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| Image source: bleacherreport.com |
Expansion teams in the NBA typically and understandably lose a lot of games during their first years in the league. The Milwaukee Bucks were an exception, though, because the timing of their entry into the association was fortunate.
The franchise was established in 1968 and lost 56 of their 82 games during their first season, which was tied for last among all teams. This allowed them to earn a coin flip against the Phoenix Suns to see who would be given the first overall pick in the 1969 rookie draft, which the Bucks won and used on Lew Alcindor.
Arguably the best center in NBA history immediately turned Milwaukee into a powerhouse with his exceptional scoring prowess and stingy defense. In a complete reversal, the team won 56 games and reached the second round of the playoffs, where they lost to eventual champions New York Knicks.
During the offseason, the Bucks got another gift in the name of Mr. Triple Double, Oscar Robertson. He had just lit the league during the previous ten years, pioneering the all-around game and blazing a trail for the likes of Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd, Russell Westbrook, and LeBron James.
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| Image source: behindthebuckpass.com |
But The Big O had never reached the later stages of any playoffs in his career before then. But after teaming up with Alcindor to create one of the best inside-outside duos ever, Milwaukee won the franchise’s only championship in 1971. It was also this year when Alcindor would convert to Islam and change his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Unfortunately, Robertson was already at the twilight of his career then, which led to the decline of his production on the court. Combined with injuries, the Bucks never won another title. The Abdul-Jabbar and Robertson partnership lasted for just five seasons, but it is enough to establish the legacy of the dynamic duo.
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