1969–70 Milwaukee Bucks season
| 1969–70 Milwaukee Bucks season | |
|---|---|
| Lew Alcindor's debut season | |
| Head coach | Larry Costello |
| Arena | Milwaukee Arena |
| Results | |
| Record | 56–26 (.683) |
| Place | Division: 2nd (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | East Finals (Eliminated 1–4) |
|
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com |
|
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.
Contents
Draft picks
After an 26–56 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 |  United States |
UCLA |
| 2 | 17 | Bob Greacen | F | United States |
Rutgers |
Regular season
Season standings
| Eastern Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x-New York Knicks | 60 | 22 | .732 | – | 30–11 | 27–10 | 3–1 | 28–12 |
| x-Milwaukee Bucks | 56 | 26 | .683 | 4 | 27–11 | 24–14 | 5–1 | 27–13 |
| x-Baltimore Bullets | 50 | 32 | .610 | 10 | 25–12 | 19–18 | 6–2 | 21–19 |
| x-Philadelphia 76ers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 18 | 22–16 | 16–22 | 4–2 | 20–20 |
| Cincinnati Royals | 36 | 46 | .439 | 24 | 19–13 | 14–25 | 3–8 | 18–22 |
| Boston Celtics | 34 | 48 | .415 | 26 | 16–21 | 13–27 | 5–0 | 16–24 |
| Detroit Pistons | 31 | 51 | .378 | 29 | 18–20 | 10–25 | 3–6 | 10-30 |
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
Awards and honors
- Lew Alcindor, NBA Rookie of the Year
- Lew Alcindor, NBA All-Rookie Team
- Lew Alcindor, NBA All-Star Game Appearance
References
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- ↑ http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIL/1970.html
