I think we’ve talked about this 2022 playoff matchup between the Bulls and the Bucks enough for now. Before Game 1 tips off tomorrow, I wanted to talk a little bit about the history between the 2 franchises; does anybody even care about back in the day any more? Well, I do. It was back in the day, when these 2 teams first met in the postseason.
The season was 1973-1974. It was the 8th year for the Bulls franchise, and 7th playoff appearance. In the previous 6 playoff appearances, the Bulls had yet to win a series; the Lakers had eliminated them 3 straight years, and 4 of the 6 years overall. But in 1974, the Bulls would get their first playoff victory; it was against who would become a famous opponent, the Detroit Pistons; yeah, the Bulls struck first blood way back when. The series win in the conference semifinals (not as many rounds in the playoffs back then) lead to our first appearance in the conference finals… against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bulls coach at the time, Dick Motta. On the court, it was the likes of Van Lier, Sloan, Walker, Love, and Boerwinkle; it was a very good Bulls team. I miss Van Lier; he used to do the pre and post game shows for the Bulls… he loved the Bulls. Sloan too, with his #4 hanging in the rafters… I wish it had been someone else we beat 2x in the Finals. Chet the Jet was no slouch, and of course, the retired #10 that also hangs in the rafters Bob “Butterbean” Love. Finally, Boerwinkle… who we would refer to our dad as when we’d play ball… haha. The Bucks though… you may have heard of some of their guys. Oscar Robertson, the starting point guard on my all-time NBA team. Kareem Abdul Jabbar, one of the greatest players that has even taken the court. They swept us 4-0. This wasn’t the only time we tangled with the Bucks in the postseason.
After this loss, the Bulls would only make the playoffs 3 out of the next 10 years before a certain player out of North Carolina put on the Bulls uni. It was in his first year, that the Bulls got back into the playoffs; the Bulls would make the playoffs 14 straight years, the last year being the famous Last Dance. But at the end of the 1984-1985 season, rookie of the year Michael Jordan lead the Bulls against none other than the Bucks in their first round series; it would not go well. Although it would produce MJ’s first game winning shot in the playoffs during the Bulls only victory of the series, Game 3 at the Chicago Stadium, the Bucks would prove to be too much for rookie MJ and a supporting cast of Woolridge, Green, and Corzine. The Bucks on the other hand a pretty nice team, lead by Moncrief, Cummings, Pressey, and Ricky Pierce; Craig Hodges was also on that Milwaukee roster… learn something every day.
The next time these 2 franchises met the Bulls would return the favor, beating the Bucks 3-1 in the first round. The season was 1989-1990, and the Bulls were on the brink of glory. The Bucks were lead by the NBA’s all time steal per game leader Alvin Robertson, Cadillac Anderson, Pressey, Pierce, and Jack Sikma. No match for the Bulls squad in Phil Jackson’s first year as head coach. That was the last time MJ would meet the Bucks in the postseason. The final time these two teams met in the second season was the 2014-2015 campaign. It was the last hurrah for the Thibs’ Bulls with Rose, Buckets, Noah, and Taj. The Bucks were lead by Giannis in his 2nd year along with Middleton; hope they don’t remember this 4-2 series loss… don’t need any extra motivation for those guys.
So we’re knotted at 2 in all-time playoff series between these 2 franchises that both joined the league in the late 60s. Honestly, I would have thought the two would have met more frequently than once per decade. Maybe this 2022 playoff matchup will be the first of a few playoff meetings??? With the current NBA landscape, and so many guys changing uniforms every year, you just don’t see as many rivalries like you did back in the day. You know, those matchups between the same guys on the same teams from the same cities who battle multiple times per year, for multiple years… allowing that hate for the opponent to blossom. Well, there’s a small bud about to open up with the Bucks name on it on none other than Easter Sunday 2022. Feels so good to see our Bulls back in the playoffs. Can’t wait to see how they do. Go Bulls!!!
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