Behind the Bucks Pass
Fansided

Milwaukee Bucks: 49 years in 49 days – 2001-02 season

By Ti Windisch

6 MAR 2002: Glenn Robinson #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks waves to the crowd after surpassing Sidney Moncrief to become the Milwaukee Bucks'' second all time leading scorer during the fourth quarter of an NBA game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. DIGITAL IMAGE. NOTE TO USER: Mandatory 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 2002 NBAE. Mandatory credit: Gary Dineen/NBAE/Getty Images
6 MAR 2002: Glenn Robinson #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks waves to the crowd after surpassing Sidney Moncrief to become the Milwaukee Bucks'' second all time leading scorer during the fourth quarter of an NBA game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. DIGITAL IMAGE. NOTE TO USER: Mandatory 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 2002 NBAE. Mandatory credit: Gary Dineen/NBAE/Getty Images /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Milwaukee Bucks failed to recapture the magic of the season before during a disappointing 2001-02 campaign.

The season: 2001-2002

The record: 41-41

The postseason: N/A

The story:

Milwaukee Bucks fans could be forgiven for feeling optimistic after the 2000-01 season. After all, Milwaukee’s fairly young core had gotten to within a game of the NBA Finals, and Bucks fans still to this day believe that squad was cheated by officiating in that series.

More from Bucks History

Even if the Finals wouldn’t be reached the very next season, the Bucks must have still been pretty good, right? Well, not exactly.

Various injuries certainly had an impact on Milwaukee’s (lack of) success. Both Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson missed at least 13 games, which was a rarity, especially for Allen. He’d been the model of consistency in his time with the Bucks thus far.

Even in the games with those two Milwaukee struggled, though. In 69 games with Allen the Bucks went 35-34. In Big Dog’s 63 games the team was 33-33. Milwaukee wasn’t noticeably worse with or without either of the team’s stars that season.

The real culprit behind the Bucks not being as good was the team’s offense taking a significant dip. After being one of the most dynamic and effective offenses in the NBA the season prior, Milwaukee fell all the way to eighth in both points per game and offensive rating.

A top-10 offense isn’t terrible by any means, especially if a team’s defense can make up for any shortcomings on the other end. Milwaukee, unfortunately, had no such stellar defense. The Bucks were a bottom-10 team in terms of points allowed per game and defensive rating.

More from Behind the Buck Pass

Even with the team’s problems, the Bucks were still involved in the playoff hunt until the last month or so of the season. A dreadful 5-14 finish to the season quashed any hope of Milwaukee making another run to the Eastern Conference Finals, though. In a disheartening twist, both Allen and Robinson were pretty healthy throughout that terrible stretch.

The Bucks franchise was thrown into doubt after the 2001-02 season. Milwaukee entered the year expecting to build on a promising start as a consistent playoff team. By the end of the season, Milwaukee’s big three just couldn’t find ways to get the team wins, and they went 41-41.

That kind of situation only has a few options, and none of them are all of that fun. In classic Milwaukee Bucks fashion, the team approached their newfound dilemma by making a dramatic trade.

Next: 49 years in 49 days: 2001-02 season

That trade wouldn’t be the only one Milwaukee would make in an attempt to avoid stagnation, but unfortunately panic trades rarely work out in any sort of positive fashion, and the Bucks’ panic trades are no exceptions to the rules.

Home/Bucks History