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 |
Arena | Milwaukee Arena |
Results | |
Record | 56–26 (.683) |
Place | Division: 2nd (Eastern) |
Playoff finish | East Finals (Lost to Knicks 1–4) |
Stats @ 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
Milwaukee Bucks roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Regular season
Season standings
Eastern Division | 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 Total: 56–26 (Home: 7–1; Road: 2–1) | |
---|---|
October: 4–2 (Home: 2–1; Road: 2–1)
| |
November: 1–0 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–0)
| |
December: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
| |
January: 4–0 (Home: 4–0; Road: 0–0)
| |
February: 1–0 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–0)
| |
March: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
| |
1969–70 schedule |
Playoffs
East Division Semifinals
(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (4) Philadelphia 76ers: Bucks win series 4–1
- Game 1 @ Milwaukee: Milwaukee 125, Philadelphia 118
- Game 2 @ Milwaukee: Philadelphia 112, Milwaukee 105
- Game 3 @ Philadelphia: Milwaukee 156, Philadelphia 120
- Game 4 @ Philadelphia: Milwaukee 118, Philadelphia 111
- Game 5 @ Milwaukee: Milwaukee 115, Philadelphia 106
East Division Finals
(1) New York Knicks vs. (2) Milwaukee Bucks: Knicks win series 4–1
- Game 1 @ New York: New York 110, Milwaukee 102
- Game 2 @ New York: New York 112, Milwaukee 111
- Game 3 @ Milwaukee: Milwaukee 101, New York 96
- Game 4 @ Milwaukee: New York 117, Milwaukee 105
- Game 5 @ New York: New York 132, Milwaukee 96
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 | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zaid Abdul-Aziz | 80 | ||||||||||
Lew Alcindor | 82 | ||||||||||
John Arthurs | 11 | ||||||||||
Len Chappell | 75 | ||||||||||
Freddie Crawford | 77 | ||||||||||
Dick Cunningham | 60 | ||||||||||
Bob Dandridge | 81 | ||||||||||
Bob Greacen | 41 | ||||||||||
Jon McGlocklin | 82 | ||||||||||
Flynn Robinson | 81 | ||||||||||
Guy Rodgers | 64 | ||||||||||
Greg Smith | 82 | ||||||||||
Sam Williams | 11 |
Playoffs
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zaid Abdul-Aziz | 10 | ||||||||||
Lew Alcindor | 10 | ||||||||||
Len Chappell | 9 | ||||||||||
Freddie Crawford | 10 | ||||||||||
Dick Cunningham | 8 | ||||||||||
Bob Dandridge | 10 | ||||||||||
Bob Greacen | 1 | ||||||||||
Jon McGlocklin | 10 | ||||||||||
Flynn Robinson | 10 | ||||||||||
Guy Rodgers | 7 | ||||||||||
Greg Smith | 10 | ||||||||||
Sam Williams | 2 |
Awards and honors
- Lew Alcindor, NBA Rookie of the Year
- Lew Alcindor, NBA All-Rookie Team
- Lew Alcindor, NBA All-Star Game Appearance