This is a list of seasons completed by the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Bucks joined the NBA as an expansion team in the 1968 season. Milwaukee's 1971 NBA title in their 3rd year of existence marks the Bucks as the fastest team ever to go from being an entirely new franchise to being an NBA champion. With their 2021 title, the Bucks are now the only NBA franchise to win championships while having been in both the Western (1971) and Eastern (2021) conferences.
NBA champions | Conference champions | Division champions | Playoff berth |
Season | League | Conference | Finish | Division | Finish | Wins | Losses | Win% | GB | Playoffs | Awards | Head Coach |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1968–69 | NBA | — | — | Eastern | 7th | 27 | 55 | .329 | 30 | Larry Costello | ||
1969–70 | NBA | — | — | Eastern | 2nd | 56 | 26 | .683 | 4 | Won Division semifinals (76ers) 4–1 Lost Division finals (Knicks) 4–1 | Lew Alcindor (ROY) | |
1970–71 | NBA | Western | 1st | Midwest | 1st | 66 | 16 | .805 | — | Won conference semifinals (Warriors) 4–1 Won conference finals (Lakers) 4–1 Won NBA Finals (Bullets) 4–0 | Lew Alcindor (MVP, FMVP) | |
1971–72 | NBA | Western | 2nd | Midwest | 1st | 63 | 19 | .768 | — | Won conference semifinals (Warriors) 4–1 Lost conference finals (Lakers) 4–2 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (MVP) | |
1972–73 | NBA | Western | 1st | Midwest | 1st | 60 | 22 | .732 | — | Lost conference semifinals (Warriors) 4–2 | ||
1973–74 | NBA | Western | 1st | Midwest | 1st | 59 | 23 | .720 | — | Won conference semifinals (Lakers) 4–1 Won conference finals (Bulls) 4–0 Lost NBA Finals (Celtics) 4–3 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (MVP) | |
1974–75 | NBA | Western | 7th | Midwest | 4th | 38 | 44 | .463 | 9 | |||
1975–76 | NBA | Western | 4th | Midwest | 1st | 38 | 44 | .463 | — | Lost First round (Pistons) 2–1 | ||
1976–77 | NBA | Western | 11th | Midwest | 6th | 30 | 52 | .366 | 20 | Larry Costello Don Nelson | ||
1977–78 | NBA | Western | 6th | Midwest | 2nd | 44 | 38 | .537 | 4 | Won First round (Suns) 2–0 Lost conference semifinals (Nuggets) 4–3 | Don Nelson | |
1978–79 | NBA | Western | 9th | Midwest | 4th | 38 | 44 | .463 | 10 | |||
1979–80 | NBA | Western | 2nd | Midwest | 1st | 49 | 33 | .598 | — | Lost conference semifinals (SuperSonics) 4–3 | ||
1980–81 | NBA | Eastern | 2nd | Central | 1st | 60 | 22 | .732 | — | Lost conference semifinals (76ers) 4–3 | ||
1981–82 | NBA | Eastern | 2nd | Central | 1st | 55 | 27 | .671 | — | Lost conference semifinals (76ers) 4–2 | ||
1982–83 | NBA | Eastern | 2nd | Central | 1st | 51 | 31 | .622 | — | Won conference semifinals (Celtics) 4–0 Lost conference finals (76ers) 4–1 | Sidney Moncrief (DPOY) Don Nelson (COY) | |
1983–84 | NBA | Eastern | 2nd | Central | 1st | 50 | 32 | .610 | — | Won First round (Hawks) 3–2 Won conference semifinals (Nets) 4–2 Lost conference finals (Celtics) 4–1 | Sidney Moncrief (DPOY) | |
1984–85 | NBA | Eastern | 2nd | Central | 1st | 59 | 23 | .720 | — | Won First round (Bulls) 3–1 Lost conference semifinals (76ers) 4–0 | Don Nelson (COY) | |
1985–86 | NBA | Eastern | 2nd | Central | 1st | 57 | 25 | .695 | — | Won First round (Nets) 3–0 Won conference semifinals (76ers) 4–3 Lost conference finals (Celtics) 4–0 | ||
1986–87 | NBA | Eastern | 4th | Central | 3rd | 50 | 32 | .610 | 7 | Won First round (76ers) 3–2 Lost conference semifinals (Celtics) 4–3 | Ricky Pierce (SIX) | |
1987–88 | NBA | Eastern | 5th | Central | 4th | 42 | 40 | .512 | 12 | Lost First round (Hawks) 3–2 | Del Harris | |
1988–89 | NBA | Eastern | 5th | Central | 4th | 49 | 33 | .598 | 14 | Won First round (Hawks) 3–2 Lost conference semifinals (Pistons) 4–0 | ||
1989–90 | NBA | Eastern | 6th | Central | 3rd | 44 | 38 | .537 | 15 | Lost First round (Bulls) 3–1 | Ricky Pierce (SIX) | |
1990–91 | NBA | Eastern | 4th | Central | 3rd | 48 | 34 | .585 | 13 | Lost First round (76ers) 3–0 | ||
