The 1973-74 Milwaukee Bucks had a standout season, finishing with a 59-23 record. Under head coach Larry Costello, the team was anchored by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who averaged 27 points and 14.5 rebounds per game and won the NBA Most Valuable Player award. Oscar Robertson, in his final NBA season, provided veteran leadership and contributed significantly to the Bucks’ success.
Milwaukee topped the Midwest Division and secured the best record in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, the Bucks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls to advance to the NBA Finals. They faced the Boston Celtics in a tightly contested seven-game series. Despite Abdul-Jabbar’s dominant performances, including a memorable game-winning skyhook in Game 6, the Bucks fell to the Celtics in Game 7, losing the series 4-3. The season marked a high point for the Bucks during the early 1970s, showcasing their competitiveness and strong roster.
- Regular Season Record: 59-23
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference Semifinals: 4-1, Eastern Conference Finals: 4-0, NBA Finals: 3-4
Milwaukee Bucks Roster and Stats for 1973-74 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 81 | 27.0 | 14.5 | 4.8 | 0.9 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 16 | 32.2 | 15.8 | 4.9 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 0.0 |
| Bob Dandridge | 71 | 18.9 | 6.7 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 16 | 19.3 | 7.6 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
| Lucius Allen | 72 | 17.6 | 4.0 | 5.2 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Oscar Robertson | 70 | 12.7 | 4.0 | 6.4 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 16 | 14.0 | 3.4 | 9.3 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Jon McGlocklin | 79 | 9.3 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 14 | 8.4 | 1.1 | 3.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Curtis Perry | 81 | 9.0 | 8.7 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 16 | 6.2 | 5.1 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Cornell Warner | 67 | 6.3 | 5.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 16 | 6.7 | 10.2 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 |
| Ron Williams | 72 | 6.1 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 15 | 8.7 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Mickey Davis | 73 | 5.9 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 15 | 5.7 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Terry Driscoll | 64 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 9 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Russ Lee | 37 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Dick Garrett | 16 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Chuck Terry | 7 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dick Cunningham | 8 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Milwaukee Bucks in the 1974 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Los Angeles Lakers
In the 1974 NBA Playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks faced the Chicago Bulls in the second round, showcasing a dominant performance that highlighted their formidable lineup led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson. The Bucks triumphed over the Bulls in a hard-fought, seven-game series, ultimately advancing to the NBA Finals. This series victory underscored Milwaukee's resilience and championship aspirations during that era.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 1974 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 99-95 | |
| Mar 31, 1974 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 109-90 | |
| Apr 02, 1974 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 98-96 | |
| Apr 04, 1974 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 112-90 | |
| Apr 07, 1974 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 114-92 |
1974 Conference Championship vs. Chicago Bulls
In the 1974 NBA Playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks reached the conference finals, showcasing their prowess with a core led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson. They faced off against the Chicago Bulls in the Western Conference Finals, winning the series 4-0, which highlighted their dominance and set the stage for a dramatic NBA Finals matchup against the Boston Celtics. This series was particularly significant as it marked Robertson's last season and emphasized Abdul-Jabbar's emerging legacy as one of the game's greats.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 1974 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 101-85 | |
| Apr 18, 1974 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 113-111 | |
| Apr 20, 1974 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 113-90 | |
| Apr 22, 1974 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 115-99 |
1974 NBA Finals vs. Boston Celtics
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 1974 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 98-83 | |
| Apr 30, 1974 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 105-96 | |
| May 03, 1974 | @ Boston Celtics | L 95-83 | |
| May 05, 1974 | @ Boston Celtics | W 97-89 | |
| May 07, 1974 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 96-87 | |
| May 10, 1974 | @ Boston Celtics | W 102-101 | |
| May 12, 1974 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 102-87 |
Milwaukee Bucks 1973-74 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1973-74 season for the Milwaukee Bucks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 1973 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 107-84 | |
| Oct 13, 1973 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 97-85 | |
