The 1980–81 NBA season was the Bucks 13th season in the NBA. They finished with 60 wins and 22 losses, placing first in their division and second in the Eastern Conference behind the Boston Celtics. It was the Bucks' best regular season record since 1972–73, and their only 60-win season without Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on their roster until the 2018-19 season. The team's top scorer, fourth-year small forward Marques Johnson finished sixth the MVP voting.
Draft picks
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
Notes
z, y – division champions
x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
Game log
|-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 1 || October 10, 1980 || @ Philadelphia | W 106–103 |Junior Bridgeman (21) | | | The Spectrum | 1–0 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 2 || October 11, 1980 || @ New York | L 109–114 |Marques Johnson (19) | | | Madison Square Garden | 1-1 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 3 || October 16, 1980 || Boston | L 103–110 |Marques Johnson (27) | | | MECCA Arena | 1–2 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 4 || October 18, 1980 || @ Cleveland | W 107–105 |Brian Winters (25) | | | Coliseum at Richfield | 2-2 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 5 || October 19, 1980 || New Jersey | W 105–93 |Brian Winters (22) | | | MECCA Arena | 3–2 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 6 || October 21, 1980 || Cleveland | W 115–95 |Marques Johnson (28) | | | MECCA Arena | 4–2 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 7 || October 22, 1980 || @ Indiana | W 119–105 | | | | Market Square Arena | 5-2 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 8 || October 25, 1980 || Chicago | W 109–93 |Marques Johnson (21) | | | MECCA Arena | 6–2 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 8 || October 26, 1980 || Washington | W 111–88 |Marques Johnson (21) |Marques Johnson, Sidney Moncrief (9) |Quinn Buckner, Brian Winters (7) | MECCA Arena | 7–2 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 9 || October 28, 1980 || @ Chicago | W 106–99 | | | | Chicago Stadium | 8–2 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 10 || October 29, 1980 || @ New Jersey | W 132–116 |Junior Bridgeman (26) | | | Rutgers Athletic Center | 9–2
|-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 11 || November 1, 1980 || @ Atlanta | W 99–93 | | | | Omni Coliseum | 10–2 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 12 || November 2, 1980 || Indiana | W 135–121 |Marques Johnson (40) | | | MECCA Arena | 11–2 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 13 || November 4, 1980 || Detroit | L 96–98 | | | | MECCA Arena | 11–3 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 14 || November 7, 1980 || @ Boston | w 102–101 | | | | Boston Garden | 12–3 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 15 || November 9, 1980 || Philadelphia | L 121–136 | | | | MECCA Arena | 12–4 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 16 || November 11, 1980 || @ Cleveland | W 100–96 |Marques Johnson (19) | | | Coliseum at Richfield | 13–4 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 17 || November 12, 1980 || @ Detroit | W 122–98 |Junior Bridgeman (27) | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 14–4 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 18 || November 14, 1980 || New York | W 125–106 | | | | MECCA Arena | 15–4 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 19 || November 16, 1980 || Chicago | L 108–114 | | | | MECCA Arena | 15–5 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 20 || November 18, 1980 || @ Utah | W 126–93 |Sidney Moncrief (21) | | | Salt Palace | 16–5 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 21 || November 20, 1980 || @ Portland | W 97–93 |Mickey Johnson (22) | | | Memorial Coliseum | 17–5 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 22 || November 23, 1980 || @ Los Angeles | W 110–94 |Marques Johnson (24) | | | The Forum | 18–5 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 23 || November 28, 1980 || Atlanta | W 114–108 OT | | | | MECCA Arena | 19–5 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 24 || November 29, 1980 || @ Washington | L 89–98 | | | | Capital Centre | 19–6 |-style="background:#bbffbb;" | 25 || November 30, 1980 || Boston | W 107–105 | | | | MECCA Arena | 20–6