Terry Cummings

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Cummings' most defining period in Milwaukee came during the 1985–86 season, when he and future Hall of Fame-teammate Sidney Moncrief led the Bucks to a 57–25 record and an Eastern Conference Finals appearance. In the 1985 NBA playoffs, Cummings outpointed then-rookie Michael Jordan 29.9 to 29.3 in a 3–1 series win for the Milwaukee Bucks over the Chicago Bulls. It would be the only time in Jordan's career he would not lead all scorers in a postseason series he played in. On January 16, 1987, Cummings recorded a triple double with 39 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, while adding a career-high 6 steals in a 124–122 loss versus the Dallas Mavericks. Both Sidney Moncrief and Paul Pressey were out with injuries, and only one teammate of Cummings’ (Ricky Pierce, 27 points) scored more than 14 points.

In Their Own Story

On April 22, 1986, during that season's playoffs, Cummings scored 23 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and recorded a postseason career-high 3 blocks in the final game of a 3–0 first round sweep of the New Jersey Nets. In the following round, Cummings played the lead role in the Bucks advancing past Julius Erving and the 76ers in a contested seven games series, while his co-star Moncrief missed four games due to injury. Cummings led all scorers with 27 points in Milwaukee's 113-112 Game 7 win over Philadelphia, despite playing through a dislocated finger. However, in a familiar pattern for the 1980s Bucks, they would ultimately fail to reach the NBA Finals, falling to the NBA runner-up Boston Celtics.

Reader's Guide

Terry Cummings is characterized by his consistent scoring and rebounding during his five seasons with the Bucks. As a power forward, he averaged above 20 points and 8 rebounds for four out of his five years on the team. His defining skill was his ability to perform in the playoffs, where he outscored Michael Jordan in a series and led his team past the 76ers while playing through a dislocated finger. His defining moments include a triple double on January 16, 1987, with 39 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, and a career-high 6 steals. On January 9, 1987, Cummings grabbed a career high 24 rebounds, alongside scoring 28 points. On March 1, 1989, Cummings scored 38 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 121–111 win against the New York Knicks. Cummings' legacy in Milwaukee is one of consistent excellence and playoff leadership. He was a two-time All-Star with the Bucks and a key reason the team made deep postseason runs in the mid-1980s.

Did You Know?

• On April 4, 1985, Cummings sang the national anthem in Milwaukee before playing in a home game versus the Detroit Pistons.
• In the 1985 NBA playoffs, Cummings outpointed then-rookie Michael Jordan 29.9 to 29.3 in a 3–1 series win for the Milwaukee Bucks over the Chicago Bulls.
• On January 16, 1987, Cummings recorded a triple double with 39 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, while adding a career-high 6 steals.
• Cummings led all scorers with 27 points in Milwaukee's 113-112 Game 7 win over Philadelphia in the 1986 playoffs, despite playing through a dislocated finger.
• Cummings has been an ordained Pentecostal minister since 1977 and performed the wedding of former teammate Sean Elliott.