1971 NBA Finals

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.

1971 NBA Finals
TeamCoachWins
Milwaukee Bucks Larry Costello 4
Baltimore Bullets Gene Shue 0
DatesApril 21–30
MVPLew Alcindor
(Milwaukee Bucks)
Hall of FamersBucks:
Lew Alcindor (1995 as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)
Oscar Robertson (1980)
Bullets:
Earl Monroe (1990)
Wes Unseld (1988)
Gus Johnson (2010)
Eastern FinalsBullets defeat Knicks, 4–3
Western FinalsBucks defeat Lakers, 4–1

The Bucks were the first Western Conference champions to win the league's championship since the St. Louis Hawks did so in 1958.

This was the first NBA Finals not played in the state of California in 10 years. It would also be the last time that both participants were playing in their first NBA Finals until the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat got together in the 2006 NBA Finals.

The Bullets were forced to play Game 1 on a Wednesday night, just 48 hours after having defeated New York in Game 7 of the 1971 Eastern Conference Finals, then had to wait four days before playing Game 2. The series was the second (and last) time in NBA history that the teams alternated home games, the other being in 1956. Most other series were held in the 2-2-1-1-1 or 2-3-2 format (a 1-2-2-1-1 format was used in 1975 and 1978). It was also the last NBA Championship Series completed before May 1.

The series was broadcast by ABC with Chris Schenkel and Jack Twyman providing the commentary.

As both the Bucks and Washington Wizards (the Bullets' successors) now play in the Eastern Conference, a rematch of this Finals is not currently possible.

Series summary
GameDateHome TeamScoreRoad Team
Game 1Wed. April 21Milwaukee98–88Baltimore
Game 2Sun. April 25Baltimore83–102Milwaukee
Game 3Wed. April 28Milwaukee107–99Baltimore
Game 4Fri. April 30Baltimore106–118Milwaukee

Bucks win series 4–0

Team rosters

Milwaukee Bucks
Roster listing
Milwaukee Bucks roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
C 33 Alcindor, Lew 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 225 lb (102 kg) UCLA
PG 7 Allen, Lucius 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) UCLA
PF 20 Boozer, Bob 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Kansas State
C 19 Cunningham, Dick 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Murray State
SF 10 Dandridge, Bob 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Norfolk State
F 18 Greacen, Bob 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 206 lb (93 kg) Rutgers
SG 14 McGlocklin, Jon 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Indiana
SF 35 McLemore, McCoy 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Drake
PG 1 Robertson, Oscar 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Cincinnati
PF 4 Smith, Greg 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Western Kentucky
PG 8 Webb, Jeff 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Kansas State
G 5 Winkler, Marv 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Louisiana Lafayette
G 6 Zopf, Bill 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Duquesne
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Baltimore Bullets
Roster listing
Baltimore Bullets roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
G 3 Carter, Fred 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Mount St. Mary's
F 31 Johnson, George E. 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Stephen F. Austin
F 25 Johnson, Gus 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Idaho
G 22 Loughery, Kevin 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) St. John's
F 24 Marin, Jack 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Duke
G 15 Miles, Eddie 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Seattle
G 10 Monroe, Earl 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Winston-Salem State
PF 40 Murrey, Dorie 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 229 lb (104 kg) Detroit
PF 12 Tresvant, John 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Seattle
SF 35 Tucker, Al 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Oklahoma Baptist
F 41 Unseld, Wes 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Louisville
G 11 Zeller, Gary 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Drake
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured
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See also
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