The 1972–73 NBA season was the Bucks' fifth season in the NBA.[1]
See main article: article and 1972 NBA draft.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | G/F | Marshall | |||
| 1 | 12 | SF/SG | Massachusetts Amherst | |||
| 2 | 29 | F | California State-Long Beach | |||
| 3 | 46 | F/G | Gardner-Webb | |||
| 4 | 63 | Georgetown | ||||
| 5 | 79 | Wichita State | ||||
| 7 | 113 | F/G | Duquesne | |||
| 8 | 129 | Cheyney (PA) | ||||
| 9 | 143 | Ball State | ||||
| 10 | 156 | Santa Clara |
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot
| 1972–73 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | KCO | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA |
| Atlanta | – | 3–4 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–4 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | |
| Baltimore | 4–3 | – | 1–5 | 5–1 | 0–4 | 8–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–0 | |
| Boston | 5–1 | 5–1 | – | 7–0 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–4 | 7–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | |
| Buffalo | 1–5 | 1–5 | 0–7 | – | 2–2 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–6 | 7–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | |
| Chicago | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | – | 3–1 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 5–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–1 | |
| Cleveland | 4–3 | 0–8 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 1–3 | – | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–6 | 6–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | |
| Detroit | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | – | 2–4 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 2–5 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–4 | |
| Golden State | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | – | 3–1 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 4–3 | |
| Houston | 4–4 | 2–5 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 0–4 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 1–3 | – | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | |
| Kansas City-Omaha | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | – | 1–5 | 1–6 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | |
| Los Angeles | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 5–1 | – | 3–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 6–1 | 6–0 | 6–0 | |
| Milwaukee | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 6–1 | 3–3 | – | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | |
| New York | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–4 | 6–1 | 1–3 | 6–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | – | 6–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | |
| Philadelphia | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–7 | 1–7 | 0–4 | 0–6 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–6 | – | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | |
| Phoenix | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–6 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 4–0 | – | 5–2 | 4–2 | |
| Portland | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 3–1 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–5 | – | 3–4 | |
| Seattle | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 4–3 | — | |
| 1972–73 game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 13 | 117–105 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (41) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | October 14 | 81–77 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27) | 2–0 | ||
| 3 | October 17 | 108–111 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (49) | 2–1 | ||
| 4 | October 20 | 86–109 | Bob Dandridge (27) | 3–1 | ||
| 5 | October 21 | 91–63 | Oscar Robertson (27) | 4–1 | ||
| 6 | October 22 | 104–84 | Bob Dandridge (27) | 5–1 | ||
| 7 | October 25 | Buffalo | 92–109 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25) | 6–1 | |
| 8 | October 26 | 114–107 | Bob Dandridge (33) | 7–1 | ||
| 9 | October 28 | 96–92 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (23) | 8–1 | ||
| 10 | November 4 | Phoenix | 105–104 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (22) | 8–2 | |
| 11 | November 5 | Philadelphia | 113–131 | Bob Dandridge (26) | 9–2 | |
| 12 | November 8 | 103–116 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | 10–2 | ||
| 13 | November 10 | 82–120 | Lucius Allen (24) | 11–2 | ||
| 14 | November 11 | 102–111 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (35) | 11–3 | ||
| 15 | November 14 | 95–92 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (37) | 11–4 | ||
| 16 | November 17 | 95–88 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32) | 12–4 | ||
| 17 | November 18 | 86–87 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32) | 12–5 | ||
| 18 | November 21 | Boston | 116–102 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33) | 12–6 | |
