1976–77 Milwaukee Bucks season

The 1976–77 NBA season was the Bucks' ninth season in the NBA.^[1] It was also the first without Jon McGlocklin, the last remaining member of the Bucks' roster from the team's inaugural season.

1976–77 Milwaukee Bucks season
Head coach	Larry Costello Don Nelson
Arena	MECCA Arena
Results
Record	30–52 (.366)
Place	Division: 6th (Midwest) Conference: 11th (Western)
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television	WVTV
Radio	WTMJ
< 1975–76 1977–78 >

Draft picks

Main article: 1976 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	7	Quinn Buckner	SG	United States	Indiana
2	23	Alex English	SF	United States	South Carolina
2	24	Scott Lloyd	C/PF	United States	Arizona State
3	40	Lloyd Walton	PG	United States	Marquette
4	59	Dan Frost		United States	Iowa
5	75	Tom Lockhart		United States	Manhattan
5	77	James Rappis		United States	Arizona
6	92	Phil Spence	F	United States	North Carolina State
7	112	Ron Barrow		United States	Southern
8	129	Bob Warner		United States	Maine
9	146	Benny Shaw		United States	Central Florida
10	165	Hugo Cabrera		Dominican Republic	East Texas State

Roster

1976–77 Milwaukee Bucks roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From G 2 Junior Bridgeman 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1953–09–17 Louisville PG 21 Quinn Buckner 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1954–08–20 Indiana G 3 Fred Carter 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1945–02–14 Mount St. Mary's SF 10 Bob Dandridge 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1947–11–15 Norfolk State F 23 Alex English 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1954–01–05 South Carolina SF 24 Rowland Garrett 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1950–07–16 Florida State C 45 Scott Lloyd 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1952–12–19 Arizona State F 22 Dave Meyers 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1953–04–21 UCLA C 31 Swen Nater 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1950–01–14 UCLA F 18 Kevin Restani 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1951–12–23 San Francisco PG 11 Lloyd Walton 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 160 lb (73 kg) 1953–11–23 Marquette G 32 Brian Winters 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1952–03–01 South Carolina

Head coach Don Nelson Assistant(s) K. C. Jones Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Regular season

The Milwaukee Bucks rebuild in the wake of the trade of Kareem Abdul Jabbar to the Lakers following the 1974-75 NBA season hit bottom in 1976. Head Coach Larry Costello resigned following a 3–15 start. Assistant Coach Don Nelson took over the team but the Bucks slide continued as they eventually fell to 4-25. The Bucks turned things around as the young nucleus began to gel and the Bucks went 26-27 the rest of the way.

Season standings

Midwest Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Denver Nuggets	50	32	.610	–	36–5	14–27	15–5
x-Detroit Pistons	44	38	.537	6	30–11	14–27	12–8
x-Chicago Bulls	44	38	.537	6	31–10	13–28	10–10
Kansas City Kings	40	42	.488	10	28–13	12–29	7–13
Indiana Pacers	36	46	.439	14	25–16	11–30	9–11
Milwaukee Bucks	30	52	.366	20	24–17	6–35	7–13

#	Western Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Los Angeles Lakers	53	29	.646	–
2	y-Denver Nuggets	50	32	.610	3
3	x-Portland Trail Blazers	49	33	.598	4
4	x-Golden State Warriors	46	36	.561	7
5	x-Detroit Pistons	44	38	.537	9
6	x-Chicago Bulls	44	38	.537	9
7	Kansas City Kings	40	42	.488	13
8	Seattle SuperSonics	40	42	.488	13
9	Indiana Pacers	36	46	.439	17
10	Phoenix Suns	34	48	.415	19
11	Milwaukee Bucks	30	52	.366	23

