StaTuesday: Bucks all-time postseason leaders

On April 30, 1971, the Milwaukee Bucks won their lone NBA title.

While it’s crazy nowadays to think of a championship being over before the start of May, the Bucks are hoping to extend the number of titles to two.

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Heading into Tuesday night’s game against Boston, Milwaukee is down 1-0 on the series. But there’s still a long way to go. And if the Bucks can keep extending their stay in the playoffs, some franchise postseason records could fall. At the very least, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton figure to keep rising up certain statistical lists.

Believe it or not, despite this being Milwaukee’s first foray into the second round since 2001, both Antetokounmpo and Middleton have, entering Tuesday, appeared in 25 playoffs games. That’s tied for 27th-most in franchise history. Nine more games (and, of course, at least three are assured), would move them into the top 20.

Even if the Bucks make the NBA championship and every series goes seven games, the pair would only reach 14th on the list of Milwaukee postseason games. In fact, they’d be exactly halfway to the leader – Sidney Moncrief, with 88 postseason appearances. Rounding out the top 10 are Paul Pressey (68), Paul Mokseski (63), Bob Dandridge (60), Randy Breuer (59), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (57), Marques Johnson (54), Alton Lister (53), Jon McGlocklin (51) and Ricky Pierce (51). Seven of those 10 player part or all in the 1980s.

Antetokounmpo is closing in on one top 10, though. He needs just four blocks to tie and five to pass Moncrief on Milwaukee’s postseason all-time list. He has seven blocks in five playoff games this year and averaged 1.5 blocks per game this season, so we like his chances to fly past Moncrief, if not others.

PLAYER G BLK
Alton Lister 53 91
Ervin Johnson 35 53
Marques Johnson 54 45
Paul Pressey 68 45
Bob Lanier 45 45
Randy Breuer 59 43
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 57 39
Terry Cummings 44 39
Sidney Moncrief 88 36
Giannis Antetokounmpo 24 32
Harvey Catchings 33 32

Like Antetokounmpo, Middleton is just outside the top 10 when it comes to all-time playoff steals. His thefts were a bit down this season — 1.0 per game – but even if can keep up that rate, Middleton will get into the top 10 in the Boston series.

PLAYER G STL
Paul Pressey 68 105
Sidney Moncrief 88 103
Marques Johnson 54 56
Terry Cummings 44 56
Craig Hodges 34 53
Brian Winters 41 52
Quinn Buckner 23 44
Bob Lanier 45 43
Ricky Pierce 51 38
Junior Bridgeman 49 37
Ray Allen 26 35
Khris Middleton 24 34
Jack Sikma 33 32
Alton Lister 53 29
Giannis Anteotkounmpo 24 29
Sam Cassell 32 29

Depending on how long the Bucks can keep playing, Antetokounmpo and Middleton could reach the top 10 in assists. Antetokounmpo is currently 18th with 100 assists while Middleton is 20th with 89.

PLAYER G AST
Paul Pressey 68 401
Oscar Robertson 47 401
Sidney Moncrief 88 315
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 57 227
Sam Cassell 32 207
Marques Johnson 54 198
Brian Winters 41 192
Bob Dandridge 60 186
Bob Lanier 45 159
Ray Allen 26 134

Again, depending how many games Milwaukee will play in this year’s playoffs, Antetokounmpo could crack the top 10 in all-time rebounds in Bucks playoffs history. A deep run could get him into the top five.

PLAYER G REB
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 57 956
Bob Dandridge 60 491
Sidney Moncrief 88 453
Marques Johnson 54 427
Terry Cummings 44 375
Bob Lanier 45 342
Alton Lister 53 342
Paul Pressey 68 302
Curtis Perry 33 291
Ervin Johnson 35 289
Jack Sikma 33 268
Giannis Antetokounmpo 24 222

Also, Ersan Ilyasova, in his third tour with Milwaukee, is 22nd in rebounds, with 138. Unfortunately, we don’t have a list of all-time charges taken, but we’re pretty certain Ilyasova would be at or near the top.

He is, however, tied for 10th in 3-point makes. Antetokounmpo and Malcolm Brogdon, who could well return in Game 3, are just three behind Ilyasova. Middleton is approaching, but still not within true striking distance, of the all-time leader, Ray Allen, who averaged nearly three makes per game.

PLAYER G 3s
Ray Allen 26 76
Khris Middleton 24 57
Tim Thomas 32 39
Glenn Robinson 26 30
Craig Hodges 32 23
Sam Cassell 32 22
Tony Snell 16 21
Toni Kukoc 14 20
Brian Winters 41 19
Brandon Jennings 12 18
Ersan Ilyasova 22 18
Mike Dunleavy 15 18
Sidney Moncrief 88 16
Michael Redd 16 15
Giannis Antetokonmpo 24 15
John Lucas 17 15
Malcolm Brogdon 13 15
Carlos Delfino 7 15
Eric Bledsoe 12 13

Because of all those 3s and due to Allen playing in only 26 postseason games, he comes in 12th on the Bucks’ all-time playoff points list.

Antetokounmpo and Middleton are in a similar boat. They just haven’t played enough games to crack the top 10 (all of whom appeared in at least 45 postseason games), but they are enough of volume scorers (thanks in part to 3s) to be relatively close to the top 10.

PLAYER G PTS
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 57 1692
Sidney Moncrief 88 1451
Marques Johnson 54 1163
Bob Dandridge 60 1126
Terry Cummings 44 983
Paul Pressey 68 835
Ricky Pierce 51 763
Oscar Robertson 47 751
Bob Lanier 45 680
Junior Bridgeman 49 650
Brian Winters 41 637
Ray Allen 26 629
Jon McGlocklin 51 577
Sam Cassell 32 542
Giannis Antetokounmpo 24 525
Glenn Robinson 26 489
Khris Middleton 24 447

That being said, Antetokounmpo is only 125 points behind Bridgeman for 10th on the list. If he plays in five games and averages 25 points, that’d move him into a tie.

Antetokounmpo averaged 27.7 points during the regular season and, even with his 22-point outing in Game 1 vs. Boston. Is averaging 25.4 points in the playoffs.

If he can maintain his average, he should move up the Bucks’ all-time playoff points per game list as well – although No. 1 seems like that might be hard to ever top.

PLAYER G PPG
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 57 29.7
Ray Allen 26 24.2
Terry Cummings 44 22.3
Giannis Antetokounmpo 24 21.9
Marques Johnson 54 21.5
Bob Dandridge 60 18.8
Glenn Robinson 26 18.8
Khris Middleton 24 18.6
Michael Redd 16 17.8
Sam Cassell 32 16.9

Of course, if Antetokounmpo can solve the challenges presented him in Game 1 and get back to his season scoring average (or better), both he and Middleton will be playing in a lot more games and definitely be moving up on these lists.

And maybe, too, the 2018-19 Bucks will join the 1970-71 Bucks as well.