1991–92 | NBA | Eastern | 11th | Central | 7th | 31 | 51 | .378 | 36 | Del Harris Frank Hamblen | ||
1992–93 | NBA | Eastern | 12th | Central | 7th | 28 | 54 | .341 | 29 | Mike Dunleavy | ||
1993–94 | NBA | Eastern | 13th | Central | 7th | 20 | 62 | .244 | 37 | |||
1994–95 | NBA | Eastern | 9th | Central | 6th | 34 | 48 | .415 | 18 | |||
1995–96 | NBA | Eastern | 13th | Central | 7th | 25 | 57 | .305 | 47 | |||
1996–97 | NBA | Eastern | 11th | Central | 7th | 33 | 49 | .402 | 36 | Chris Ford | ||
1997–98 | NBA | Eastern | 13th | Central | 7th | 36 | 46 | .439 | 26 | |||
1998–99 | NBA | Eastern | 7th | Central | 4th | 28 | 22 | .560 | 5 | Lost First round (Pacers) 3–0 | George Karl | |
1999–00 | NBA | Eastern | 8th | Central | 5th | 42 | 40 | .512 | 14 | Lost First round (Pacers) 3–2 | ||
2000–01 | NBA | Eastern | 2nd | Central | 1st | 52 | 30 | .634 | — | Won First round (Magic) 3–1 Won conference semifinals (Hornets) 4–3 Lost conference finals (76ers) 4–3 | ||
2001–02 | NBA | Eastern | 9th | Central | 5th | 41 | 41 | .500 | 9 | |||
2002–03 | NBA | Eastern | 7th | Central | 4th | 42 | 40 | .512 | 8 | Lost First round (Nets) 4–2 | ||
2003–04 | NBA | Eastern | 6th | Central | 4th | 41 | 41 | .500 | 20 | Lost First round (Pistons) 4–1 | Terry Porter | |
2004–05 | NBA | Eastern | 13th | Central | 5th | 30 | 52 | .366 | 24 | |||
2005–06 | NBA | Eastern | 8th | Central | 5th | 40 | 42 | .488 | 24 | Lost First round (Pistons) 4–1 | Terry Stotts | |
2006–07 | NBA | Eastern | 14th | Central | 5th | 28 | 54 | .341 | 25 | Terry Stotts Larry Krystkowiak | ||
2007–08 | NBA | Eastern | 13th | Central | 5th | 26 | 56 | .317 | 33 | Larry Krystkowiak | ||
2008–09 | NBA | Eastern | 12th | Central | 5th | 34 | 48 | .415 | 32 | Scott Skiles | ||
2009–10 | NBA | Eastern | 6th | Central | 2nd | 46 | 36 | .561 | 17 | Lost First round (Hawks) 4–3 | John Hammond (EOY) | |
2010–11 | NBA | Eastern | 9th | Central | 3rd | 35 | 47 | .427 | 27 | |||
2011–12 | NBA | Eastern | 9th | Central | 3rd | 31 | 35 | .469 | 19 | |||
2012–13 | NBA | Eastern | 8th | Central | 3rd | 38 | 44 | .463 | 11½ | Lost First round (Heat) 4–0 | Scott Skiles Jim Boylan | |
2013–14 | NBA | Eastern | 15th | Central | 5th | 15 | 67 | .183 | 41 | Larry Drew | ||
2014–15 | NBA | Eastern | 6th | Central | 3rd | 41 | 41 | .500 | 12 | Lost First round (Bulls) 4–2 | Jason Kidd | |
2015–16 | NBA | Eastern | 12th | Central | 5th | 33 | 49 | .402 | 24 | |||
2016–17 | NBA | Eastern | 6th | Central | 2nd | 42 | 40 | .512 | 11 | Lost First round (Raptors) 4–2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIP) Malcolm Brogdon (ROY) | |
2017–18 | NBA | Eastern | 7th | Central | 3rd | 44 | 38 | .537 | 15 | Lost First round (Celtics) 4–3 | Jason Kidd Joe Prunty | |
2018–19 | NBA | Eastern | 1st | Central | 1st | 60 | 22 | .732 | — | Won First round (Pistons) 4–0 Won conference semifinals (Celtics) 4–1 Lost conference finals (Raptors) 4–2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MVP) Mike Budenholzer (COY) Jon Horst (EOY) | Mike Budenholzer |
2019–20 | NBA | Eastern | 1st | Central | 1st | 56 | 17 | .767 | — | Won First round (Magic) 4–1 Lost conference semifinals (Heat) 4–1 | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MVP, DPOY) | |
2020–21 | NBA | Eastern | 3rd | Central | 1st | 46 | 26 | .639 | — | Won First round (Heat) 4–0 Won conference semifinals (Nets) 4–3 Won conference finals (Hawks) 4–2 Won NBA Finals (Suns) 4–2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo (FMVP, ASG MVP) Jrue Holiday (SPOR) | |
2021–22 | NBA | Eastern | 3rd | Central | 1st | 51 | 31 | .622 | — | Won First round (Bulls) 4–1 Lost conference semifinals (Celtics) 4–3 | ||
2022–23 | NBA | Eastern | 1st | Central | 1st | 58 | 24 | .707 | — | Lost First round (Heat) 4–1 | ||
2023–24 | NBA | Eastern | 3rd | Central | 1st | 49 | 33 | .598 | — | First round (Pacers) | Damian Lillard (ASG MVP) | Adrian Griffin Joe Prunty Doc Rivers |
