The 1981-82 Milwaukee Bucks, under head coach Don Nelson, delivered a strong performance in the NBA’s Central Division. The team finished the regular season with a 55-27 record, securing the division title. Key players included Sidney Moncrief, who emerged as a defensive stalwart, and Marques Johnson, who provided significant scoring contributions. Their balanced team play was crucial to their success.
In the playoffs, the Bucks faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Despite a valiant effort, Milwaukee was eliminated by the 76ers in a hard-fought six-game series. The Bucks’ performance during this season set a solid foundation for their future endeavors, as they continued to be a competitive force in the league. The 1981-82 season marked a period of growth and potential for the Milwaukee franchise.
- Regular Season Record: 55-27
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference Semifinals: 2-4
Milwaukee Bucks Roster and Stats for 1981-82 Season
POINTS
Sidney Moncrief
19.8
REBOUNDS
Sidney Moncrief
6.7
ASSISTS
Sidney Moncrief
4.7
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Sidney Moncrief | 80 | 19.8 | 6.7 | 4.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 7.1 | 6 | 15.3 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Marques Johnson | 60 | 16.5 | 6.1 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 6 | 18.8 | 7.3 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 25.0 |
| Brian Winters | 61 | 15.9 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 37.2 | 6 | 16.8 | 2.5 | 4.7 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 50.0 |
| Bob Lanier | 74 | 13.5 | 5.2 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 6 | 16.0 | 7.5 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 |
| Quinn Buckner | 70 | 12.9 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 26.6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mickey Johnson | 76 | 12.9 | 6.0 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 12.5 | 6 | 19.8 | 5.3 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Junior Bridgeman | 41 | 12.5 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 37.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Scott May | 65 | 9.0 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 4 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Robert Smith | 17 | 6.8 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 20.0 | 6 | 4.8 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 28.6 |
| Pat Cummings | 78 | 6.5 | 3.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 6 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Bob Dandridge | 11 | 4.7 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Alton Lister | 80 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 6 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 0.0 |
| Kevin Stacom | 7 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mike Evans | 14 | 4.0 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Harvey Catchings | 80 | 2.9 | 4.5 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 6 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Geoff Crompton | 35 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Brad Holland | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Milwaukee Bucks in the 1982 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Philadelphia 76ers
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 1982 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 125-122 | |
| Apr 28, 1982 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 120-108 | |
| May 01, 1982 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 92-91 | |
| May 02, 1982 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 100-93 | |
| May 05, 1982 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 110-98 | |
| May 07, 1982 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 102-90 |
Milwaukee Bucks 1981-82 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1981-82 season for the Milwaukee Bucks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 1981 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 118-113 | |
| Oct 31, 1981 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 119-103 | |
| Nov 05, 1981 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 98-90 | |
| Nov 07, 1981 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 105-102 | |
| Nov 10, 1981 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 94-83 | |
| Nov 11, 1981 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 100-88 | |
| Nov 13, 1981 | vs. New York Knicks | W 95-85 | |
| Nov 15, 1981 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 98-96 | |
| Nov 17, 1981 | @ Washington Bullets | W 99-95 | |
| Nov 18, 1981 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 102-100 | |
| Nov 20, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | L 112-89 | |
| Nov 21, 1981 | @ New York Knicks | L 118-112 | |
| Nov 24, 1981 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 103-95 | |
| Nov 27, 1981 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 113-96 | |
| Nov 29, 1981 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 105-89 | |
| Dec 01, 1981 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 126-110 | |
| Dec 04, 1981 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 97-80 | |
| Dec 05, 1981 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 111-108 | |
| Dec 09, 1981 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 89-83 | |
| Dec 11, 1981 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 103-100 | |
| Dec 12, 1981 | @ New York Knicks | W 104-86 | |
| Dec 13, 1981 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 127-108 | |
| Dec 15, 1981 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 104-96 | |
| Dec 18, 1981 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 100-88 | |
| Dec 22, 1981 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 106-101 | |
| Dec 26, 1981 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 109-102 | |
| Dec 27, 1981 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 108-96 | |
| Dec 29, 1981 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 107-96 | |
| Dec 30, 1981 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 107-103 | |
| Jan 02, 1982 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 128-121 | |
| Jan 03, 1982 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 128-122 | |
| Jan 05, 1982 | vs. New York Knicks | L 112-102 | |
| Jan 06, 1982 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 109-95 | |
| Jan 08, 1982 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 90-88 | |
| Jan 10, 1982 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 118-107 | |
| Jan 13, 1982 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 111-107 | |
| Jan 15, 1982 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 122-118 | |
| Jan 17, 1982 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 108-103 | |
| Jan 20, 1982 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 109-104 | |
| Jan 22, 1982 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 131-125 | |
| Jan 23, 1982 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 119-113 | |
| Jan 26, 1982 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 96-94 | |
| Jan 28, 1982 | @ Utah Jazz | W 119-101 | |
| Feb 03, 1982 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 113-98 | |
| Feb 05, 1982 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 117-92 | |
| Feb 07, 1982 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 107-92 | |
| Feb 09, 1982 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 108-101 | |
| Feb 11, 1982 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 116-105 | |
| Feb 13, 1982 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 120-90 | |
| Feb 14, 1982 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 125-97 | |
| Feb 17, 1982 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 104-93 | |
| Feb 19, 1982 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 106-88 | |
| Feb 21, 1982 | @ Kansas City Kings | W 110-104 | |
| Feb 23, 1982 | @ New York Knicks | L 113-110 | |
| Feb 24, 1982 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 113-106 | |
| Feb 28, 1982 | @ Boston Celtics | L 106-102 | |
| Mar 02, 1982 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 101-91 | |
| Mar 03, 1982 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 96-87 | |
| Mar 06, 1982 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 171-166 | |
| Mar 08, 1982 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 98-95 | |
| Mar 09, 1982 | @ Houston Rockets | L 103-91 | |
| Mar 10, 1982 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 101-98 | |
| Mar 12, 1982 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 112-110 | |
| Mar 14, 1982 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 129-100 | |
| Mar 16, 1982 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 106-91 | |
| Mar 19, 1982 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 119-97 | |
| Mar 21, 1982 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 102-86 | |
| Mar 23, 1982 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 109-104 | |
| Mar 24, 1982 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 99-97 | |
| Mar 26, 1982 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 113-112 | |
| Mar 27, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 128-99 | |
| Mar 30, 1982 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 116-114 | |
| Apr 01, 1982 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 117-113 | |
| Apr 02, 1982 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 114-105 | |
| Apr 04, 1982 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 129-115 | |
| Apr 06, 1982 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 122-116 | |
| Apr 09, 1982 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 118-100 | |
| Apr 10, 1982 | @ Washington Bullets | L 115-114 | |
| Apr 13, 1982 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 109-99 | |
| Apr 14, 1982 | @ Boston Celtics | L 100-91 | |
| Apr 16, 1982 | vs. New York Knicks | W 112-99 | |
| Apr 18, 1982 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 110-86 |