The Milwaukee Bucks couldn’t keep their heads above water any longer during the 2004-05 NBA season, and losses flooded the city.
The season: 2004-2005
The record: 30-52
The postseason: N/A
The story:
The Milwaukee Bucks that many younger fans seem to remember did not leave the best impression on the city or fanbase. The 2004-05 season was the first in an eight-year run that saw the Bucks qualify for postseason play just twice.
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It was less than great. Michael Redd maintained his role as easily the best Buck during the ’04-05 season, and actually increased his per game averages after making his first All-Star team in the prior season.
Redd put up 23.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from deep. Milwaukee needed a lot from Redd and he gave as much as he could, playing in 38.0 minutes per game and sitting out just seven games all season. Unfortunately, a poor team around him would cost Redd a second All-Star appearance.
Desmond Mason grew into a second banana role in his second full season with the Bucks, averaging a career-best 17.2 points per game as Milwaukee’s starting small forward. Mason and Redd were joined by a supporting cast that, unfortunately, all took turns on the injury report.
Mike James, Toni Kukoc, Zendon Hamilton, Daniel Santiago, Erick Strickland, Keith Van Horn, Marcus Fizer and Joe Smith all spent time hurt that season. Several of those players endured multiple stints on the injured list. Additionally, Milwaukee’s 2003 first round pick, T.J. Ford, missed the entire season with a back injury.
The Bucks may not have been all that good in the 2004-05 season even if they were healthy. The NBA wasn’t in a strong period, but there were certainly some very good teams around the Association, especially in the Western Conference, and the Bucks had traded away most of their best players.
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The team was not healthy, though, and as a result Milwaukee ended up on the losing end of a lot of games that season. The Bucks went 30-52, 12 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, putting Milwaukee right at the bottom of the Central Division.
That might not have been as bad as it seems, considering that two teams in the Southeast Division won less than 19 games that season. Still, the Milwaukee Bucks were on the outside looking in, and despite the down year the Bucks would not be getting a premier pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.
Or, at least, they shouldn’t have gotten one. Despite having a better record than five other NBA teams, the Bucks beat the odds and ended up winning the first overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. Milwaukee had just a 6.3 percent chance of doing so.
Next: 49 years in 49 days: 2003-04 season
With the future first overall pick on their roster, the Milwaukee Bucks were actually set up in a decent position going forward. The Bucks had done the nearly-impossible — they got a premier prospect without ever bottoming out.