| 19 | November 24 | Kansas City–Omaha | 106–115 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) | 13–6 | |
| 20 | November 25 | @ Baltimore | 101–91 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | 14–6 | |
| 21 | November 26 | Atlanta | 96–108 | Bob Dandridge (29) | 15–6 | |
| 22 | November 29 | 97–105 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27) | 16–6 | ||
| 23 | December 1 | New York | 74–100 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (40) | 17–6 | |
| 24 | December 3 | @ Phoenix | 119–101 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33) | 18–6 | |
| 25 | December 5 | @ Los Angeles | 94–116 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | 18–7 | |
| 26 | December 6 | @ Seattle | 91–95 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38) | 18–8 | |
| 27 | December 8 | Golden State | 91–124 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19) | 19–8 | |
| 28 | December 9 | Detroit | 107–103 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | 19–9 | |
| 29 | December 12 | @ Portland | 115–94 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (35) | 20–9 | |
| 30 | December 13 | @ Seattle | 104–103 (OT) | Dandridge, Robertson (25) | 21–9 | |
| 31 | December 15 | Cleveland | 82–98 | Bob Dandridge (18) | 22–9 | |
| 32 | December 19 | Seattle | 77–121 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33) | 23–9 | |
| 33 | December 20 | Portland | 104–123 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (44) | 24–9 | |
| 34 | December 23 | Boston | 98–104 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) | 25–9 | |
| 35 | December 25 | @ Kansas City–Omaha | 104–99 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32) | 26–9 | |
| 36 | December 26 | @ Detroit | 105–112 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (43) | 26–10 | |
| 37 | December 28 | Detroit | 91–115 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (44) | 27–10 | |
| 38 | December 29 | 114–101 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (39) | 28–10 | ||
| 39 | December 30 | @ Chicago | 92–99 | Lucius Allen (26) | 28–11 | |
| 40 | January 1 | Baltimore | 88–87 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27) | 28–12 | |
| 41 | January 2 | @ New York | 92–102 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38) | 28–13 | |
| 42 | January 3 | Atlanta | 97–105 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) | 29–13 | |
| 43 | January 6 | Buffalo | 96–110 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (37) | 30–13 | |
| 44 | January 7 | Los Angeles | 92–99 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (37) | 31–13 | |
| 45 | January 12 | Kansas City–Omaha | 98–117 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38) | 32–13 | |
| 46 | January 14 | Chicago | 95–100 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (35) | 33–13 | |
| 47 | January 16 | Philadelphia | 92–108 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | 34–13 | |
| 48 | January 19 | Portland | 105–108 | Bob Dandridge (31) | 35–13 | |
| 49 | January 21 | Golden State | 108–124 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27) | 36–13 | |
| 50 | January 25 | N Houston | 125–129 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (48) | 36–14 | |
| 51 | January 26 | @ Detroit | 117–105 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (35) | 37–14 | |
| 52 | January 30 | @ Cleveland | 98–112 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | 37–15 | |
| 53 | February 2 | @ Buffalo | 114–108 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38) | 38–15 | |
| 54 | February 4 | @ Chicago | 99–121 | Lucius Allen (28) | 38–16 | |
| 55 | February 6 | Phoenix | 111–126 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (35) | 39–16 | |
| 56 | February 7 | @ Kansas City–Omaha | 98–105 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27) | 39–17 | |
| 57 | February 9 | Los Angeles | 88–109 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | 40–17 | |
| 58 | February 10 | Golden State | 108–135 | Bob Dandridge (36) | 41–17 | |
| 59 | February 11 | @ Boston | 96–120 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25) | 41–18 | |
| 60 | February 13 | @ Detroit | 110–96 | Abdul-Jabbar, Dandridge (28) | 42–18 | |
| 61 | February 14 | @ Philadelphia | 104–106 | Bob Dandridge (38) | 42–19 | |
| 62 | February 16 | Houston | 103–105 | Oscar Robertson (31) | 43–19 | |
| 63 | February 17 | Kansas City–Omaha | 104–111 | Lucius Allen (25) | 44–19 | |
| 64 | February 18 | N Baltimore | 93–96 | Bob Dandridge (20) | 44–20 | |
| 65 | February 20 | N Cleveland | 118–100 | Abdul-Jabbar, Robertson (28) | 45–20 | |
| 66 | February 22 | @ Kansas City–Omaha | 116–113 (OT) | Lucius Allen (32) | 46–20 | |
| 67 | February 24 | @ Golden State | 93–102 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27) | 46–21 | |
| 68 | February 25 | @ Los Angeles | 82–91 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (21) | 46–22 | |
