The 1974–75 Milwaukee Bucks season was the Bucks' seventh season in the NBA.1974–75 Milwaukee Bucks Before the season began for the Bucks, they would join the Kansas City-Omaha Kings as the only two NBA teams to not have any players of theirs selected by any of the rivaling ABA teams in the 1974 ABA Draft of NBA Players. For the first time since 1969-70 season, Oscar Robertson was not on the opening day roster. This would be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's last season in Milwaukee before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers the following the season.

Just before the start of the regular season, Kareem had privately requested a trade on October 3, 1974, at a dinner meeting in Downtown Milwaukee. His preferred trade destinations were the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers. General manager Wayne Embry later stated in 1987, "We asked Kareem if there was dissatisfaction with us and he said, 'no'. He just wanted to be traded from Milwaukee. He said his life style and the life style in Milwaukee were not compatible." With the Knicks failing to trade for Kareem in the 1975 offseason, the Lakers then traded for Kareem on June 16, 1975, in a trade that also sent Walt Wesley to the Lakers and Junior Bridgeman, Dave Meyers, Elmore Smith, and Brian Winters to the Bucks.

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 18 Gary Brokaw SG Notre Dame 3 54 Greg McDougald Oral Roberts 4 72 Lionel Billingy F/C Duquesne 5 90 John Johnson SF Denver 6 108 Larry Williams Kansas State 7 126 Bob Hornstein West Virginia 8 144 Ralph Palamar Cameron 9 161 Mike Deane SUNY Potsdam 10 178 Bruce Featherston Texas State

Roster

Regular season With the retirement of Oscar Robertson, the Bucks started the season 1–13 before slowly coming back and after 48 games they were 24-24 and were poised for their 6th straight trip to the postseason, but the Bucks faded down the stretch and missed the playoffs for the first time since their inaugural season in 1968–69.

Season standings

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

Season schedule

|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 1 || October 18 || Houston || 106–101 || Bob Dandridge (27) || Cornell Warner (13) || Dandridge, Warner (6) || MECCA Arena10,575 || 0–1 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 2 || October 19 || @ Chicago || 70–87 || Bob Dandridge (13) || Kevin Restani (8) || Lucius Allen (5) || Chicago Stadium9,031 || 0–2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 3 || October 22 || Chicago || 90–92 || Bob Dandridge (28) || Bob Dandridge (8) || Lucius Allen (7) || MECCA Arena9,439 || 1–2 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 4 || October 25 || Washington || 111–96 || Lucius Allen (21) || Cornell Warner (16) || George Thompson (5) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 1–3 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 5 || October 26 || @ Washington || 95–101 || Lucius Allen (23) || Kevin Restani (11) || Lucius Allen (9) || Capital Centre7,166 || 1–4 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 6 || October 30 || @ Kansas City–Omaha || 97–99 || Lucius Allen (23) || Cornell Warner (13) || Allen, McGlocklin (5) || Kemper Arena5,241 || 1–5

|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 7 || November 1 || @ Los Angeles || 86–109 || Lucius Allen (21) || Kevin Restani (9) || Lucius Allen (6) || The Forum12,219 || 1–6 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 8 || November 2 || @ Golden State || 90–99 || George Thompson (24) || Cornell Warner (20) || George Thompson (6) || Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena7,570 || 1–7 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 9 || November 3 || @ Seattle || 89–101 || Bob Dandridge (18) || Cornell Warner (17) || Allen, Restani (6) || Seattle Center Coliseum11,839 || 1–8 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 10 || November 7 || @ Houston || 93–103 || Bob Dandridge (23) || Cornell Warner (10) || Allen, Thompson (3) || Hofheinz Pavilion3,184 || 1–9 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 11 || November 10 || Atlanta || 99–94 || Dandridge, Price (22) || Cornell Warner (20) || Jim Price (8) || MECCA Arena10,189 || 1–10 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 12 || November 12 || Boston || 91–83 || Bob Dandridge (24) || Kevin Restani (17) || Dandridge, McGlocklin, Restani (4) || MECCA Arena9,919 || 1–11 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 13 || November 13 || @ Detroit || 91–98 || Bob Dandridge (28) || Dandridge, Restani (12) || Bob Dandridge (6) || Cobo Arena4,994 || 1–12 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 14 || November 16 || Cleveland || 92–89 || Bob Dandridge (21) || Cornell Warner (14) || Dandridge, Price, Restani (4) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 1–13 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 15 || November 19 || Phoenix || 108–122 || Jim Price (43) || Cornell Warner (9) || Davis, Price, Restani (6) || MECCA Arena9,187 || 2–13 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 16 || November 21 || @ Kansas City–Omaha || 106–96 || Bob Dandridge (28) || Cornell Warner (19) || Cornell Warner (7) || Kemper Arena5,516 || 3–13 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 17 || November 23 || @ New York || 90–72 || Bob Dandridge (25) || Kevin Restani (14) || Price, Thompson (5) || Madison Square Garden19,694 || 4–13 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 18 || November 26 || Los Angeles || 105–102 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (36) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (18) || Jim Price (8) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 4–14 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 19 || November 29 || Kansas City–Omaha || 99–102 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (37) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) || Abdul-Jabbar, McGlocklin (8) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 5–14 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 20 || November 30 || Chicago || 99–101 (2OT) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) || Abdul-Jabbar, Warner (13) || Jim Price (7) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 6–14

