# 1971–72 Milwaukee Bucks season

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.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 17 | Collis Jones | | United States | University of Notre Dame |
| 3 | 51 | Gary Brell | | United States | Marquette University |

## Regular season

* January 9: The Bucks ended the Los Angeles Lakers' 33-game winning streak.

### Season standings

| Midwest Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
| y-Milwaukee Bucks | 63 | 19 | .768 | – | 31–5 | 27–12 | 5–2 | 13–5 |
| x-Chicago Bulls | 57 | 25 | .695 | 6 | 29–12 | 26–12 | 2–1 | 12–6 |
| Phoenix Suns | 49 | 33 | .598 | 14 | 30–11 | 19–20 | 0–2 | 7–11 |
| Detroit Pistons | 26 | 56 | .317 | 37 | 16–25 | 9–30 | 1–1 | 4–14 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT |
| 1 | z-Los Angeles Lakers | 69 | 13 | .841 |
| 2 | y-Milwaukee Bucks | 63 | 19 | .768 |
| 3 | x-Chicago Bulls | 57 | 25 | .695 |
| 4 | x-Golden State Warriors | 51 | 31 | .622 |
| 5 | Phoenix Suns | 49 | 33 | .598 |
| 6 | Seattle SuperSonics | 47 | 35 | .573 |
| 7 | Houston Rockets | 34 | 48 | .415 |
| 8 | Detroit Pistons | 26 | 56 | .317 |
| 9 | Portland Trail Blazers | 18 | 64 | .220 |
    z – clinched division title
    y – clinched division title
    x – clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1971–72 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CIN | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA |
| Atlanta | – | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–5 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–4 |
| Baltimore | 4–2 | – | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–3 |
| Boston | 4–0 | 2–2 | – | 6–0 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 2–3 |
| Buffalo | 2–4 | 3–3 | 0–6 | – | 1–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–4 | 2–4 | 0–4 |
| Chicago | 5–0 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | – | 3–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 2–3 |
| Cincinnati | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–3 | – | 6–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–5 |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 2–6 | – | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–4 |
| Detroit | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 3–1 | – | 0–5 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 |
| Golden State | 2–3 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 5–0 | – | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 |
| Houston | 4–1 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–5 | – | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 |
| Los Angeles | 5–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | – | 4–1 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 |
| Milwaukee | 3–2 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | – | 2–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 6–0 |
| New York | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 3–2 | – | 3–3 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 3–2 |
| Philadelphia | 3–3 | 0–4 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 3–3 | – | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–1 |
| Phoenix | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 4–1 | 4–1 | – | 6–0 | 3–2 |
| Portland | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–6 | – | 0–6 |
| Seattle | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 6–0 | — |

### Game log

1971–72 game log Total: 63–19 (home: 31–5; road: 27–12; neutral: 5–2) :
October: 7–0 (home: 3–0; road: 4–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1October 14, 1971@ Phoenix
W 110–97
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
1–0
2October 16, 1971@ Seattle
W 98–91
Seattle Center Coliseum
2–0
3October 17, 1971@ Portland
W 127–94
Memorial Coliseum
3–0
4October 19, 1971Cleveland
W 116–82
Milwaukee Arena
4–0
5October 22, 1971Buffalo
W 124–105
Milwaukee Arena
5–0
6October 23, 1971@ Philadelphia
W 110–88
The Spectrum
6–0
7October 26, 1971Baltimore
W 120–90
Milwaukee Arena
7–0 :
November: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
December: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
January: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
February: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
March: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
1971–72 schedule :

