1969–70 Milwaukee Bucks season
The 1969–70 Milwaukee Bucks season was the second season for the Milwaukee Bucks. Led by the heralded rookie center Lew Alcindor, they finished with a 56–26 record, enough for second place in the Eastern Division. After beating the Philadelphia 76ers 4–1 in the Eastern semifinals, they lost to the eventual champions New York Knicks in five games.
1969–70 Milwaukee Bucks season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Larry Costello |
General manager | John E. Erickson |
Owners | Milwaukee Professional Sports and Services, Inc. (Milwaukee Pro) |
Arena | Milwaukee Arena |
Results | |
Record | 56–26 (.683) |
Place | Division: 2nd (Eastern) |
Playoff finish | Division finals (lost to Knicks 1–4) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Draft picks
After a 27–55 record in their inaugural NBA season, the Bucks won a coin toss over the Phoenix Suns to give them the right to select first overall in the 1969 NBA draft.[1] Their designated selection had long been a foregone conclusion: UCLA Bruins center Lew Alcindor. However, Alcindor was also selected first overall by the New York Nets in the competing American Basketball Association's entry draft, which triggered a bidding war for Alcindor's services. He eventually opted for the Bucks' five-year $1.4 million offer over a much more lucrative $3.2 million offer from the Nets,[2] preferring the established NBA over a new and struggling ABA.
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Lew Alcindor | C | ![]() | UCLA |
2 | 17 | Bob Greacen | F | ![]() | Rutgers |
3 | 31 | Skeeter Swift | G | ![]() | East Tennessee State |
4 | 45 | Bob Dandridge | F | ![]() | Norfolk State |
6 | 73 | John Arthurs | G | ![]() | Tulane |
Roster
1969–70 Milwaukee Bucks roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Regular season
Season standings
W | L | PCT | GB | |
---|---|---|---|---|
x-New York Knicks | 60 | 22 | .732 | – |
x-Milwaukee Bucks | 56 | 26 | .683 | 4 |
x-Baltimore Bullets | 50 | 32 | .610 | 10 |
x-Philadelphia 76ers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 18 |
Cincinnati Royals | 36 | 46 | .439 | 24 |
Boston Celtics | 34 | 48 | .415 | 26 |
Detroit Pistons | 31 | 51 | .378 | 29 |
Record vs. opponents
1969–70 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | CHI | CIN | DET | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | SDR | SFW | SEA |
Atlanta | — | 2–4 | 6–0 | 5–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 5–2 | 4–2 |
Baltimore | 4–2 | — | 5–2 | 5–1 | 4–3 | 5–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–4 | 5–1 |
Boston | 0–6 | 2–5 | — | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–3 | 2–4 | 1–6 | 4–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–4 |
Chicago | 2–5 | 1–5 | 3–3 | — | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 5–2 | 3–4 | 4–2 | 4–3 |
Cincinnati | 3–3 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 3–3 | — | 4–2 | 2–4 | 2–5 | 2–5 | 4–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 |
Detroit | 3–3 | 2–5 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 2–4 | — | 3–3 | 1–6 | 1–6 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–3 |
Los Angeles | 3–4 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 5–2 | 5–2 | 6–0 |
Milwaukee | 3–3 | 3–3 | 6–1 | 2–4 | 5–2 | 6–1 | 3–3 | — | 2–4 | 5–2 | 6–0 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 |
New York | 2–4 | 5–1 | 3–4 | 6–0 | 5–2 | 6–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | — | 5–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 |
Philadelphia | 3–3 | 4–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–4 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 2–5 | 2–5 | — | 4–2 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 0–6 |
Phoenix | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–5 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–3 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 2–4 | — | 7–0 | 3–3 | 4–3 |
