TITLE: Bucks Halt Lakers’ Record 33-Game Winning Streak on Jan. 9, 1972
SLUG: bucks-halt-lakers-record-33-game-winning-streak-1972
The longest winning streak in NBA history stopped at 33 games on Jan. 9, 1972, when the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 120-104, at Milwaukee Arena.
Los Angeles, powered all season by Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor, had not lost since Oct. 31, 1971. The matchup in Wisconsin featured another superstar trio—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson and Lucius Allen—who were determined to end the run.
Competitive start, decisive finish
The Lakers edged ahead 28-25 after one quarter, but the Bucks surged to a 51-45 halftime lead. Milwaukee stretched the margin to seven points entering the fourth period, setting up a final 12-minute push to preserve the streak.
Instead, the Bucks closed emphatically. Abdul-Jabbar, Robertson and Allen combined for 36 points in the last quarter, sealing the 16-point victory and handing Los Angeles its first defeat in 70 days.
Key performances
• Abdul-Jabbar led all scorers with 39 points on 18 made field goals.
• Allen added 18 points, while Robertson finished with 17.
• West paced the Lakers with 20 points, hitting 10 of 11 free throws.
• Chamberlain was limited to 15 points against Abdul-Jabbar’s interior presence.
Streak remains unmatched
The 33-game run still stands as the league’s longest winning streak, with only recent Golden State Warriors teams coming close. Despite the January setback, Los Angeles regrouped and captured the 1971-72 NBA championship, cementing the season as one of the most dominant in professional sports history.
Source: LakersNation