## Playoffs

1972 playoff game log :
Conference Semi-finals: 4–1 (home: 2–1; road: 2–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
March 28
Golden State
L 106–117
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15)
Lucius Allen (8)
Milwaukee Arena 9,877
0–1
2
March 30
Golden State
W 118–93
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (22)
Oscar Robertson (9)
Milwaukee Arena 10,746
1–1
3
April 1
@ Golden State
W 122–94
Abdul-Jabbar, Dandridge (23)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (16)
Oscar Robertson (14)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 13,502
2–1
4
April 4
@ Golden State
W 106–99
Bob Dandridge (31)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (20)
Oscar Robertson (11)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 12,986
3–1
5
April 6
Golden State
W 108–100
Bob Dandridge (29)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (22)
Oscar Robertson (8)
Milwaukee Arena 10,746
4–1 :
Conference finals: 2–4 (home: 1–2; road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 9
@ Los Angeles
W 93–72
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33)
Curtis Perry (23)
Oscar Robertson (10)
The Forum 17,505
1–0
2
April 12
@ Los Angeles
L 134–135
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (40)
Curtis Perry (12)
Abdul-Jabbar, Robertson (7)
The Forum 17,505
1–1
3
April 14
Los Angeles
L 105–108
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (21)
Abdul-Jabbar, Allen (6)
Milwaukee Arena 10,746
1–2
4
April 16
Los Angeles
W 114–88
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31)
Curtis Perry (19)
Oscar Robertson (10)
Milwaukee Arena 10,746
2–2
5
April 18
@ Los Angeles
L 90–115
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (16)
Bob Dandridge (4)
The Forum 17,505
2–3
6
April 22
Los Angeles
L 100–104
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (37)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (8)
Milwaukee Arena 10,746
2–4 :
1972 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Season

| Player | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 81 | 44.2 | 57.4 | 68.9 | 16.6 | 4.6 | 34.8 |
| Bob Dandridge | 80 | 37.0 | 49.8 | 73.9 | 7.7 | 3.1 | 18.4 |
| Oscar Robertson | 64 | 37.3 | 47.2 | 83.6 | 5.0 | 7.7 | 17.4 |
| Lucius Allen | 80 | 29.0 | 50.5 | 76.4 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 13.5 |
| Jon McGlocklin | 80 | 27.7 | 51.0 | 86.5 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 10.7 |
| John Block | 79 | 19.3 | 44.0 | 74.9 | 5.2 | 1.2 | 8.5 |
| Greg Smith | 28 | 26.3 | 49.0 | 70.7 | 5.8 | 2.3 | 8.4 |
| Wali Jones | 48 | 21.5 | 40.7 | 82.2 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 7.5 |
| Curtis Perry | 50 | 29.4 | 38.5 | 67.4 | 9.4 | 1.6 | 7.0 |
| Toby Kimball | 74 | 13.1 | 46.7 | 54.3 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 3.5 |
| McCoy McLemore | 10 | 9.9 | 32.1 | 91.7 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 2.9 |
| Charlie Lowery | 20 | 6.7 | 44.7 | 61.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 2.3 |
| Bill Dinwiddie | 23 | 6.3 | 28.1 | 55.6 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 1.6 |
| Jeff Webb | 19 | 5.7 | 25.7 | 84.6 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.5 |
| Barry Nelson | 28 | 3.6 | 41.7 | 50.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.3 |

### Playoffs

| Player | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 11 | 46.4 | 43.7 | 70.4 | 18.2 | 5.1 | 28.7 |
| Bob Dandridge | 11 | 40.1 | 49.5 | 74.0 | 8.8 | 1.9 | 21.5 |
| Lucius Allen | 11 | 35.1 | 47.0 | 75.9 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 17.9 |
| Oscar Robertson | 11 | 34.5 | 40.7 | 83.3 | 5.8 | 7.5 | 13.1 |
| Wali Jones | 9 | 22.2 | 43.9 | 85.7 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 10.0 |
| Curtis Perry | 11 | 36.1 | 47.3 | 78.3 | 12.8 | 1.3 | 9.5 |
| Jon McGlocklin | 5 | 20.6 | 42.9 | 83.3 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 7.0 |
| John Block | 11 | 14.2 | 38.5 | 83.3 | 5.0 | 0.5 | 5.0 |
| Toby Kimball | 7 | 5.1 | 41.7 | 100.0 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.7 |
| Charlie Lowery | 7 | 3.7 | 25.0 | 66.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.9 |
| Barry Nelson | 2 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 |

## Awards and honors

* Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, NBA Most Valuable Player

## Transactions
### Trades

| September 12, 1971 | To Milwaukee Bucks---- John Block | To Houston Rockets---- Dick Cunningham |
| December 9, 1971 | To Milwaukee Bucks---- Curtis Perry | To Houston Rockets---- Greg Smith |