Have the Milwaukee Bucks Ever Won the NBA Championship?
The Milwaukee Bucks have never won an NBA Championship.
The Early Years
The Milwaukee Bucks franchise was founded in 1968, and they played their first ever game in the 1969-70 season. They made it to the playoffs in their first season, but they lost in the first round. They made the playoffs again in the 1970-71 season, but they lost in the first round again. They finally made it to the NBA Finals in the 1971-72 season, but they lost to the New York Knicks in seven games.
The franchise is founded
In 1968, the NBA awarded a franchise to Milwaukee Professional Sports and Services, Inc., a group headed by Wisconsin businessman Wesley Pavalon and former basketball player Mae Robinson. The group also included financier Marvin Fishman, lawyer James Goldman, and ledgerFrom 1968 to 1970, the Bucks’ colors were blue and gold.
The franchise’s first few seasons
The Bucks’ struggled in their first few seasons, posting a record of 15-67 in their inaugural season and 20-62 in their second season. The Bucks’ fortunes began to turn around in their third season, when they posted a record of 41-41 under new head coach Larry Costello. The Bucks made the playoffs for the first time in 1969, where they lost to the Baltimore Bullets in the Eastern Division Semifinals.
The 1970s
The franchise’s first playoff appearance
In 1970, the Bucks finished with a 56–26 record under head coach LarryCostello, winning the Midwest Division title. The team’s roster was led by two future Hall of Famers: Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson. Jabbar was the NBA’s leading scorer (34.8 points per game) and rebounder (16.6 rebounds per game), while Robertson was the league’s assists leader (10.5 assists per game). The team also featured veteran guard Jon McGlocklin, who had recently been acquired in a trade with the Cincinnati Royals, and rookie small forward Bob Dandridge.
The franchise’s first 50-win season
The 1970s were a decade of transition for the Milwaukee Bucks. After five seasons of mediocre basketball, the team won its first division title in 1971–72 behind stars Bob Dandridge and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The following year, the Bucks acquired Oscar Robertson from the Cincinnati Royals, and the Big O helped lead them to their best season in franchise history. The 1972–73 squad posted a 66–16 record and reached the NBA Finals, where they lost to the New York Knicks in five games.
The 1980s
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference Central Division. The 1980s were a decade of success for the Bucks, as they made the playoffs every year and won the NBA Championship in 1981.
The franchise’s first trip to the Conference Finals
Under head coach Don Nelson, the Bucks achieved great regular season success in the early 1980s. In the 1981–82 season, they posted a then-franchise best 61–21 record. They would win their first ever Eastern Conference title that same year, with a then-league best 12–6 record in the conference’s playoffs.
The franchise’s first trip to the NBA Finals
In the 1980s, the Milwaukee Bucks made their first trip to the NBA Finals. They were led by two-time MVP and future Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Bucks lost in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by Abdul-Jabbar’s former teammate Magic Johnson.
The 1990s
In the 1990s, the Milwaukee Bucks were one of the most dominant teams in the NBA. They won the NBA championship in 1971 and made it to the Finals again in 1974. The Bucks were led by stars such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, and Bob Lanier. In the 1990s, the Bucks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals four times. They were finally able to win the conference in 2001 and make it back to the NBA Finals.
The franchise’s second trip to the Conference Finals
In the 1993-94 season, the Bucks again advanced to the Conference Finals, where they lost to the New York Knicks in seven games. The screen-and-roll tandem of Robinson and Cassell proved effective, as they caused problems for defenses. In addition, newcomers Bernie Bickerstaff and Chris Ford aided the team with their knowledge and experience. Despite this, the Bucks were unable to make it back to the NBA Finals.
The franchise’s second trip to the NBA Finals
In the 1990s, the Milwaukee Bucks made another trip to the NBA Finals. This time, they were led by superstar small forward Glen Robinson and future Hall of Fame point guard Ray Allen. The Bucks lost to the Shaq and Kobe-led Los Angeles Lakers in six games.
The 2000s
Though the Milwaukee Bucks have not won an NBA Championship since 1971, they have come close several times during the 2000s. In 2001, they made it to the Conference Finals but lost to the Philadelphia ers. They made it to the Conference Finals again in 2010 but lost to the Boston Celtics.
The franchise’s third trip to the Conference Finals
In the 2001 off-season, the Bucks signed Scott Williams to a three-year contract. The Bucks also drafted Joel Przybilla with the 10th pick in the 2001 NBA draft. They improved to 52–30 in the regular season, but were swept by the Philadelphia 76ers in the Conference Finals. Despite their best efforts, Allen and Brandon could not lead Milwaukee past LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs during the following two seasons.
The franchise’s third trip to the NBA Finals
The Milwaukee Bucks made their third trip to the NBA Finals in the 2000s. They were swept by the Los Angeles Lakers in four games. The Celts, who featured Public Enemy’s Chuck D on their “still got it” anthem, were a decided underdog against Shaq, Kobe and the three-peat-seeking Lakers.
The 2010s
The 2010s were a decade of growth and change for the Milwaukee Bucks. They drafted Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2013 and Jabari Parker in 2014, two players who would go on to have significant impact on the team. The Bucks also made the playoffs in each of the first four seasons of the decade, something they hadn’t done since the 1980s. However, they failed to make it past the first round in any of those years. Finally, in the 2019-2020 season, the Bucks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals but lost to the eventual champion, the Miami Heat.
The franchise’s fourth trip to the Conference Finals
In the 2016–17 season, the Bucks made their fourth trip to the Conference Finals, where they lost in six games to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors. The 2018–19 season saw the team win 60 games for just the second time in franchise history and earn the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 1980, when they won their only NBA championship. The Bucks lost to eventual champion Toronto Raptors in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The franchise’s fourth trip to the NBA Finals
In 2010, the Bucks made it back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974. They were led by future Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson. The team also featured Terry Cummings, Junior Bridgeman, and Sidney Moncrief. The Bucks lost in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 2020s
No, the Milwaukee Bucks have not won the NBA Championship in the 2020s.
The franchise’s fifth trip to the Conference Finals
In 2019, the Bucks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the fifth time in franchise history. They lost to the Toronto Raptors in six games.
The franchise’s fifth trip to the NBA Finals
The competition format changed again in 1980, with the introduction of the conference system. The winners of each conference would meet in the NBA Finals, with home court advantage going to the team with the better regular-season record. In 1982, the Bucks finished first in their division for the fifth consecutive season. They entered the playoffs as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, behind Philadelphia. The team advanced to its fifth NBA Finals appearance, where it lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named Finals MVP for a record third time.
