1987–88 Milwaukee Bucks season

The 1987–88 Milwaukee Bucks season was the 20th season for the Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association. This was also the team's final season in which they played their home games at the MECCA Arena.

Season summary

Off-season After the resignation of Don Nelson, the Bucks hired Del Harris as their new head coach. In November, the team acquired second-year forward Larry Krystkowiak from the San Antonio Spurs; Krystkowiak previously played overseas in Italy, and was placed on the Spurs' suspended list for violating his contract.

Regular season Under Harris, the Bucks got off to a 9–4 start to the regular season, and played around .500 in winning percentage as the season progressed, holding a 22–20 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team traded three-point specialist Craig Hodges to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Jay Humphries. Despite losing nine of their final twelve games of the season, the Bucks finished in fourth place in the Central Division with a 42–40 record, and earned the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference; the team qualified for the NBA playoffs for the ninth consecutive year.

Terry Cummings averaged 21.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, while Jack Sikma averaged 16.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, and sixth man Ricky Pierce provided the team with 16.4 points per game off the bench; Pierce only played just 37 games due to a contract holdout, in which he missed the first 45 games of the regular season. In addition, Paul Pressey contributed 13.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game, while Randy Breuer averaged 12.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, and Sidney Moncrief provided with 10.8 points per game, but only played 56 games due to a knee injury. Meanwhile, John Lucas contributed 9.2 points and 4.8 assists per game, Jerry Reynolds contributed 8.0 points per game, Krystkowiak averaged 7.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, and Paul Mokeski provided with 4.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, and before the mid-season trade, Hodges participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout for the third consecutive year. Pressey finished tied in eighth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, while Breuer finished tied in sixth place in Most Improved Player voting.

The Bucks finished 18th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 441,615 at the MECCA Arena during the regular season.

NBA playoffs In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1988 NBA playoffs, the Bucks faced off against the 4th–seeded Atlanta Hawks, who were led by All-Star forward Dominique Wilkins, All-Star guard Doc Rivers, and Kevin Willis. The Bucks lost the first two games to the Hawks on the road at the Omni Coliseum, but managed to win the next two games at home, which included a Game 4 win over the Hawks at the MECCA Arena, 105–99 to even the series. However, the Bucks lost Game 5 to the Hawks at the Omni Coliseum, 121–111, thus losing in a hard-fought five-game series.

Aftermath Following the season, Lucas signed as a free agent with the Seattle SuperSonics.

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 2 32 Bob McCann PF Morehead State 2 40 Winston Garland PG Missouri State 3 64 J. J. Weber Wisconsin 4 87 Darryl Bedford Austin Peay State 5 110 Brian Vaughns UC Santa Barbara 6 133 Gay Elmore SF Virginia Military Institute

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

z - clinched division title y - clinched division title x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents vs. Eastern Conference

vs. Atlantic Division 1987–88 NBA recordsTeamBOSNJNNYKPHIWSBTotal Atlanta 2–4 5–0 3–3 6–0 3–3 19–10 Chicago 3–3 5–1 3–2 4–2 3–3 18–11 Cleveland 3–2 5–1 2–4 3–2 6–0 19–9 Detroit 3–3 5–1 4–2 4–1 3–2 19–9 Indiana 0–5 6–0 2–3 2–4 2–4 12–16 Milwaukee 3–3 3–2 3–3 2–4 4–1 15–13

vs. Central Division 1987–88 NBA recordsTeamATLCHICLEDETINDMILTotal Atlanta — 2–3 5–1 2–4 3–3 4–2 16–13 Chicago 3–2 — 3–3 2–4 3–3 5–1 16–13 Cleveland 1–5 3–3 — 1–5 4–2 2–4 11–19 Detroit 4–2 4–2 5–1 — 3–3 4–2 20–10 Indiana 2–4 3–3 2–4 3–3 — 3–3 13–17 Milwaukee 3–3 1–5 4–2 2–4 3–3 — 13–17

vs. Western Conference

vs. Midwest Division 1987–88 NBA recordsTeamDALDENHOUSACSASUTATotal Atlanta 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 8–4 Chicago 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 7–5 Cleveland 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 7–5 Detroit 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 8–4 Indiana 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 1–1 6–6 Milwaukee 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 5–7

vs. Pacific Division 1987–88 NBA recordsTeamGSWLACLALPHOPORSEATotal Atlanta 2–0 2–0 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 7–5 Chicago 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 9–3 Cleveland 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 5–7 Detroit 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 7–5 Indiana 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 7–5 Milwaukee 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 9–3

