	Milwaukee 4, San Francisco 1 Milwaukee 4, Los Angeles 1 Milwaukee 4, Baltimore 0
1971-72	63	19	.768	Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals	Milwaukee 4, Golden State 2 Los Angeles 4, Milwaukee 2
1972-73	60	22	.732	Lost Conference Semifinals	Golden State 4, Milwaukee 2
1973-74	59	23	.720	Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals	Milwaukee 4, Los Angeles 1 Milwaukee 4, Chicago 0 Boston 4, Milwaukee 3
1974-75	38	44	.463
1975-76	38	44	.463	Lost First Round	Detroit 2, Milwaukee 1
1976-77	30	52	.366
1977-78	44	38	.537	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	Milwaukee 2, Phoenix 0 Denver 4, Milwaukee 3
1978-79	38	44	.463
1979-80	49	33	.598	Lost Conference Semifinals	Seattle 4, Milwaukee 3
1980-81	60	22	.732	Lost Conference Semifinals	Philadelphia 4, Milwaukee 3
1981-82	55	27	.671	Lost Conference Semifinals	Philadelphia 4, Milwaukee 2
1982-83	51	31	.622	Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals	Milwaukee 4, Boston 0 Philadelphia 4, Milwaukee 1
1983-84	50	32	.610	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals	Milwaukee 3, Atlanta 2 Milwaukee 4, New Jersey 2 Boston 4, Milwaukee 1
1984-85	59	23	.720	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	Milwaukee 3, Chicago 1 Philadelphia 4, Milwaukee 0
1985-86	57	25	.695	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals	Milwaukee 3, New Jersey 0 Milwaukee 4, Philadelphia, 3 Boston 4, Milwaukee 0
1986-87	50	32	.610	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	Milwaukee 3, Philadelphia 2 Boston 4, Milwaukee 3
1987-88	42	40	.512	Lost First Round	Atlanta 3, Milwaukee 2
1988-89	49	33	.598	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	Milwaukee 3, Atlanta 2 Detroit 4, Milwaukee 0
1989-90	44	38	.537	Lost First Round	Chicago 3, Milwaukee 1
1990-91	48	34	.585	Lost First Round	Philadelphia 3, Milwaukee 0
1991-92	31	51	.378
1992-93	28	54	.341
1993-94	20	62	.244
1994-95	34	48	.415
1995-96	25	57	.305
1996-97	33	49	.402
1997-98	36	46	.439
1998-99	28	22	.560	Lost First Round	Indiana 3, Milwaukee 0
1999-2000	42	40	.512	Lost First Round	Indiana 3, Milwaukee 2
2000-01	52	30	.634	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals	Milwaukee 3, Orlando 1 Milwaukee 4, Charlotte 3 Philadelphia 4, Milwaukee 3
2001-02	41	41	.500
2002-03	42	40	.512	Lost First Round	New Jersey 4, Milwaukee 2
2003-04	41	41	.500	Lost First Round	Detroit 4, Milwaukee 1
2004-05	30	52	.366
2005-06	40	42	.488	Lost First Round	Detroit 4, Milwaukee 1
2006-07†	19	37	.345
Totals	1676	1465	.534
Playoffs	99	111	.471	1 Championship

• † Season in progress. Stats updated 21 February 2007.

Franchise Accolades

• NBA Championships - 1: 1971
• Conference Championships - 2: 1971, 1974
• Division Championships - 13 (6 Midwest, 7 Central): 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1980 (all Midwest), 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 2001 (all Central)
• Playoff Appearances - 25 Times: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006
• All-time Win-Loss Record (regular season; as of the end of the 2005-06 season): 1656 wins, 1428 losses (.537 winning percentage)

Players of note

Hall of Famers

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, drafted as Lew Alcindor (name changed during tenure with the Bucks)
• Dave Cowens
• Wayne Embry (Inducted as a contributor; see Coaches and others section for more details.)
• Alex English
• Bob Lanier
• Moses Malone
• Oscar Robertson
• Julius "Dr. J" Erving (originally drafted by Bucks)

First overall picks

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (as Lew Alcindor) - 1969

• Kent Benson - 1977

• Glenn Robinson - 1994

• Andrew Bogut - 2005

Not to be forgotten

Kareem Abdul Jabbar Ray Allen Vin Baker Frank Brickowski Jason Caffey Sam Cassell Lester Conner Terry Cummings Bobby Dandridge Todd Day Blue Edwards

Dale Ellis T.J. Ford Jay Humphries Ervin Johnson Marques Johnson Toni Kukoc John Lucas Marty Conlin Moses Malone Desmond Mason

Sidney Moncrief Gary Payton Ricky Pierce Paul Pressey Alvin Robertson Glenn Robinson Jack Sikma Tim Thomas Scott Williams Brian Winters

Retired numbers

• 1 Oscar Robertson, G, 1970-74
• 2 Junior Bridgeman, F, 1975-84 & 1986-87
• 4 Sidney Moncrief, G, 1979-89
• 14 Jon McGlocklin, G, 1968-76
• 16 Bob Lanier, C, 1980-84
• 32 Brian Winters, G, 1975-83
• 33 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, C, 1968-75

Coaches and Others

Current coaching staff

• Head Coach: Terry Stotts
• Assistant Coaches: Lester Conner, Brian James, Larry Krystkowiak, Bob Ociepka, Mike Sanders
• Strength Coach: Tim Wilson
• Athletic Trainer: Andre Daniel
• Assistant Trainer: John Anderson
• Team Nutritionist: Brian Zehetner

Coaching history

• Larry Costello (1968-76)
• Don Nelson (1976-87)
• Del Harris (1987-91)
• Frank Hamblen (1991-92)
• Mike Dunleavy, Sr. (1992-96)
• Chris Ford (1996-98)
• George Karl (1998-2003)
• Terry Porter (2003-2005)
• Terry Stotts (2005-Present)

General manager history

• Wayne Embry
• Bob Weinhauer
• Ernie Grunfeld
• Larry Harris (Current GM)

Hall of Famers

• Wayne Embry (Former general manager; inducted as a contributor. When he became GM of the Bucks in 1971, he was the first African-American to serve in that position in the NBA. He would later go on to be the NBA's first African-American team president with the Cleveland Cavaliers.)
• K. C. Jones (Former assistant; inducted for his playing career with the Boston Celtics.)

Home arenas

• Milwaukee Arena (now U.S. Cellular Arena) (1968-1988)
• Bradley Center (1988-present)

External links

• Milwaukee Bucks official web site
• Milwaukee Bucks InsideHoops.com coverage
• Milwaukee Bucks Statistics
• Sports E-Cyclopedia