| Oct 14, 1973 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 109-100 | |
| Oct 17, 1973 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 109-95 | |
| Oct 19, 1973 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 96-94 | |
| Oct 20, 1973 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 101-88 | |
| Oct 24, 1973 | vs. Buffalo Braves | W 130-113 | |
| Oct 26, 1973 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 98-92 | |
| Oct 27, 1973 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 104-95 | |
| Oct 30, 1973 | @ Kansas City-Omaha Kings | W 112-78 | |
| Nov 02, 1973 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 118-100 | |
| Nov 03, 1973 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 123-115 | |
| Nov 07, 1973 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 109-92 | |
| Nov 10, 1973 | vs. Kansas City-Omaha Kings | W 84-83 | |
| Nov 11, 1973 | @ Capital Bullets | W 110-91 | |
| Nov 13, 1973 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 108-100 | |
| Nov 16, 1973 | @ Boston Celtics | L 105-90 | |
| Nov 17, 1973 | @ New York Knicks | L 100-93 | |
| Nov 20, 1973 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 108-105 | |
| Nov 22, 1973 | vs. New York Knicks | W 107-91 | |
| Nov 24, 1973 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 112-92 | |
| Nov 25, 1973 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 105-96 | |
| Nov 27, 1973 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 115-110 | |
| Nov 28, 1973 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 127-93 | |
| Nov 30, 1973 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 117-93 | |
| Dec 04, 1973 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 124-109 | |
| Dec 07, 1973 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 116-86 | |
| Dec 08, 1973 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 105-92 | |
| Dec 11, 1973 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 130-91 | |
| Dec 13, 1973 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 97-94 | |
| Dec 15, 1973 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 116-82 | |
| Dec 16, 1973 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 121-98 | |
| Dec 18, 1973 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 109-107 | |
| Dec 22, 1973 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 121-112 | |
| Dec 26, 1973 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 123-110 | |
| Dec 27, 1973 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 129-107 | |
| Dec 28, 1973 | @ Houston Rockets | W 127-111 | |
| Dec 30, 1973 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 98-91 | |
| Jan 02, 1974 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 106-92 | |
| Jan 03, 1974 | vs. Kansas City-Omaha Kings | W 120-105 | |
| Jan 05, 1974 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 118-109 | |
| Jan 06, 1974 | @ Capital Bullets | L 90-88 | |
| Jan 11, 1974 | vs. Capital Bullets | W 115-113 | |
| Jan 12, 1974 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 101-82 | |
| Jan 13, 1974 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 124-94 | |
| Jan 19, 1974 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 121-106 | |
| Jan 20, 1974 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 94-90 | |
| Jan 23, 1974 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 114-88 | |
| Jan 25, 1974 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 112-108 | |
| Jan 27, 1974 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 99-92 | |
| Jan 29, 1974 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 126-106 | |
| Feb 01, 1974 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 110-85 | |
| Feb 02, 1974 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 120-91 | |
| Feb 05, 1974 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 102-87 | |
| Feb 06, 1974 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 105-104 | |
| Feb 08, 1974 | vs. Capital Bullets | W 105-96 | |
| Feb 10, 1974 | @ Boston Celtics | W 95-86 | |
| Feb 12, 1974 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 93-81 | |
| Feb 14, 1974 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 102-99 | |
| Feb 15, 1974 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 92-90 | |
| Feb 17, 1974 | vs. New York Knicks | W 97-86 | |
| Feb 19, 1974 | @ Buffalo Braves | L 145-109 | |
| Feb 20, 1974 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 110-94 | |
| Feb 22, 1974 | @ Houston Rockets | W 122-113 | |
| Feb 24, 1974 | @ Kansas City-Omaha Kings | W 100-93 | |
| Feb 27, 1974 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 110-108 | |
| Feb 28, 1974 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 113-90 | |
| Mar 01, 1974 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 105-89 | |
| Mar 02, 1974 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 116-99 | |
| Mar 03, 1974 | @ Houston Rockets | W 112-106 | |
| Mar 04, 1974 | vs. Kansas City-Omaha Kings | W 109-103 | |
| Mar 06, 1974 | @ Kansas City-Omaha Kings | W 111-99 | |
| Mar 07, 1974 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 97-95 | |
| Mar 09, 1974 | @ New York Knicks | L 88-75 | |
| Mar 11, 1974 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 105-92 | |
| Mar 15, 1974 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 93-89 | |
| Mar 17, 1974 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 107-82 | |
| Mar 19, 1974 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 111-100 | |
| Mar 20, 1974 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 120-114 | |
| Mar 22, 1974 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 106-101 | |
| Mar 24, 1974 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 120-110 | |
| Mar 26, 1974 | vs. Kansas City-Omaha Kings | W 118-98 |