Regular Season Totals (1968–2024) | 2,389 | 2,136 | .528 | 2 NBA Championships | ||||||||
Playoff Totals (1968–2023) | 150 | 156 | .490 | |||||||||
All-Time Regular Season and Playoff Record | 2,539 | 2,292 | .526 |
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and play at Fiserv Forum. Former U.S. Senator Herb Kohl was the long-time owner of the team, but on April 16, 2014, a group led by billionaire hedge fund managers Wes Edens and Marc Lasry agreed to purchase a majority interest in the team from Kohl, a sale which was approved by the owners of the NBA and its Board of Governors one month later on May 16. The team is managed by Jon Horst, the team's former director of basketball operations, who took over from John Hammond.
Robert L. Dandridge Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed the "Greyhound", Dandridge was a four-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA champion, who scored 15,530 points in his career. He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.
The Oklahoma City Blue are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City and are affiliated with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Blue compete in the NBA G League as members of the Western Conference. The Blue play their home games at Paycom Center, an arena shared with the Thunder.
The 1970–71 NBA season was the 25th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Milwaukee Bucks winning the NBA Championship, beating the Baltimore Bullets 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals. Three new teams made their debut: the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Buffalo Braves.
The 1971 NBA Finals was the championship series played at the conclusion of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 25th anniversary season of 1970–71. The Western Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks, who were founded as an expansion team three years earlier, swept the Eastern Conference champion Baltimore Bullets in four games. Baltimore had dethroned the 1969–70 NBA champion New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
Jon P. McGlocklin is an American former professional basketball player. Born in Franklin, Indiana, McGlocklin spent over a decade in the National Basketball Association (NBA) after being drafted by the Cincinnati Royals in 1965. He is best known, however, for his six-decade association with the Milwaukee Bucks. He played the last eight seasons of his career in Milwaukee, making the NBA All-Star Game in 1969 and helping lead the Bucks to the 1971 NBA title. After retiring from the NBA in 1976, McGlocklin went on to become a television commentator for the Bucks, also having his number retired by the franchise.
The 1972 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1971–72 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Wilt Chamberlain was named NBA Finals MVP.
The 1971 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1970–71 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks defeating the Eastern Conference champion Baltimore Bullets four games to none in the NBA Finals.
The 1970 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1969–70 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion New York Knicks defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. Willis Reed was named NBA Finals MVP.
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 drafting Lew Alcindor. A key part of this championship season was the acquisition of Oscar Robertson. Other role players on the Bucks included players such as Bob Dandridge, Jon McGlocklin, power forward Greg Smith & key reserves such as Lucius Allen, Bob Boozer and Dick Cunningham completing the nucleus. This season included a 20-game winning streak, the NBA's longest at the time, and still ranked fifth all-time. The Bucks became the first team from the Midwest Division to win the NBA title; it would be 23 years before the Houston Rockets would do the same.