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1976–77 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	BUF	CHI	CLE	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	KCK	LAL	MIL	NOJ	NYK	NYN	PHI	PHO	POR	SAS	SEA	WAS
Atlanta	—	0–4	4–0	2–2	2–2	2–2	0–4	0–4	1–3	0–4	1–2	2–2	2–2	1–3	1–3	3–1	1–3	0–4	3–1	4–0	1–2	1–3
Boston	4–0	—	3–1	2–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–2	3–1	2–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–2	1–3	4–0	2–2	0–4
Buffalo	0–4	1–3	—	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	0–3	1–3	1–3	0–3	1–3	3–1	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	0–4	3–1	0–4
Chicago	2–2	2–2	3–1	—	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	4–0	2–2	2–1	2–2	2–2	0–4	3–1	2–2	1–2
Cleveland	2–2	3–1	2–2	1–3	—	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–1	3–1	2–2	4–0	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3
Denver	2–2	1–3	2–2	3–1	2–2	—	3–1	2–2	3–0	3–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	2–2	1–2	4–0	2–2
Detroit	4–0	2–2	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–3	—	3–1	2–2	2–2	4–0	1–3	3–1	3–1	1–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–2	1–3	1–3
Golden State	4–0	3–1	3–0	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–3	—	2–1	4–0	1–3	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	3–1	3–1	4–0	1–3	2–2	1–3	3–1
Houston	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	3–1	0–3	2–2	1–2	—	4–0	2–2	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1
Indiana	4–0	2–1	3–1	2–2	1–2	1–3	2–2	0–4	0–4	—	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–2	4–0	2–2	2–2	0–4	2–2	2–2	0–4
Kansas City	2–1	1–3	3–0	2–2	1–3	1–3	0–4	3–1	2–2	2–2	—	1–3	2–2	2–2	4–0	4–0	1–3	3–1	2–2	1–3	1–3	2–2
Los Angeles	2–2	1–2	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	—	3–1	3–0	1–3	4–0	2–2	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	4–0
Milwaukee	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	1–3	—	1–2	1–3	3–1	1–2	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–3
New Orleans	3–1	2–2	1–3	0–4	2–2	1–3	1–3	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	0–3	2–1	—	3–1	2–2	0–4	3–1	2–2	1–3	1–3	2–2
N.Y. Knicks	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–4	3–1	3–1	1–3	—	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–2	2–2
N.Y. Nets	1–3	1–3	2–2	1–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	2–2	0–4	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–2	2–2	—	1–3	2–2	0–3	1–3	1–3	1–3
Philadelphia	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	2–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–1	4–0	3–1	3–1	—	1–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	3–1
Phoenix	4–0	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–2	1–3	2–2	0–4	1–3	2–2	1–3	1–3	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–1	—	1–3	1–3	3–1	1–3
Portland	1–3	3–1	3–1	4–0	2–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	4–0	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–0	2–2	3–1	—	2–2	3–1	1–2
San Antonio	0–4	0–4	4–0	1–3	2–2	2–1	2–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–3	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	2–2	—	3–1	2–2
Seattle	2–1	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	0–4	3–1	3–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	3–1	2–1	3–1	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	—	3–1
Washington	3–1	4–0	4–0	2–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–3	4–0	2–2	0–4	3–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	2–1	2–2	1–3	—

Game log

1976–77 game log Total: 30–52 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
October: 1–5 (home: 1–2; road: 0–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 October 21, 1976 Buffalo L 112–133 MECCA Arena 0–1 2 October 23, 1976 Boston L 107–111 OT MECCA Arena 0–2 3 October 24, 1976 @ Atlanta L 91–115 Omni Coliseum 0–3 4 October 26, 1976 @ Chicago L 88–90 Chicago Stadium 0–4 5 October 28, 1976 @ Denver L 100–119 McNichols Sports Arena 0–5 6 October 30, 1976 Chicago W 102–74 MECCA Arena 1–5
November: 2–6 (home: 2–3; road: 0–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 7 November 2, 1976 Seattle W 125–113 MECCA Arena 2–5 8 November 3, 1976 @ Washington L 105–117 Capital Centre 2–6 9 November 4, 1976 @ Cleveland L 88–96 Coliseum at Richfield 2–7 10 November 6, 1976 Denver L 103–105 MECCA Arena 2–8 11 November 9, 1976 Cleveland L 90–111 MECCA Arena 2–9 12 November 12, 1976 Houston W 111–99 MECCA Arena 3–9 13 November 13, 1976 N. Y. Knicks L 97–110 Madison Square Garden 3–10 14 November 14, 1976 Detroit L 84–104 MECCA Arena 3–11
December: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
January: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
February: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
March: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
April: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
1976–77 schedule

Playoffs

After making the playoffs in 1976, the Bucks failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Player statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

Player statistics^[2]

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Bob Dandridge	70		35.7	46.7		77.1	6.3	3.8	1.4	0.4	20.8
Brian Winters	78		34.8	49.8		84.7	3.0	4.3	1.5	0.4	19.3
Junior Bridgeman	82		29.4	44.9		86.4	5.1	2.5	1.0	0.3	14.4
Swen Nater	72		27.2	52.8		75.4	12.0	1.5	0.8	0.7	13.0
Dave Meyers	50		25.2	46.7		66.1	6.8	1.7	0.8	0.6	9.7
Gary Brokaw	41		21.7	40.1		76.6	1.6	2.7	0.5	0.6	8.9
Quinn Buckner	79		26.5	43.4		53.9	3.3	4.7	2.4	0.3	8.6
Elmore Smith	34		23.2	44.7		58.1	6.1	0.9	0.6	2.0	8.4
Fred Carter	47		18.6	41.6		75.3	2.0	2.2	0.6	0.1	8.3
Jim Price	6		18.5	51.2		77.8	2.2	2.5	1.2	0.2	8.2
Scott Lloyd	69		14.9	47.2		75.4	3.0	0.5	0.3	0.2	5.8
Kevin Restani	64		17.4	51.8		50.0	4.1	1.4	0.5	0.2	5.6
Alex English	60		10.8	47.7		76.7	2.8	0.4	0.3	0.3	5.2
Rowland Garrett	33		11.6	45.2		79.3	2.2	0.6	0.4	0.2	4.7
Lloyd Walton	53		12.8	46.8		81.5	1.0	2.7	0.8	0.0	4.3
Mickey Davis	19		8.7	42.6		92.0	1.5	1.1	0.3	0.2	4.3
Glenn McDonald	9		8.8	23.5		75.0	1.3	0.8	0.4	0.0	2.1

Transactions

Trades

November 2, 1976	To Milwaukee Bucks---- 1977 1st round pick (Tate Armstrong)	To Buffalo Braves---- Jim Price
January 13, 1977	To Milwaukee Bucks---- Rowland Garrett	To Cleveland Cavaliers---- Gary Brokaw Elmore Smith