Game log

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | November 6, 19877:00p.m. CST | @ Boston | L 108–125 | Cummings (26) | Sikma (11) | Mannion,PresseyReynolds (4) | Boston Garden14,890 | 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 2 | November 7, 19878:00p.m. CST | Detroit | W 119–105 | Sikma (26) | Sikma (18) | Lucas,Pressey (8) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | November 10, 19877:30p.m. CST | Washington | W 115–100 | Pressey (24) | Breuer (16) | Sikma (7) | MECCA Arena10,586 | 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | November 11, 19876:30p.m. CST | @ Cleveland | W 107–101 | Sikma (26) | Sikma (14) | Sikma (6) | Richfield Coliseum12,145 | 3–1 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 5 || November 14, 1987 || @ New York | L 89–93

| Madison Square Garden | 3–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 | November 15, 19877:30p.m. CST | Atlanta | W 112–103 | Cummings (28) | Sikma (12) | Lucas (12) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 4–2 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 7 || November 17, 1987 || Golden State | W 120–108

| MECCA Arena | 5–2 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 8 || November 19, 1987 || @ Sacramento | W 117–113

| ARCO Arena I | 6–2 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 9 || November 20, 1987 || @ Seattle | L 97–99

| Seattle Center Coliseum | 6–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 10 | November 22, 19879:30p.m. CST | @ L.A. Lakers | W 124–116 (OT) | Reynolds (24) | Sikma (17) | Cummings,PresseySikma (6) | The Forum17,505 | 7–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 11 | November 25, 19877:30p.m. CST | Chicago | L 101–103 | Pressey (18) | Pressey (13) | Pressey (10) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 7–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 12 | November 28, 19878:00p.m. CST | Boston | W 112–97 | Pressey (21) | Sikma (11) | Pressey (12) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 8–4 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 13 || November 30, 1987 || Indiana | W 104–94

| MECCA Arena | 9–4

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | December 2, 19876:30p.m. CST | @ Detroit | L 105–115 | Breuer (33) | Breuer (11) | Sikma (8) | Pontiac Silverdome18,780 | 9–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | December 4, 19877:00p.m. CST | L. A. Lakers | W 85–83 | Hodges (22) | Breuer (9) | Mannion (6) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 10–5 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 16 || December 8, 1987 || @ Indiana | L 101–103

| Market Square Arena | 10–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | December 10, 19877:30p.m. CST | @ Chicago | L 105–111 | Cummings (27) | Sikma (11) | Cummings,Lucas (5) | Chicago Stadium17,820 | 10–7 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 18 || December 11, 1987 || Portland | W 125–112

| MECCA Arena | 11–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 | December 13, 19877:30p.m. CST | Dallas | L 99–113 | Cummings,Sikma (19) | Cummings,Pressey (9) | Pressey (7) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 11–8 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 20 || December 15, 1987 || @ New York | W 103–98

| Madison Square Garden | 12–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 | December 18, 19878:00p.m. CST | Atlanta | L 87–94 | Breuer,Hodges (19) | Breuer (9) | Pressey (10) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 12–9 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 22 || December 22, 1987 || New York | W 122–105

| MECCA Arena | 13–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | December 26, 19878:00p.m. CST | Washington | W 102–97 | Sikma (25) | Cumings (11) | Pressey (8) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 14–9 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 24 || December 29, 1987 || @ New Jersey | W 106–88

| Brendan Byrne Arena | 15–9 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 25 || December 30, 1987 || Houston | L 93–102

| MECCA Arena | 15–10

|-style="background:#fcc;" | 26 || January 2, 1988 || Indiana | L 97–99

| MECCA Arena | 15–11 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 27 || January 5, 1988 || L. A. Clippers | W 98–82

| MECCA Arena | 16–11 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 28 || January 7, 1988 || @ Indiana | L 108–114

| Market Square Arena | 16–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 29 | January 8, 19888:00p.m. CST | Utah | L 107–111 | Sikma (24) | Cummings (9) | Lucas (13) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 16–13 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 30 || January 10, 1988 || New Jersey | W 105–87

| MECCA Arena | 17–13 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 31 || January 12, 1988 || Philadelphia | W 106–103

| MECCA Arena | 18–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 | January 14, 19886:30p.m. CST | @ Washington | L 107–136 | Sikma (23) | Sikma (12) | Pressey (7) | Capital Centre8,316 | 18–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 33 | January 17, 19881:30p.m. CST | Cleveland | W 111–93 | Cummings (25) | Breuer (17) | Pressey (9) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 19–14 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 34 || January 19, 1988 || @ San Antonio | L 107–136

| HemisFair Arena | 19–15 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 35 || January 21, 1988 || @ Houston | L 103–116

| The Summit | 19–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 36 | January 23, 19887:30p.m. CST | @ Dallas | L 97–113 | Pressey (22) | Cummings,Sikma (12) | Lucas,Moncrief (4) | Reunion Arena17,007 | 19–17 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 37 || January 25, 1988 || @ Golden State | W 108–105

| Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 20–17 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 38 || January 26, 1988 || @ Portland | L 106–112

| Memorial Coliseum | 20–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 | January 28, 19888:30p.m. CST | @ Denver | L 113–122 | Pressey (22) | Pressey (9) | Pressey (9) | McNichols Sports Arena13,911 | 20–19 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 40 || January 29, 1988 || @ L. A. Clippers | W 97–88

| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 21–19

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 41 | February 2, 19887:30p.m. CST | Detroit | L 97–99 | Cummings (30) | Cummings (9) | Pressey (5) | MECCA Arena 11,052 | 21–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 42 | February 4, 19887:30p.m. CST | Boston | W 111–101 | Cummings (30) | Sikma (11) | Moncrief,Pressey (8) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 22–20 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- style="background:#cfc;" |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 43 | February 9, 19887:30p.m. CST | Cleveland | W 112–104 | Cummings (29) | Sikma (12) | Moncrief (10) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 23–20 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 44 || February 11, 1988 || @ Philadelphia | L 113–119 OT

1987–88 Milwaukee Bucks season

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