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NBA: Milwaukee Bucks On Verge Of Rare Feat

By Phil Watson

Mar 30, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd talks with forward Ersan Ilyasova (7) in the third quarter of their game against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 101-88. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 30, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd talks with forward Ersan Ilyasova (7) in the third quarter of their game against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 101-88. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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Artis Gilmore was the most dominant center in the old ABA and was very good as a Bull for parts of seven seasons. While he won an ABA title, The A-Train never won one in the NBA. (USPRESSWIRE)
The Chicago Bulls caught a star when they selected Artis Gilmore with the first pick in the ABA dispersal draft in 1976. Gilmore helped the Bulls return to the playoffs one year after finishing with the worst record in the NBA. (USPRESSWIRE) /

1976-77 Chicago Bulls

After spending much of the 1970s playing second fiddle in the Western Conference to the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, the aging Bulls collapsed in 1975-76 to a 24-58 record.

Coach Dick Motta, who had led Chicago to a 356-300 record in eight seasons, including four straight 50-win campaigns, left to take the Washington Bullets’ coaching vacancy.

The Bulls brought in former University of Cincinnati coach Ed Badger and then drafted Indiana star Scott May with the No. 2 overall pick after losing the coin flip for the top selection to the Houston Rockets, who took Maryland point guard John Lucas.

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Lakers steal Bulls last chance at a free agency splash
Lakers steal Bulls last chance at a free agency splash /

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    • But the big change came in early August when Chicago, with the top pick in the ABA dispersal draft, took former ABA MVP Artis Gilmore with the first pick.

    The A-Train led the Bulls with 18.6 points and 13 rebounds a game and Mickey Johnson emerged as a solid No. 2 option, averaging 17.3 points and 10.2 boards.

    May pumped in 14.6 points per night as a rookie, unheralded waiver pickup Wilbur Holland took over the shooting guard spot vacated when Jerry Sloan retired and scored 14.9 a game and the Bulls finished sixth in the West at 44-38, earning the final playoff spot by four games over the Kansas City Kings and Seattle SuperSonics.

    The Bulls drew a first-time playoff entrant in the first round, the Portland Trail Blazers, splitting the first two games before losing a decisive Game 3 at Portland, 106-98. The Blazers would go on to win the title. Chicago would miss the postseason each of the next three seasons.

    Gilmore was held in check by Bill Walton, scoring 18.7 points a game in the series, while Johnson went off for 27.3 a game. But with all five Portland starters averaging at least 16 a night, the Bulls couldn’t keep up.

    Next: Phoenix Rises In Year 2