The 1968 NBA expansion draft was the fourth expansion draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on May 6, 1968, so that the newly founded Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns could acquire players for the upcoming 1968–69 season. Milwaukee and Phoenix had been awarded the expansion teams on January 22, 1968. In an NBA expansion draft, new NBA teams are allowed to acquire players from the previously established teams in the league. Not all players on a given team are available during an expansion draft, since each team can protect a certain number of players from being selected. In this draft, each of the twelve other NBA teams had protected seven players from their roster. After each round, where each the Suns and the Bucks had selected one player, the existing teams added another player to their protected list. The draft continued until both teams had selected eighteen unprotected players each, while the existing teams had lost three players each.
The 1971–72 Milwaukee Bucks season was the fourth season in franchise history. Led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Bucks finished in first place in the Midwest Division. Abdul-Jabbar won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award ahead of Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain of the Los Angeles Lakers. On January 9, 1972, the Bucks snapped the Los Angeles Lakers' 33-game winning streak.
Michael Vincent Budenholzer is an American professional basketball coach who was most recently head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association, with which he won an NBA title in 2020–21 during his coaching stint from 2018–2023.
Giannis Sina Ugo Antetokounmpo is a Greek-Nigerian professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His country of origin, in addition to his size, speed, and strength have earned him the nickname "Greek Freak". He is widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards and one of the greatest players of all time.
The 2018–19 Milwaukee Bucks season was the 51st season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Bucks moved from the Bradley Center to the new Fiserv Forum before the start of the season. On May 17, 2018, the Bucks hired Mike Budenholzer as head coach. The Bucks opened the season with seven straight wins, the first time they started a season 7–0 since 1971–72. On March 1, 2019, with a 131–120 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, the Bucks became the first team to secure a playoff berth in the season. Later on, The Bucks clinched their first Division Championship since 2000-01. They then clinched the best record in the NBA with a win against the Philadelphia 76ers on April 4, 2019, achieving the feat for the first time since 1973–74. Eventually, the Bucks finished the regular season with a 60–22 record, the franchise's first 60-win season since 1980–81. The Bucks finished 33–8 at home, the second-best home record in the NBA, behind the Denver Nuggets, and their 27–14 road record was the best in the league, tied with the Golden State Warriors. The Bucks also won all 14 of their season series against Eastern Conference opponents, and lost back-to-back games just once, resulting in their longest losing streak for the season, at two games. The Bucks had the best team defensive rating in the NBA.
The 2019–20 Milwaukee Bucks season was the 52nd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Bucks entered the season following a playoff defeat in six games from the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference finals. The Bucks had the best team defensive rating in the NBA.
The 2021 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2020–21 season. With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting the NBA for the second consecutive year, the regular season was reduced to 72 games for each team and the start date of the playoffs was moved from its usual time in mid-April to May 22, 2021. It ended with the 2021 NBA Finals in July.
The 2021 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2020–21 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs. In this best-of-seven playoff series, the Eastern Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns, 4–2, winning their first NBA championship in 50 years and second overall. Holding home-court advantage, the Suns led the series 2–0 before the Bucks won the next four games, becoming the fifth team in NBA history to win the championship after losing the first two games. Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). With the COVID-19 pandemic altering the NBA's schedule for the second consecutive year, the start date of the series was pushed from its usual time in late May or early June to July 6, the second-latest start in Finals' history. This was the first NBA Finals since 2010 to have neither LeBron James nor Stephen Curry as one of the players competing.
The 2020–21 Milwaukee Bucks season was the 53rd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). On April 30, 2021, the Bucks clinched the Central Division for a record 10th time with a win over the Chicago Bulls. The Bucks finished the season with a 46–26 record, good enough for the third seed. The Bucks began their playoff run by sweeping the sixth-seeded Miami Heat in the opening round, in a rematch of the Eastern Conference Semi-finals the previous year. The Bucks then defeated the second-seeded Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals in seven games. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Bucks defeated the Atlanta Hawks in six games, reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in 47 years, and winning the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. The Bucks are the first NBA team to have won both a Western Conference and Eastern Conference championship in their history, as they were in the Western Conference when they reached the NBA Finals in 1971 and 1974. The Bucks would face the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals. Despite losing the first two games, the Bucks won four straight, winning 4–2 and clinching their second NBA title, the first since 1971.