The 1980-81 Milwaukee Bucks had a strong season, finishing with a 60-22 record under head coach Don Nelson. They dominated the Central Division, securing the top spot and showcasing their prowess on both ends of the court. Key players such as Marques Johnson and Sidney Moncrief played pivotal roles in the team’s success, contributing significantly in scoring and defense.
In the playoffs, the Bucks faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Despite their regular season success, Milwaukee was unable to advance past the 76ers, losing the series 4-3 in a hard-fought battle. The season was marked by the team’s balanced offensive and defensive strategies, which laid the foundation for future successes, even though they fell short of reaching the NBA Finals.
- Regular Season Record: 60-22
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference Semifinals: 3-4
Milwaukee Bucks Roster and Stats for 1980-81 Season
POINTS
Marques Johnson
20.3
REBOUNDS
Marques Johnson
6.8
ASSISTS
Quinn Buckner
4.7
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Marques Johnson | 76 | 20.3 | 6.8 | 4.6 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 7 | 24.7 | 9.4 | 4.9 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| Junior Bridgeman | 77 | 16.8 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 15.0 | 7 | 14.0 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 100.0 |
| Bob Lanier | 67 | 14.3 | 6.2 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 100.0 | 7 | 17.6 | 7.4 | 4.0 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.0 |
| Sidney Moncrief | 80 | 14.0 | 5.1 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 22.2 | 7 | 14.0 | 6.7 | 2.9 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Quinn Buckner | 82 | 13.3 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 16.7 | 7 | 9.0 | 2.9 | 5.0 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mickey Johnson | 82 | 12.5 | 6.6 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 16.7 | 7 | 11.7 | 6.7 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Brian Winters | 69 | 11.6 | 2.0 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 36.7 | 7 | 10.0 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 33.3 |
| Pat Cummings | 74 | 8.0 | 3.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 5 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mike Evans | 71 | 4.5 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 14.3 | 4 | 6.3 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Harvey Catchings | 77 | 4.2 | 6.1 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 7 | 1.1 | 3.7 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 0.0 |
| Len Elmore | 72 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Milwaukee Bucks in the 1981 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Philadelphia 76ers
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 05, 1981 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 125-122 | |
| Apr 07, 1981 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 109-99 | |
| Apr 10, 1981 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 108-103 | |
| Apr 12, 1981 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 109-98 | |
| Apr 15, 1981 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 116-99 | |
| Apr 17, 1981 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 109-86 | |
| Apr 19, 1981 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 99-98 |
Milwaukee Bucks 1980-81 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1980-81 season for the Milwaukee Bucks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 1980 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 106-103 | |
| Oct 11, 1980 | @ New York Knicks | L 114-109 | |
| Oct 16, 1980 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 110-103 | |
| Oct 18, 1980 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 107-105 | |
| Oct 19, 1980 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 105-93 | |
| Oct 21, 1980 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 115-95 | |
| Oct 22, 1980 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 119-105 | |
| Oct 25, 1980 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 109-93 | |
| Oct 26, 1980 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 111-88 | |
| Oct 28, 1980 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 106-99 | |
| Oct 29, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 132-116 | |
| Nov 01, 1980 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 99-93 | |
| Nov 02, 1980 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 135-121 | |
| Nov 04, 1980 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 98-96 | |
| Nov 07, 1980 | @ Boston Celtics | W 102-101 | |
| Nov 09, 1980 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 136-121 | |
| Nov 11, 1980 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 100-96 | |
| Nov 12, 1980 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 122-98 | |
| Nov 14, 1980 | vs. New York Knicks | W 125-106 | |
| Nov 16, 1980 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 114-108 | |
| Nov 18, 1980 | @ Utah Jazz | W 126-93 | |
| Nov 20, 1980 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 97-93 | |
| Nov 23, 1980 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 110-94 | |
| Nov 28, 1980 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 113-108 | |
| Nov 29, 1980 | @ Washington Bullets | L 98-89 | |
| Nov 30, 1980 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 107-105 | |
| Dec 02, 1980 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 119-108 | |
| Dec 05, 1980 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 102-100 | |
| Dec 06, 1980 | @ New York Knicks | L 104-94 | |
| Dec 09, 1980 | @ Boston Celtics | L 112-89 | |
| Dec 11, 1980 | vs. New York Knicks | W 119-107 | |
| Dec 13, 1980 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 122-119 | |
| Dec 14, 1980 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 115-98 | |
| Dec 17, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 115-112 | |
| Dec 18, 1980 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 121-104 | |
| Dec 19, 1980 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 129-106 | |
| Dec 21, 1980 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 123-91 | |
| Dec 27, 1980 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 112-96 | |
| Dec 30, 1980 | @ Washington Bullets | W 115-94 | |
| Jan 04, 1981 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 128-95 | |
| Jan 06, 1981 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 102-86 | |
| Jan 08, 1981 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 98-95 | |
| Jan 10, 1981 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 106-102 | |
| Jan 11, 1981 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 123-109 | |
| Jan 13, 1981 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 119-96 | |
| Jan 15, 1981 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 113-110 | |
| Jan 16, 1981 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 118-112 | |
| Jan 18, 1981 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 110-103 | |
| Jan 21, 1981 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 105-98 | |
| Jan 23, 1981 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 131-122 | |
| Jan 24, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 121-117 | |
| Jan 28, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 119-110 | |
| Jan 29, 1981 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 131-118 | |
| Feb 03, 1981 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 108-99 | |
| Feb 05, 1981 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 113-103 | |
| Feb 06, 1981 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 103-99 | |
| Feb 08, 1981 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 128-109 | |
| Feb 11, 1981 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 107-101 | |
| Feb 13, 1981 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 110-106 | |
| Feb 14, 1981 | @ Houston Rockets | W 117-112 | |
| Feb 15, 1981 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 110-108 | |
| Feb 17, 1981 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 114-106 | |
| Feb 20, 1981 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 112-109 | |
| Feb 22, 1981 | @ Washington Bullets | W 102-93 | |
| Feb 25, 1981 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 126-108 | |
| Mar 01, 1981 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 137-107 | |
| Mar 03, 1981 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 115-98 | |
| Mar 05, 1981 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 107-91 | |
| Mar 06, 1981 | @ New York Knicks | W 122-111 | |
| Mar 08, 1981 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 123-100 | |
| Mar 09, 1981 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 118-100 | |
| Mar 11, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | L 122-108 | |
| Mar 12, 1981 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 131-113 | |
| Mar 13, 1981 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 120-104 | |
| Mar 15, 1981 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 132-108 | |
| Mar 17, 1981 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 116-106 | |
| Mar 18, 1981 | vs. New York Knicks | L 116-103 | |
| Mar 20, 1981 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 104-86 | |
| Mar 22, 1981 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 125-116 | |
| Mar 24, 1981 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 131-107 | |
| Mar 26, 1981 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 137-109 | |
| Mar 29, 1981 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 132-128 |