San Diego | 2–4 | 0–6 | 2–4 | 4–3 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–5 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–7 | — | 5–2 | 4–2 |
San Francisco | 2–5 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–5 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 2–5 | — | 3–4 |
Seattle | 2–4 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 6–0 | 3–4 | 2–4 | 4–3 | — |
Game log
1969–70 game log | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | |||||
1 | October 18 | Detroit | 110–119 | Lew Alcindor[lower-alpha 1] (29) | 1–0 | |||||
2 | October 19 | Seattle | 106–130 | Flynn Robinson (22) | 2–0 | |||||
3 | October 22 | @ San Diego | 115–102 | Lew Alcindor (36) | 3–0 | |||||
4 | October 24 | @ Los Angeles | 112–123 | Flynn Robinson (33) | 3–1 | |||||
5 | October 25 | @ San Francisco | 104–118 | Guy Rodgers (20) | 3–2 | |||||
6 | October 26 | @ Phoenix | 119–99 | Lew Alcindor (28) | 4–2 | |||||
7 | October 28 | Boston | 120–107 | Lew Alcindor (43) | 4–3 | |||||
8 | October 30 | @ Detroit | 102–81 | Flynn Robinson (25) | 5–3 | |||||
9 | October 31 | @ Philadelphia | 129–125 (OT) | Chappell, McGlocklin (28) | 6–3 | |||||
10 | November 1 | @ New York | 108–112 | Lew Alcindor (36) | 6–4 | |||||
11 | November 3 | New York | 109–93 | Bob Greacen (18) | 6–5 | |||||
12 | November 8 | Detroit | 96–100 | Lew Alcindor (29) | 7–5 | |||||
13 | November 9 | Baltimore | 116–105 | Alcindor, Chappell (24) | 7–6 | |||||
14 | November 11 | @ Boston | 129–118 | Flynn Robinson (31) | 8–6 | |||||
15 | November 14 | Chicago | 100–122 | Jon McGlocklin (17) | 9–6 | |||||
16 | November 15 | @ Baltimore | 120–129 | Flynn Robinson (41) | 9–7 | |||||
17 | November 16 | San Francisco | 123–129 (OT) | Jon McGlocklin (29) | 10–7 | |||||
18 | November 18 | @ San Francisco | 110–127 | Jon McGlocklin (23) | 10–8 | |||||
19 | November 21 | @ Seattle | 117–115 | Lew Alcindor (31) | 11–8 | |||||
20 | November 22 | @ Chicago | 106–125 | Lew Alcindor (21) | 11–9 | |||||
21 | November 24 | Cincinnati | 129–104 | Alcindor, Arthurs, McGlocklin (13) | 11–10 | |||||
22 | November 25 | N Atlanta | 130–115 | Lew Alcindor (33) | 12–10 | |||||
23 | November 26 | Los Angeles | 81–100 | Lew Alcindor (29) | 13–10 | |||||
24 | November 29 | Philadelphia | 129–111 | Lew Alcindor (23) | 13–11 | |||||
25 | November 30 | San Diego | 99–111 | Lew Alcindor (23) | 14–11 | |||||
26 | December 2 | @ Philadelphia | 122–114 | Bob Dandridge (26) | 15–11 | |||||
27 | December 5 | Seattle | 98–131 | Lew Alcindor (36) | 16–11 | |||||
28 | December 6 | @ New York | 99–124 | Lew Alcindor (26) | 16–12 | |||||
29 | December 10 | New York | 96–95 | Flynn Robinson (30) | 16–13 | |||||
30 | December 12 | San Francisco | 109–123 | Flynn Robinson (29) | 17–13 | |||||
31 | December 13 | @ Atlanta | 121–100 | Flynn Robinson (31) | 18–13 | |||||
32 | December 14 | N San Diego | 105–118 | Lew Alcindor (32) | 19–13 | |||||
33 | December 17 | @ Boston | 124–106 | Lew Alcindor (29) | 20–13 | |||||
34 | December 19 | Boston | 111–115 | Alcindor, Robinson (25) | 21–13 | |||||
35 | December 21 | Phoenix | 111–118 | Flynn Robinson (25) | 22–13 | |||||
36 | December 26 | @ Detroit | 114–101 | Flynn Robinson (26) | 23–13 | |||||
37 | December 27 | @ Cincinnati | 110–112 (OT) | Flynn Robinson (42) | 23–14 | |||||
38 | December 28 | Baltimore | 124–133 | Lew Alcindor (35) | 24–14 | |||||
39 | December 30 | @ Baltimore | 126–124 | Flynn Robinson (35) | 25–14 | |||||
40 | December 31 | San Diego | 126–143 | Lew Alcindor (35) | 26–14 | |||||
41 | January 2 | New York | 105–118 | Lew Alcindor (41) | 27–14 | |||||
42 | January 4 | Atlanta | 126–125 | Lew Alcindor (33) | 27–15 | |||||
43 | January 7 | Cincinnati | 119–138 | Flynn Robinson (36) | 28–15 | |||||
44 | January 9 | Phoenix | 116–120 | Flynn Robinson (30) | 29–15 | |||||
45 | January 10 | Boston | 109–124 | Flynn Robinson (31) | 30–15 | |||||
46 | January 13 | N Cincinnati | 112–92 | Lew Alcindor (28) | 31–15 | |||||
47 | January 14 | Los Angeles | 113–115 | Lew Alcindor (46) | 32–15 | |||||
48 | January 17 | Chicago | 132–130 (OT) | Flynn Robinson (34) | 32–16 | |||||
