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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.