Behind the Bucks Pass
Fansided

Milwaukee Bucks: Top-10 individual seasons in franchise history

By Ben Sewell

Inglewood, Calif.: Two of basketball's giants stare at each other as Milwaukee Buck Lew Alcindor tries to decide if he should go over Los Angeles Laker Wilt Chamberlain or pass the ball off during early action of the third game of the second round of the NBA Playoffs. Alcindor tried to go over the Laker big man and missed the shot.
Inglewood, Calif.: Two of basketball's giants stare at each other as Milwaukee Buck Lew Alcindor tries to decide if he should go over Los Angeles Laker Wilt Chamberlain or pass the ball off during early action of the third game of the second round of the NBA Playoffs. Alcindor tried to go over the Laker big man and missed the shot. /
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MILWAUKEE – 1970: (Photo by Vernon Biever/NBAE via Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE – 1970: (Photo by Vernon Biever/NBAE via Getty Images) /

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – (1970/71)

Stat line – 31.7 points, 16.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists *

*Note Blocks were not recorded yet in the NBA

Accolades – NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP, NBA MVP, NBA All Star, All-NBA First Team, NBA All-Defensive First Team, NBA Scoring Champion.

Bucks Record: 66-16 (1st in Western Conference), NBA Champions, defeated Baltimore Bullets 4-0 in the Finals.

Was there ever going to be another anyone else at number one? Will there ever be a more dominant season than the one Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, and the Bucks put together in 1970-71? What a year it was.

Abdul-Jabbar took the league by storm in only his second season, leading the Bucks to a mighty record of 66-16, still the best record in Bucks’ history. Milwaukee then stormed through the playoffs, losing only twice and sweeping the Baltimore Bullets in the Finals 4-0 to claim their maiden title, and still the only one in franchise history.

This is one of, if not the greatest team in NBA history. Abdul-Jabbar combined with fellow Bucks greats including Oscar Robertson, Bob Dandridge and Jon McGlocklin to just steam roll through the competition. Abdul-Jabbar was the undoubted leader of this team, though, and remains arguably the greatest Buck of all time.

Abdul Jabbar to this day still holds many records from this season, including:

– Only Buck to win MVP
– Only Buck to win Finals MVP
– One of only three to earn All-NBA First Team selection
– Only Scoring Champion

Next: Milwaukee Bucks: Grading every draft of the past decade

It could be argued that Abdul-Jabbar had his best year for the Bucks the following year when he averaged 34.8 points, 16.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists while again winning MVP and leading the league in scoring, but in giving his team exactly what they needed to be crowned as the league’s best his ’71 season packs just a little more punch.

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