On this date the Bucks won at Cincinnati in 1970 and at Cleveland in 1982, both in seasons when the franchise stood near the top of the league. Tonight a roster built almost entirely this year meets the Cavaliers at 1-4, 13th in the East.
Oct. 31, 1970
Milwaukee won 121-100 at Cincinnati in its third season. That club came together after a coin flip delivered Lew Alcindor and a trade brought Oscar Robertson. It went 66-16 and swept the Baltimore Bullets for the 1971 title. It is still the franchise's proof that a roster can be remade fast, provided the centerpiece arrives first. The current group is still looking for that player.
Oct. 31, 1982
The Bucks won 119-95 at Cleveland under Don Nelson. His teams of that era leaned on Sidney Moncrief, Marques Johnson, Bob Lanier and Terry Cummings. Nelson was named Coach of the Year in 1983, and that spring Milwaukee swept the Celtics, the first team to sweep Boston in a best-of-seven series. Those were winning seasons with no single superstar, which may be the more useful model now.
This summer
Taylor Jenkins was hired April 30 after coming up on Mike Budenholzer's Milwaukee staff in 2018-19. On June 23 the Bucks traded Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to Miami for Tyler Herro, Jaquez, Kel'el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis. They drafted Brayden Burries 10th and Nate Ament 13th, and Myles Turner signed away from Indiana. This followed a 32-50 season, the first missed playoffs since 2016-17.
This week
Houston won 132-100 on Oct. 28, and Milwaukee fell to 1-4. The Bucks sit 1.5 games behind sixth-place Atlanta and half a game behind Miami for 10th. The power rankings dropped them from 21st to 27th in a week. The rotation is still moving: Jericho Sims has averaged 28.9 minutes over his last 10 games, and Pete Nance 28.2 over his last five.
Tonight
Cleveland arrives at 3-2 under Kenny Atkinson. The Cavaliers lost their last game and are playing the second of two straight road games. Jaylon Tyson is out with a right ankle injury. Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen give Cleveland the kind of established core the 1982 Bucks beat on this date. Milwaukee's roster is still showing what it is.
When did the Bucks win their championships?
Milwaukee won NBA titles in 1971 and 2021. It also won the 2024 NBA Cup.
What did the Bucks get for Giannis Antetokounmpo?
On June 23 Milwaukee traded Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to Miami. In return it got Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis.
