Flashback: AI ends Milwaukee's run

Day 19 of our 30-team NBA playoff flashback profiles the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks franchise has one NBA title, and has seven playoff appearances since the 1991-92 season.

Date: June 3, 2001

Situation: The No. 2 Milwaukee Bucks and the No. 1 Philadelphia 76ers are tied, 3-3, heading to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals

Context: As he had done with the Sonics several years earlier, George Karl had the Milwaukee Bucks playing competitive basketball. After missing the playoffs seven straight years, the Bucks made back-to-back appearances in 1999 and 2000, though ultimately losing in the first round each time. The 2000-01 season was different. The Bucks won 50 games for the first time since 1986-87, grabbing the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. The offense — arguably the league’s best — was led by a three-headed scoring attack of Ray Allen (22.0 points per game in the regular season), Glenn Robinson (22.0) and Sam Cassell (18.2). Behind the three scorers, Milwaukee easily got out of the first round for the first time in over a decade, eliminating the Magic, 3-1. The semis were a test, with Jamal Mashburn, Baron Davis and the Charlotte Hornets taking a 3-2 series lead. Milwaukee fought back, though, scoring 104 points in both Game 6 and Game 7 to eventually win the series, 4-3. That set up an Eastern Conference finals match-up with Allen Iverson and the 76ers. Philly took Game 1, 93-85; Milwaukee then stole home court advantage with a win in Game 2, before taking a 2-1 series lead with an 80-74 win in Game 3; Philly surged back, taking a 3-2 series lead with back-to-back wins; then the Bucks offense showed up, topping the 76ers 110-100 in Game 6 to set up a decisive Game 7 in Philadelphia.

Recap: Glenn Robinson, Ray Allen and Sam Cassell all scored at least 20 points. Tim Thomas managed a double-double off the bench. The Bucks shot a respectable 44.7 percent from the floot, connected on a ridiculous 18 of 19 free throws, and even led, 26-25, after the first quarter. But in the end, it was the Allen Iverson show. AI, who averaged 32.9 points over the course of the 2001 playoffs in an other-worldly 1,016 total minutes, hung 44 points on a hopeless Milwaukee defense. He shot 17-for-33 from the floor and 4-for-6 from three, good enough for a 61.0 true-shooting percentage, and added six boards and seven assists for good measure. It was never close after the half, as the Sixers cruised to the NBA Finals. Milwaukee lost, 108-91.

Top players: Ray Allen led Milwaukee with 26 points, including 4-for-7 from downtown. Glenn Robinson scored 24, and Sam Cassell added 20. For the 76ers, Allen Iverson wasn’t the only player with an impressive stat line. Dikembe Mutombo had a double-double with 23 points (including 13-for-19 from the free throw line) and 19 rebounds. Aaron McKie had 13 assists, and Tyrone Hill had 10 rebounds.

After the game: The conference finals appearance proved to be a flash in the pan for the Bucks. Milwaukee finished just 41-41 the following season, missing the playoffs. They made the postseason in four of the next eight years — though they never won more than 46 games — and were eliminated in the first round in each case. Milwaukee’s franchise now hasn’t been to an NBA Finals in 38 years, and hasn’t won an NBA championship in 41 years.

Check back tomorrow for the Rockets.

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