NBA professional basketball team season
NBA professional basketball team season
The 1977–78 NBA season was the Bucks' tenth season in the NBA .[ 1] The Bucks had drafted Marques Johnson from UCLA in the 1977 NBA draft .
Draft picks
Roster
1977–78 Milwaukee Bucks roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
C
54
Benson, Kent
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
1954–12–27
Indiana
SF
2
Bridgeman, Junior
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
1953–09–17
Louisville
PG
21
Buckner, Quinn
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
1954–08–20
Indiana
C
51
Eakins, Jim
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
1946–05–24
BYU
SF
22
English, Alex
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
1954–01–05
South Carolina
C
40
Gianelli, John
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
1950–06–10
Pacific
SG
20
Grunfeld, Ernie
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
1955–04–24
Tennessee
SF
8
Johnson, Marques
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
218 lb (99 kg)
1956–02–08
UCLA
PF
7
Meyers, Dave
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
1953–04–21
UCLA
PG
11
Walton, Lloyd
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
160 lb (73 kg)
1953–11–23
Marquette
SG
32
Winters, Brian
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
1952–03–01
South Carolina
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Regular season
Season standings
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
1977–78 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
BUF
CHI
CLE
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
KCK
LAL
MIL
NJN
NOJ
NYK
PHI
PHO
POR
SAS
SEA
WAS
Atlanta
—
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–3
1–3
2–2
1–3
3–1
3–1
2–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–3
2–1
1–3
Boston
2–2
—
3–1
1–3
1–3
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–2
2–1
2–2
1–2
3–1
3–1
2–2
2–2
0–4
2–2
1–3
0–4
0–4
1–3
Buffalo
1–3
1–3
—
3–1
1–3
1–3
1–3
0–3
3–1
1–3
1–2
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
0–4
1–3
1–3
1–3
1–3
Chicago
3–1
3–1
1–3
—
3–1
2–2
2–2
1–3
3–1
3–1
0–4
2–2
1–3
1–2
2–2
1–3
3–0
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–2
2–1
Cleveland
3–1
3–1
3–1
1–3
—
3–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
2–1
2–2
2–2
3–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–2
0–4
0–4
3–1
2–2
Denver
3–1
3–1
3–1
2–2
1–3
—
2–2
2–2
3–0
2–2
2–2
3–1
3–1
3–1
3–1
1–3
1–3
2–2
3–1
2–1
1–3
3–1
Detroit
2–2
3–1
3–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
—
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–2
3–1
3–0
0–4
0–4
2–2
1–3
1–3
1–3
2–2
Golden State
3–1
2–2
3–0
3–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
—
2–1
3–1
3–1
0–4
2–2
3–1
0–4
2–2
1–3
2–2
1–3
3–1
2–2
2–2
Houston
1–3
2–2
1–3
1–3
2–2
0–3
1–3
1–2
—
3–1
2–2
1–3
1–3
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–2
1–3
2–2
1–3
0–4
1–3
Indiana
1–3
1–2
3–1
1–3
1–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–3
—
2–2
1–3
0–4
2–2
2–2
1–3
2–2
1–3
1–3
1–3
1–3
3–1
Kansas City
1–2
2–2
2–1
4–0
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
2–2
2–2
—
2–2
0–4
2–2
2–2
0–4
1–3
0–4
0–4
0–4
1–3
2–2
Los Angeles
1–3
2–1
3–1
2–2
2–2
1–3
2–2
4–0
3–1
3–1
2–2
—
3–1
4–0
2–1
3–1
2–2
1–3
0–4
2–2
1–3
2–2
Milwaukee
2–2
1–3
3–1
3–1