| 69 | February 28 | Seattle | 110–124 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) | 47–22 | |
| 70 | March 1 | New York | 100–114 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (36) | 48–22 | |
| 71 | March 4 | @ Houston | 116–101 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | 49–22 | |
| 72 | March 6 | Chicago | 88–96 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | 50–22 | |
| 73 | March 9 | Portland | 96–116 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25) | 51–22 | |
| 74 | March 12 | Phoenix | 95–126 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (34) | 52–22 | |
| 75 | March 16 | @ Chicago | 99–91 (OT) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (24) | 53–22 | |
| 76 | March 18 | @ Atlanta | 105–104 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (22) | 54–22 | |
| 77 | March 19 | N Detroit | 118–99 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27) | 55–22 | |
| 78 | March 21 | @ Seattle | 119–96 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (36) | 56–22 | |
| 79 | March 22 | @ Golden State | 108–98 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27) | 57–22 | |
| 80 | March 25 | @ Phoenix | 114–112 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (36) | 58–22 | |
| 81 | March 26 | @ Portland | 118–99 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | 59–22 | |
| 82 | March 27 | @ Los Angeles | 85–84 | Oscar Robertson (25) | 60–22 |
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| March 30| Golden State| W 110–90| Abdul-Jabbar, Robertson (22)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (24)| Oscar Robertson (12)| Milwaukee Arena
10,746| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| April 1| Golden State| L 92–95| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15)| five players tied (3)| Milwaukee Arena
10,379| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| April 5| @ Golden State| W 113–93| Oscar Robertson (34)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (18)| Oscar Robertson (8)| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
8,493| 2–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| April 7| @ Golden State| L 97–102| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25)| Perry, Abdul-Jabbar (14)| Oscar Robertson (7)| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
8,173| 2–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 5| April 10| Golden State| L 97–100| four players tied (19)| Perry, Abdul-Jabbar (12)| Oscar Robertson (11)| University of Wisconsin Field House
12,204| 2–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 6| April 13| @ Golden State| L 86–100| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14)| Lucius Allen (5)| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
13,175| 2–4|-
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 76 | 42.8 | 55.4 | 71.3 | 16.1 | 5.0 | 30.2 | ||||||
| Bob Dandridge | 73 | 39.1 | 47.2 | 78.9 | 8.2 | 2.8 | 20.2 | |||||
| Oscar Robertson | 73 | 37.5 | 45.4 | 84.7 | 4.9 | 7.5 | 15.5 | |||||
| Lucius Allen | 80 | 33.7 | 48.4 | 71.5 | 3.5 | 5.3 | 15.5 | |||||
| Jon McGlocklin | 80 | 24.4 | 50.2 | 86.3 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 9.6 | |||||
| Curtis Perry | 67 | 31.3 | 46.1 | 65.9 | 9.6 | 1.8 | 9.1 | |||||
| Terry Driscoll | 59 | 16.3 | 42.9 | 69.4 | 5.0 | 0.9 | 5.5 | |||||
| Mickey Davis | 74 | 14.1 | 43.8 | 82.6 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 5.1 | |||||
| Wali Jones | 27 | 15.5 | 40.7 | 88.9 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 5.0 | |||||
| Gary Gregor | 9 | 9.8 | 33.3 | 71.4 | 3.6 | 1.0 | 3.0 | |||||
| Russ Lee | 46 | 6.0 | 38.6 | 74.4 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 2.8 | |||||
| Dick Cunningham | 72 | 9.6 | 41.0 | 58.0 | 2.9 | 0.5 | 2.2 | |||||
| 67 | 10.3 | 34.0 | 70.8 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 1.9 |
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 46.0 | 42.8 | 54.3 | 16.2 | 2.8 | 22.8 | ||||||
| Oscar Robertson | 6 | 42.7 | 50.0 | 91.2 | 4.7 | 7.5 | 21.2 | |||||
| Lucius Allen | 6 | 33.8 | 40.4 | 78.6 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 15.7 | |||||
| 6 | 34.0 | 42.1 | 70.4 | 4.7 | 1.2 | 13.8 | ||||||
| Jon McGlocklin | 6 | 24.2 | 50.9 | 87.5 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 10.2 | |||||
| Curtis Perry | 6 | 39.7 | 48.1 | 50.0 | 11.5 | 2.2 | 8.8 | |||||
| 5 | 2.6 | 57.1 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 3.2 | ||||||
| Mickey Davis | 6 | 9.0 | 35.3 | 100.0 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 2.3 | |||||
| Chuck Terry | 5 | 3.6 | 80.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.6 | |||||
| Dick Cunningham | 5 | 3.4 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | |||||
| Terry Driscoll | 6 | 2.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Player | Signed | Former team | |
| Terry Driscoll | November 15, 1972 | Baltimore Bullets |