Head coach Larry Costello Record 66–16 (.805) | Arena Milwaukee Arena | |
Place Division: 1st (Midwest)
Conference: 1st (Western) Playoff finish NBA Champions
(Defeated Bullets 4–0) | ||
The 1970–71 Milwaukee Bucks season was the third season for the Bucks. Milwaukee posted a 66–16 record in only its third year of existence, and its second since getting Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then named Lew Alcindor. Key part of the championship season was the acquisition of Oscar Robertson. Other role players on the Bucks included players such as Bob Dandridge (18.4 ppg) and Jon McGlocklin (15.8 ppg), power forward Greg Smith and key reserves Lucius Allen, Bob Boozer and Dick Cunningham completing the nucleus. The season included a 20-game winning streak, the NBA's longest at the time, and still ranked fifth all-time.
Contents
- Regular season
- West Conference Semifinals
- West Conference Finals
- NBA Finals
- Awards and records
- Transactions
- References
The team's season roster is featured in the video games NBA 2K16 and NBA 2K17.
Regular season
In only his second pro season, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor) led the league in scoring at 31.7 ppg, ranked second in field goal percentage at .577 and fourth in rebounding at 16.0 rpg. Newly arrived Oscar Robertson turned 32 early in the 1970–71 season, and was past his prime when he came to Milwaukee, but his versatile skills and experience provided a leadership role for the Bucks. Robertson had never won a championship and his desire to win seemed to inspire Abdul-Jabbar and unite the rest of the Bucks. Robertson ranked third in the league in assists at 8.3 apg and was the Bucks' No. 2 scorer at 19.4 ppg.
West Conference Semifinals
(M1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (P2) San Francisco Warriors: Bucks win series 4–1
West Conference Finals
(M1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (P1) Los Angeles Lakers: Bucks win series 4–1
NBA Finals
Bucks win series 4–0
Awards and records
Transactions
On April 21, 1970, the Bucks traded two young players, Flynn Robinson and Charlie Paulk, to the Cincinnati Royals for 10-year veteran guard Oscar Robertson.