49 | January 18 | San Francisco | 107–123 | Jon McGlocklin (29) | 33–16 | |||||
50 | January 22 | N San Diego | 106–115 | Alcindor, Robinson (27) | 34–16 | |||||
51 | January 24 | Cincinnati | 109–125 | Flynn Robinson (33) | 35–16 | |||||
52 | January 25 | @ Atlanta | 131–116 | Flynn Robinson (33) | 36–16 | |||||
53 | January 26 | Philadelphia | 122–103 | Lew Alcindor (34) | 36–17 | |||||
54 | January 28 | @ Cincinnati | 126–114 | Alcindor, McGlocklin (33) | 37–17 | |||||
55 | January 30 | @ Chicago | 121–105 | Lew Alcindor (27) | 38–17 | |||||
56 | January 31 | @ Phoenix | 107–106 | Zaid Abdul-Aziz (36) | 39–17 | |||||
57 | February 1 | @ Seattle | 116–118 | Flynn Robinson (33) | 39–18 | |||||
58 | February 4 | @ San Diego | 141–123 | Flynn Robinson (30) | 40–18 | |||||
59 | February 6 | @ Los Angeles | 118–105 | Lew Alcindor (29) | 41–18 | |||||
60 | February 8 | @ Baltimore | 106–120 | Lew Alcindor (36) | 41–19 | |||||
61 | February 10 | @ Philadelphia | 139–131 | Lew Alcindor (36) | 42–19 | |||||
62 | February 11 | Phoenix | 120–127 | Lew Alcindor (32) | 43–19 | |||||
63 | February 14 | Boston | 117–127 | Lew Alcindor (41) | 44–19 | |||||
64 | February 15 | Los Angeles | 98–96 | Jon McGlocklin (21) | 44–20 | |||||
65 | February 18 | @ San Francisco | 109–102 | Lew Alcindor (26) | 45–20 | |||||
66 | February 20 | @ Los Angeles | 114–119 | Lew Alcindor (31) | 45–21 | |||||
67 | February 21 | N Seattle | 127–140 | Lew Alcindor (51) | 46–21 | |||||
68 | February 22 | @ Phoenix | 144–124 | Lew Alcindor (34) | 47–21 | |||||
69 | February 24 | @ Detroit | 111–136 | Lew Alcindor (46) | 47–22 | |||||
70 | February 25 | Baltimore | 113–115 | Lew Alcindor (27) | 48–22 | |||||
71 | February 27 | Detroit | 113–131 | Lew Alcindor (33) | 49–22 | |||||
72 | March 1 | Cincinnati | 114–120 | Lew Alcindor (32) | 50–22 | |||||
73 | March 3 | Philadelphia | 116–127 | Lew Alcindor (31) | 51–22 | |||||
74 | March 5 | Atlanta | 126–117 | Lew Alcindor (39) | 51–23 | |||||
75 | March 6 | @ Detroit | 121–118 | Lew Alcindor (38) | 52–23 | |||||
76 | March 8 | @ Boston | 138–134 | Lew Alcindor (44) | 53–23 | |||||
77 | March 9 | Seattle | 105–124 | Lew Alcindor (25) | 54–23 | |||||
78 | March 10 | @ Atlanta | 127–140 | Lew Alcindor (40) | 54–24 | |||||
79 | March 15 | N Chicago | 107–130 | Lew Alcindor (30) | 54–25 | |||||
80 | March 18 | @ New York | 116–108 | Flynn Robinson (29) | 55–25 | |||||
81 | March 20 | @ Philadelphia | 138–112 | Lew Alcindor (41) | 56–25 | |||||
82 | March 22 | @ Chicago | 115–129 | Lew Alcindor (27) | 56–26 |
Playoffs
Player statistics
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
Season
Player | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PF | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zaid Abdul-Aziz | 80 | 20.5 | 43.4 | 64.3 | 7.5 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 7.4 |
Lew Alcindor | 82 | 43.1 | 51.8 | 65.3 | 14.5 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 28.8 |
John Arthurs | 11 | 3.2 | ||||||
Len Chappell | 75 | 8.3 | ||||||
Freddie Crawford | 77 | 7.6 | ||||||
Dick Cunningham | 60 | 2.1 | ||||||
Bob Dandridge | 81 | 3.2 | ||||||
Bob Greacen | 41 | 2.6 | ||||||
Jon McGlocklin | 82 | 17.6 | ||||||
Flynn Robinson | 81 | 21.8 | ||||||
Guy Rodgers | 64 | 3.2 | ||||||
Greg Smith | 82 | 9.8 | ||||||
Sam Williams | 11 | 2.5 |
Playoffs
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zaid Abdul-Aziz | 10 | 4.3 | |||||||||
Lew Alcindor | 10 | 35.2 | |||||||||
Len Chappell | 9 | 7.7 | |||||||||
Freddie Crawford | 10 | 8.8 | |||||||||
Dick Cunningham | 8 | 2.6 | |||||||||
Bob Dandridge | 10 | 16.3 | |||||||||
Bob Greacen | 1 | 2.0 | |||||||||
Jon McGlocklin | 10 | 14.9 | |||||||||
Flynn Robinson | 10 | 12.8 | |||||||||
Guy Rodgers | 7 | 2.4 | |||||||||
Greg Smith | 10 | 10.7 | |||||||||
Sam Williams | 2 | 4.0 |
Awards and honors
- Lew Alcindor, NBA Rookie of the Year
- Lew Alcindor, NBA All-Rookie Team
- Lew Alcindor, NBA All-Star Game Appearance
Notes
- Changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar before the 1971–72 season.