|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 21 || December 1 || Philadelphia || 112–117 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (35) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (17) || Jim Price (8) || MECCA Arena5,032 || 7–14 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 22 || December 3 || @ Buffalo || 110–101 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (36) || Abdul-Jabbar, Warner (12) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7) || Buffalo Memorial Auditorium8,585 || 8–14 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 23 || December 4 || Seattle || 112–103 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (22) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15) || Jim Price (9) || MECCA Arena10,497 || 8–15 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 24 || December 6 || @ Chicago || 99–96 || Bob Dandridge (28) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (18) || Jim Price (8) || Chicago Stadium17,107 || 9–15 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 25 || December 10 || Detroit || 82–90 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (23) || Dandridge, Restani (10) || George Thompson (8) || MECCA Arena9,625 || 10–15 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 26 || December 12 || Kansas City–Omaha || 113–105 || Bob Dandridge (32) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (13) || Jim Price (8) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 10–16 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 27 || December 13 || @ Philadelphia || 89–93 (OT) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (16) || Jim Price (10) || The Spectrum6,446 || 10–17 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 28 || December 17 || @ Portland || 103–119 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (23) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19) || Jim Price (6) || Memorial Coliseum11,878 || 10–18 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 29 || December 19 || @ Phoenix || 112–108 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10) || Jim Price (9) || Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum7,369 || 11–18 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 30 || December 22 || New Orleans || 76–96 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (23) || Cornell Warner (12) || Jim Price (5) || MECCA Arena9,038 || 12–18 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 31 || December 23 || Washington || 106–103 (OT) || Bob Dandridge (28) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (18) || Jim Price (8) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 12–19 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 32 || December 29 || New York || 89–115 || Bob Dandridge (31) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) || Bob Dandridge (5) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 13–19 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 33 || December 30 || Buffalo || 91–106 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (23) || Abdul-Jabbar, McGlocklin (7) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 14–19

|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 34 || January 2 || Atlanta || 111–116 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (52) || Cornell Warner (19) || Jon McGlocklin (8) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 15–19 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 35 || January 4 || Houston || 89–93 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (37) || Cornell Warner (12) || Jim Price (7) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 16–19 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 36 || January 5 || Chicago || 95–96 || Abdul-Jabbar, Dandridge (33) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15) || Ron Williams (8) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 17–19 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 37 || January 7 || @ Kansas City–Omaha || 99–108 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (39) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9) || Kemper Arena6,506 || 17–20 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 38 || January 8 || @ Detroit || 102–92 || Bob Dandridge (32) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19) || Jim Price (9) || Cobo Arena11,388 || 18–20 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 39 || January 10 || Detroit || 89–81 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (22) || Cornell Warner (14) || Abdul-Jabbar, Price (4) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 18–21 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 40 || January 11 || @ Cleveland || 91–81 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (18) || Jim Price (7) || Richfield Coliseum14,314 || 19–21 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 41 || January 12 || Philadelphia || 88–99 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) || Jon McGlocklin (5) || MECCA Arena10,647 || 20–21 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 42 || January 16 || Golden State || 100–119 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (40) || Abdul-Jabbar, Warner (13) || Jon McGlocklin (8) || MECCA Arena10,089 || 21–21 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 43 || January 19 || Portland || 108–122 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (50) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (11) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 22–21 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 44 || January 24 || @ Houston || 91–95 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) || Bob Dandridge (8) || Hofheinz Pavilion8,194 || 22–22 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 45 || January 25 || @ Atlanta || 101–117 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (22) || Cornell Warner (16) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (5) || Omni Coliseum12,685 || 22–23 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 46 || January 27 || @ New Orleans || 117–115 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (41) || Cornell Warner (16) || Ron Williams (8) || Loyola Field House6,419 || 23–23 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 47 || January 29 || @ Kansas City–Omaha || 102–106 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (43) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (16) || Abdul-Jabbar, Dandridge, McGlocklin, Price (4) || Omaha Civic Auditorium9,185 || 23–24 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 48 || January 31 || @ Philadelphia || 101–97 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19) || Jim Price (9) || The Spectrum10,110 || 24–24

|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 49 || February 2 || @ Boston || 102–120 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (23) || Cornell Warner (14) || Gary Brokaw (6) || Boston Garden15,320 || 24–25 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 50 || February 5 || Boston || 92–90 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (22) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (4) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 24–26 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 51 || February 6 || Kansas City–Omaha || 95–94 || Bob Dandridge (28) || Cornell Warner (15) || George Thompson (8) || Dane County Coliseum8,108 || 24–27 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 52 || February 7 || New Orleans || 98–119 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (35) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (18) || Gary Brokaw (8) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 25–27 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 53 || February 10 || Detroit || 109–130 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (39) || Abdul-Jabbar, Warner (11) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7) || MECCA Arena10,309 || 26–27 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 54 || February 12 || @ Washington || 108–112 (OT) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) || Abdul-Jabbar, Warner (14) || Gary Brokaw (5) || Capital Centre15,331 || 26–28 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 55 || February 14 || Cleveland || 105–112 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32) || Cornell Warner (18) || Abdul-Jabbar, Brokaw (6) || MECCA Arena10,938 || 27–28 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 56 || February 16 || @ New Orleans || 101–103 || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) || Jim Price (4) || Municipal Auditorium7,435 || 27–29 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 57 || February 18 || @ Cleveland || 104–93 || Gary Brokaw (24) || Cornell Warner (16) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (5) || Richfield Coliseum13,052 || 28–29 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 58 || February 21 || @ Chicago || 85–96 || Abdul-Jabbar, Brokaw (20) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) || Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7) || Chicago Stadium19,549 || 28–30 |- bgcolor="ffcccc"