The 1979-80 Milwaukee Bucks, under head coach Don Nelson, finished the NBA regular season with a 49-33 record. This performance earned them the top spot in the Midwest Division. The season was notable for the arrival of rookie sensation Sidney Moncrief, who made an immediate impact with his defensive prowess and versatility.
The Bucks were led by veteran players like Bob Lanier, who was acquired mid-season from the Detroit Pistons, and Marques Johnson, who was the team’s leading scorer. Despite their strong regular-season performance, the Bucks’ playoff run was short-lived. They faced the Seattle SuperSonics in the Western Conference Semifinals and were eliminated in a closely contested seven-game series. This season marked the end of their time in the Western Conference, as the Bucks would move to the Eastern Conference the following year.
- Regular Season Record: 49-33
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference Semifinals: 3-4
Milwaukee Bucks Roster and Stats for 1979-80 Season
POINTS
Marques Johnson
21.7
REBOUNDS
Marques Johnson
7.4
ASSISTS
Quinn Buckner
5.7
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Marques Johnson | 77 | 21.7 | 7.4 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 22.2 | 7 | 19.9 | 6.9 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 33.3 |
| Junior Bridgeman | 81 | 17.6 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 21.7 | 5 | 10.2 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Brian Winters | 80 | 16.1 | 2.8 | 4.5 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 39.2 | 7 | 15.9 | 3.0 | 5.3 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 42.9 |
| Bob Lanier | 26 | 15.7 | 6.9 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 100.0 | 7 | 19.3 | 9.3 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.0 |
| Dave Meyers | 79 | 12.1 | 5.7 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 20.1 | 7 | 9.4 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| Quinn Buckner | 67 | 10.8 | 3.6 | 5.7 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 40.1 | 7 | 6.1 | 2.3 | 4.4 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kent Benson | 56 | 8.8 | 5.9 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Sidney Moncrief | 77 | 8.5 | 4.4 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 7 | 12.4 | 4.4 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Pat Cummings | 71 | 6.6 | 3.4 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 6 | 4.5 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Richard Washington | 75 | 5.9 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 7 | 7.3 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.0 |
| Lloyd Walton | 76 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 3.8 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 33.4 | 1 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Harvey Catchings | 72 | 3.2 | 5.7 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 6 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
Milwaukee Bucks in the 1980 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Seattle SuperSonics
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 08, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 114-113 | |
| Apr 09, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 114-112 | |
| Apr 11, 1980 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 95-91 | |
| Apr 13, 1980 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 112-107 | |
| Apr 15, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 108-97 | |
| Apr 18, 1980 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 86-85 | |
| Apr 20, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 98-94 |
Milwaukee Bucks 1979-80 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1979-80 season for the Milwaukee Bucks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 1979 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 105-103 | |
| Oct 13, 1979 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 125-96 | |
| Oct 15, 1979 | @ Utah Jazz | W 131-107 | |
| Oct 17, 1979 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 125-97 | |
| Oct 19, 1979 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 95-94 | |
| Oct 21, 1979 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 113-111 | |
| Oct 23, 1979 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 114-108 | |
| Oct 25, 1979 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 118-115 | |
| Oct 27, 1979 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 132-118 | |
| Oct 31, 1979 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 110-106 | |
| Nov 03, 1979 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 136-134 | |
| Nov 04, 1979 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 114-101 | |
| Nov 06, 1979 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 118-117 | |
| Nov 08, 1979 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 98-89 | |
| Nov 10, 1979 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 133-104 | |
| Nov 13, 1979 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 101-92 | |
| Nov 14, 1979 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 136-117 | |
| Nov 18, 1979 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 112-96 | |
| Nov 21, 1979 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 96-93 | |
| Nov 22, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 117-109 | |
| Nov 23, 1979 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 119-100 | |
| Nov 25, 1979 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 114-90 | |
| Nov 27, 1979 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 118-93 | |
| Nov 28, 1979 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 87-79 | |
| Dec 01, 1979 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 109-99 | |
| Dec 02, 1979 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 116-103 | |
| Dec 03, 1979 | @ Utah Jazz | W 96-89 | |
| Dec 05, 1979 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 123-107 | |
| Dec 07, 1979 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 117-105 | |
| Dec 09, 1979 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 113-108 | |
| Dec 11, 1979 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 103-99 | |
| Dec 12, 1979 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 112-91 | |
| Dec 14, 1979 | @ Boston Celtics | L 97-94 | |
| Dec 16, 1979 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 104-79 | |
| Dec 20, 1979 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 120-109 | |
| Dec 23, 1979 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 106-103 | |
| Dec 26, 1979 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 110-101 | |
| Dec 27, 1979 | @ Washington Bullets | L 117-108 | |
| Dec 29, 1979 | @ New York Knicks | L 117-105 | |
| Dec 30, 1979 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 95-88 | |
| Jan 03, 1980 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 106-96 | |
| Jan 05, 1980 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 99-98 | |
| Jan 06, 1980 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 113-103 | |
| Jan 08, 1980 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 110-102 | |
| Jan 09, 1980 | vs. San Diego Clippers | L 111-107 | |
| Jan 11, 1980 | vs. New York Knicks | W 109-107 | |
| Jan 13, 1980 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 121-117 | |
| Jan 16, 1980 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 112-108 | |
| Jan 18, 1980 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 120-111 | |
| Jan 20, 1980 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 89-88 | |
| Jan 22, 1980 | @ Utah Jazz | L 127-122 | |
| Jan 23, 1980 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 104-102 | |
| Jan 25, 1980 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 110-96 | |
| Jan 27, 1980 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 112-102 | |
| Jan 29, 1980 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 103-96 | |
| Jan 31, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 105-101 | |
| Feb 06, 1980 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 111-109 | |
| Feb 08, 1980 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 115-90 | |
| Feb 10, 1980 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 109-107 | |
| Feb 13, 1980 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 111-101 | |
| Feb 14, 1980 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 120-103 | |
| Feb 15, 1980 | @ Houston Rockets | W 114-103 | |
| Feb 17, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 135-134 | |
| Feb 20, 1980 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 106-103 | |
| Feb 24, 1980 | @ Kansas City Kings | W 94-72 | |
| Feb 26, 1980 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 122-88 | |
| Feb 27, 1980 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 119-110 | |
| Feb 29, 1980 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 126-117 | |
| Mar 02, 1980 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 101-98 | |
| Mar 04, 1980 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 127-124 | |
| Mar 05, 1980 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 112-109 | |
| Mar 08, 1980 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 105-80 | |
| Mar 12, 1980 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 112-103 | |
| Mar 14, 1980 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 120-110 | |
| Mar 16, 1980 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 128-121 | |
| Mar 18, 1980 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 123-122 | |
| Mar 19, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 108-106 | |
| Mar 21, 1980 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 121-93 | |
| Mar 25, 1980 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 122-111 | |
| Mar 27, 1980 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 143-95 | |
| Mar 28, 1980 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 116-114 | |
| Mar 30, 1980 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 107-91 |