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–2
3–1
4–0
4–0
1–3
—
3–1
2–1
3–1
1–2
1–3
1–3
2–2
1–3
3–1
New Jersey
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–1
1–3
1–3
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–2
2–2
0–4
1–3
—
0–4
1–3
0–4
2–2
0–3
0–4
2–2
2–2
New Orleans
2–2
2–2
2–2
2–2
2–2
1–3
1–3
4–0
3–1
2–2
2–2
1–2
1–2
4–0
—
1–3
2–2
1–3
3–1
1–3
2–2
0–4
New York
2–2
2–2
1–3
3–1
1–3
3–1
3–0
2–2
2–2
3–1
4–0
1–3
1–3
3–1
3–1
—
1–3
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–1
2–2
Philadelphia
2–2
4–0
3–1
1–3
3–1
3–1
4–0
3–1
2–2
2–2
3–1
2–2
2–1
4–0
2–2
3–1
—
2–1
2–2
3–1
3–1
2–2
Phoenix
1–3
2–2
4–0
2–2
2–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
3–1
3–1
4–0
3–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
3–1
1–2
—
1–3
2–2
2–2
2–2
Portland
3–1
3–1
3–1
3–1
4–0
1–3
3–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
4–0
4–0
3–1
3–1
1–3
3–0
2–2
3–1
—
2–2
3–1
2–1
San Antonio
3–1
4–0
3–1
2–2
4–0
1–2
2–1
1–3
3–1
3–1
4–0
2–2
2–2
4–0
3–1
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–2
—
2–2
2–2
Seattle
1–2
4–0
3–1
2–2
1–3
3–1
3–1
2–2
4–0
3–1
3–1
3–1
3–1
2–2
2–1
1–3
1–3
2–2
1–3
2–2
—
1–3
Washington
3–1
3–1
3–1
1–2
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
2–2
2–2
1–3
2–2
4–0
2–2
2–2
2–2
1–2
2–2
3–1
—
Game log
1977–78 game log Total: 44–38 (home: 6–1; road: 0–2)
October: 3–2 (home: 3–0; road: 0–2)
November: 2–3 (home: 2–2; road: 0–1)
December: 1–0 (home: 1–0; road: 0–0)
January: 2–0 (home: 2–0; road: 0–0)
February: 1–0 (home: 1–0; road: 0–0)
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
1977–78 schedule
Playoffs
1978 playoff game log
First Round: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
Conference semifinals: 3–4 (home: 2–1; road: 1–3)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Series
1
April 18
@ Denver
L 103–119
Alex English (26)
Dave Meyers (15)
Brian Winters (11)
McNichols Sports Arena 17,297
0–1
2
April 21
@ Denver
L 111–127
Marques Johnson (22)
Johnson , Meyers (5)
Lloyd Walton (8)
McNichols Sports Arena 17,838
0–2
3
April 23
Denver
W 143–112
Marques Johnson (35)
Marques Johnson (10)
Lloyd Walton (11)
MECCA Arena 10,938
1–2
4
April 25
Denver
L 104–118
Johnson , Winters (14)
Marques Johnson (7)
Brian Winters (6)
MECCA Arena 10,938
1–3
5
April 28
@ Denver
W 117–112
Marques Johnson (34)
Marques Johnson (17)
Winters , Buckner (9)
McNichols Sports Arena 17,838
2–3
6
April 30
Denver
W 119–91
Alex English (21)
Marques Johnson (17)
Marques Johnson (9)
MECCA Arena 10,938
3–3
7
May 3
@ Denver
L 110–116
Brian Winters (27)
Marques Johnson (16)
Quinn Buckner (10)
McNichols Sports Arena 17,838
3–4
1978 schedule
Player statistics
Season
Playoffs
Awards and records
Quinn Buckner , NBA All-Defensive Second Team
Marques Johnson , NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team
On Friday, November 25, 1977, the day after Thanksgiving, and on the road, the Bucks overcame the largest 4th quarter deficit in NBA history, defeating the Atlanta Hawks after being down by 29 points with only 8:43 left in the game. Atlanta led 111–82 before Milwaukee went on a 35–4 run to win 117–115 in regulation. This record was set without the use of the three-point field goal, since its NBA inception was not until the 1979–80 season.
Transactions
Trades
Free agents
References
1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s