NBA Champions ·
1971 Milwaukee Bucks
In only their third season, the 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks went 66-16 and swept the Baltimore Bullets to win the title. Lew Alcindor, soon to be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, led the league in scoring and took both MVP awards. Oscar Robertson, finally on a winner at 32, ran the backcourt and never had to wait again.
Milwaukee landed Alcindor in 1969 and traded for Robertson in 1970, and the jump was immediate. The Bucks won 66 games, ripped off a 20-game winning streak, and finished with the best record in the league.
Alcindor averaged 31.7 points a game, the league's best, and added 16 rebounds while shooting nearly 58 percent. Robertson, past his Cincinnati prime but still precise, chipped in close to 20 a night and ranked third in assists. Bob Dandridge gave them a third scorer at the forward spot, and Jon McGlocklin spaced the floor.
The playoffs were close to a formality. Milwaukee beat the Warriors and the Lakers in five each, then swept the Baltimore Bullets in the Finals. Alcindor won Finals MVP to go with his regular-season award.
This was the first NBA title for a team from the Midwest, and it came faster than any expansion club had managed. Milwaukee would not win another until 2021, a 50-year gap.
Championship roster
Featured in Ring Holders Club
| Player | Role | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Oscar Robertson | PG | 93 |
| Jon McGlocklin | SG | 78 |
| Bob Dandridge | SF | 84 |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | C | 97 |
| Greg Smith | PF | 72 |
| Bob Boozer | 6th man | 74 |
| Larry Costello | Coach | 84 |
Ratings are year-specific curated estimates for Ring Holders Club, not official NBA stats.
Rest of the roster
| Player | Pos | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lucius Allen | G | key reserve guard and Alcindor's UCLA teammate |
| Dick Cunningham | C | backup center |
| McCoy McLemore | F | frontcourt reserve |
| Bob Greacen | F | |
| Jeff Webb | G |