Former Bucks players recall memorable performances by LeBron
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's NBA scoring record Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but in his two decades in the league, James has accumulated more points against the Milwaukee Bucks (1,751) than against any other team.
He's also had some of his most – and least – explosive games against the Bucks.
The Journal Sentinel caught up with some of the Bucks players who were on the court for those standout games and series.
Dec. 10, 2005: 52 points
James' seventh-highest career scoring game came at the Bradley Center, but at the time it was just the second 50point game of his career. James had an uncharacteristically solid shooting night from deep (5 for 9 on three-pointers) and scored 31 of his points in the first half for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Former Bucks guard Charlie Bell, account executive United Wholesale Mortgage: “At that time we weren't the team that they are now. The Pistons were pretty good, Chicago was pretty good, and we weren't the best team, so he probably had a little easier time against us. And also, too, I know one of the last times he scored in single digits was against Milwaukee. That's kind of crazy he scored the most points against us, but I guess he scored a lot of baskets against a lot of people, so for him to be playing at a high level for that long is unbelievable.”
Jan. 5, 2007: 8 points
The Bucks had a good night against James defensively at the Bradley Center when he was just 3 for 13 from the field and attempted only two free throws for the Cavaliers. And historically it has turned out to be significant: It was the last time James scored in single digits. In breaking Abdul-Jabbar's record James extended his record streak of consecutive double-digit scoring games to 1,140. The game against the Bucks is one of only eight in which James has been held to single digits; James played at least 30 minutes in seven of those games, including against Milwaukee.
Feb. 20, 2009: 55 points
James posted the fifth-highest scoring game of his career at the Bradley Center, but he got there in a different way than usual in making 8 three-pointers, a career high at the time. James' three-point shooting was not considered a strength (32.4% for his career heading into that season), so the Bucks had a simple game plan: “At that time, the scouting report said ‘let him shoot,' because he wasn't a great shooter,” former Bucks center Francisco Elson recalled. “He wasn't a good shooter. So, make him earn it. If he comes down the lane you gotta take him out, put him on the line, because he wasn't a great free throw shooter at that (time).”
So, James put up 11 threes.
It's just that he made the most of them. It was a career high he didn't break until this season.
Bell: “He was making threes from everywhere, man, like effortlessly. He was just one of them guys that he was so big and strong and athletic that once his jumpshot is falling there's really nothing you can do with him. If you push up on him he'll go around you and finish at the basket and dunk on you. Or when then you back off and he got the three going, it's going to be a long night. That night when he started hitting all them threes, it was unreal. It was probably one of the best performances I'd seen.”
Elson: “Oh, my gosh. That game I guess he had a hot hand.”
2013: The original 'Bucks in six'
James was in his third season with the Miami Heat and they were beginning their title defense with a firstround playoff series against the eighthseeded Bucks. James was a champion for the first time after losing in his previous two trips to the NBA Finals.
James also had dialed back his scoring a little to accommodate Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and former Bucks all-star Ray Allen was still a threat off the bench. At 28 years old and a decade into his career, James led the Heat into the series with the Bucks in arguably his peak physical form.
Former Bucks guard Brandon Jennings:
“The game plan was to force him left, but I mean, we're talking 280 ‘Bron at this time. It was no stopping him. It was just, you hope they have a night where they're not making shots. With me and Monta (Ellis), I felt like we we could at least probably average 50 against them together. It's not like today where you've got to score 150. That was just my game plan: We've got to try to outscore they're guards ‘cause they gotta keep up with us.
“He was just bigger, stronger, just in his prime. C'mon, he was flying. Guy was unbelievable. So it was just scary.”
Former Bucks forward Mike Dunleavy Jr., vice president of basketball operations for the Golden State Warriors: “The biggest thing that I recall and always notice with LeBron in the playoffs is that he is so dialed in and manages to get his team a great shot every time down the court, which makes it so difficult on the opponent possession to possession and game to game. You are essentially crossing your fingers that they don't make too many shots over the course of seven games. The only way to really beat his teams in the postseason has been to outshoot them (Warriors). So that's essentially how he exerts his will on the mission or objective he carries in the playoffs.”
But, it didn't keep Jennings from issuing a prediction a few days before the series began: “I see us winning the series in six."
Dunleavy Jr.: “I don't recall that comment but would not be surprised that he said it. He possessed a confidence and swagger that helped him be a heck of a player. I recall that I felt the team who won that series was gonna win the championship (smiles).”
Jennings: “We played good against them in the season, so I was just going off the season and trying to be a Cinderella team. We knew we were going up against the champs. I mean, I'm not gonna say we're going to lose. It was just more like alright, maybe we can get one in Miami.”
The Heat would sweep the Bucks in four games and Jennings' prediction was abbreviated to “Bucks in six” by fans, and it became a mantra over the next eight years before finally coming to fruition in the championship season of 2020-21.