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Milwaukee Bucks: 49 years in 49 days – 1990-91 season

By Ti Windisch

BOSTON, MA - 1991: The Boston Celtics look to rebound against the Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts circa 1991. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1991 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - 1991: The Boston Celtics look to rebound against the Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts circa 1991. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1991 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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After the trade of yet another franchise stalwart, the Milwaukee Bucks kept on chugging during the 1990-91 NBA season.

The season: 1990-91

The record: 48-34

The postseason: 0-3, lost in first round

The story:

Paul Pressey was the latest former key Milwaukee Bucks cog to be traded in advance of the 1990-91 NBA season. Pressey had lost his starting spot in the previous season, and Del Harris followed up that demotion with a trade as Pressey ended up with the San Antonio Spurs.

More from Bucks History

In exchange, the Bucks got Frank Brickowski. The Brick, as he came to be known in Milwaukee, would become an important and useful piece rather quickly in his Bucks tenure.

The other noteworthy addition made that affected the 1990-91 season was the addition of Danny Schayes. Schayes was obtained from the Denver Nuggets for the draft rights to Terry Mills, the Bucks’ first round pick in 1990.

Milwaukee also made two in-season acquisitions. Greg Anderson was traded to the New Jersey Nets for Lester Conner, and potent sixth man Ricky Pierce was sent to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for Dale Ellis.

Pierce had more of a scoring presence than Ellis, but Ellis was the superior marksman, and he helped Milwaukee in the year and a half he spent with the Bucks.

In a strange cameo, Adrian Dantley spent 10 games on the 1990-91 Bucks in what would be the last act of his storied career. Dantley was no longer his 30 point per game self once the ’90s rolled around, as he failed to hit six points per game in his Milwaukee career.

The odd cast of Bucks characters was shuffled and re-dealt again over the course of the season, but Harris’ wheeling and dealing showed signs of an early return. The pieces came together as a borderline top-10 offense and defense, although some of the most reliable players were returning from the season before.

The backcourt combination of Jay Humphries and Alvin Robertson missed a combined three games all season. Neither of them scored a ton per game, with Humphries putting up 15.2 and Robertson posting 13.6, but they both kept the ball moving. The guards combined for 12.2 assists per game, averaging 6.7 and 5.5, respectively.

Fred Roberts returned from the previous season and kept his production nearly identical to where it was then, while the Brick filled in at power forward for most of the year. Jack Sikma started the season at center, but Schayes ended up taking over for him during the campaign.

The newly-retooled Bucks entered the postseason with 48 wins, and faced their great rival of the 1980s in the first round, as the Philadelphia 76ers were their opponent. Charles Barkley was in his prime at age 27, and the Round Mound of Rebound played like it.

Sir Charles put up 23.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game in the series, which would end up making it to just three games. The Bucks got big-time contributions from Robertson and the Brick, but without a true star the team could not hang with Philly.

Next: 49 years in 49 days: 1989-90 season

After what must have felt like the millionth time the Bucks were swept by the Sixers in the last 15 or so years, Milwaukee had yet another early offseason start in 1991.

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