1988–89 Milwaukee Bucks season

The 1988–89 NBA season was the 21st season for the Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association. This was also the team's first season playing in the Bradley Center, after they moved there from the Milwaukee Arena, otherwise known as "The Mecca". During the off-season, the team acquired Fred Roberts from the expansion Miami Heat. The Bucks struggled with a 3–4 start to the regular season, but later on posted a six-game winning streak in January, and held a 30–15 record at the All-Star break. The team finished in fourth place in the Central Division with a 49–33 record, and earned the #5 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Terry Cummings averaged 22.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, and selected for the 1989 NBA All-Star Game in Houston, Texas, while sixth man Ricky Pierce averaged 17.6 points per game off the bench, and Jack Sikma provided the team with 13.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, and also led them with 82 three-point field goals. In addition, Larry Krystkowiak averaged 12.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, while Paul Pressey provided with 12.1 points, 6.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game, Sidney Moncrief also contributed 12.1 points per game, and Jay Humphries averaged 11.6 points, 5.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game.

Cummings finished tied in seventeenth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Pierce finished tied in sixth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting, Krystkowiak finished tied in seventh place in Most Improved Player voting, and head coach Del Harris finished tied in seventh place in Coach of the Year voting.

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1989 NBA playoffs, the Bucks lost Game 1 to the 4th-seeded Atlanta Hawks on the road, 100–92, but managed to beat them in five games; this marked the last time the Bucks would advance to the second round until 2000–01. In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the Bucks were swept by the eventual champions Detroit Pistons in four straight games. The Pistons would reach the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year, and defeat the 2-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in four straight games, winning their first ever championship.

Following the season, Cummings was traded to the San Antonio Spurs, and Moncrief retired after ten seasons with the Bucks due to continuing knee problems. Shortly after the regular season began, team owner Herb Kohl was elected to the first of four terms representing the United States Senate in Wisconsin.