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Bucks fans reflect on 1971 NBA championship
A lot has changed since the Milwaukee Bucks won their first and only NBA Finals in 1971, but fans around to see it are just as happy to witness another chance at history.
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Bucks may be in Phoenix, but Fiserv Forum was once again sold out for its NBA Finals watch party on Thursday night, July 8.
Before Game 2, fan Jim Mostowik wanted to see what all the Bucks hype was about.
"I had a hard time getting my bearings coming down here, and this is the first time I’m actually standing next to the Fiserv Forum," Mostowik said.
Fiserv Forum
However, this isn't the first time Mostowik has seen the Bucks get this close to a championship. In 1971, he watched them win it all.
"I was in high school. I was just graduating high school, just getting out. I remember down here was the arena, that’s where we were watching the Bucks," said Mostowik.
Milwaukee Bucks 1971 Wold Champions banner inside Fiserv Forum
A lot has changed since 1971. The NBA added a 3-point line. The Bucks moved from the Milwaukee Arena to the Bradley Center to Fiserv Forum. And in 1971, fan Foula Saypek lived in Greece. She now lives in Baltimore, but she said her whole family is rooting for the Greek Freak.
"Our cousins wake up in the middle of the night to watch him over there," Saypek said.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Families are now making Finals memories in 2021, hoping it won't take another 50 years to do it again.
"It was a sad day when at that time Karem (Abdul-Jabbar) left, and that was kind of a bad time then, but now we have Giannis now. It took a long time, but it’s really, really again extremely exciting," said fan Ed White, who was 21 when the team last won the title.
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Bucks fans hope with each cheer, they are one step closer to adding a banner to Fiserv Forum. The last and only championship in 1971 came with Abdul-Jabbar – then Lew Alcindor – leading the way.
"The players are more athletic and stronger, definitely. It was just Lew Alcindor at the time that was very dominant," said fan Roy Redhail. "Now you have three or four that are dominant that can take over the game."
Milwaukee Bucks fans inside Fiserv Forum
Those who were there in 1971 say the city's spirit has also reached a new level.
"The energy in the city right now is magnificent. I live in Green Bay. I moved up there many years ago, but coming back and just seeing on TV what’s been happening down here? I wanted to come down here and get a piece of it," Redhail said.
The NBA Finals come to Milwaukee, the Bucks hosting Games 3 and 4 on Sunday, July 11 and Wednesday, July 14.
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