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If anybody wants the whole scoop I'll sell it for $50. PM for details
I'm confused
If anybody wants the whole scoop I'll sell it for $50. PM for details
I'm considering that offer, since I have a feeling that something semi-interesting is happening - but I'm not convinced even the people involved know the depth of this conspiracy
TimVP'd
ing pimped out like the you are mono lol
What the is goin on
I smell collusion. Yeah
stay focus cul, I didn't ask you to defend your fandom, I just wanted to know a little bit more about your franchise.
So you won a division le in 1976, that's nice... were you to the game ?
I never defend my fandom.
Its my religion.
two months ? that's a lot IMHO, he could give us a new lol thread during that period
Let us proceed...
thats a great franchise... wikipedia has something like 10 pages on the cavaliers...
The Cavaliers first began play in the NBA in 1970 as an expansion team under the ownership of Nick Mileti. The father of Brett Tomko, Jerry Tomko, submitted the winning entry to name the team the "Cavaliers" through a compe ion sponsored by the The Plain Dealer, supporters preferred it to "Jays", "Foresters" and "Presidents".[3] Playing their home games at Cleveland Arena under the direction of head coach Bill Fitch, they compiled a league-worst 1567 record. The team hoped to build around the number one 1971 draft pick Austin Carr who had set numerous scoring records at Notre Dame, but Carr severely injured his leg shortly into his pro career and never was able to realize his potential.
The following seasons saw the Cavaliers gradually improve their on-court performance, thanks to season-by-season additions of talented players such as Bingo Smith, Jim Chones, Jim Cleamons and Snyder. Cleveland improved to 2359 in their sop re season, followed by a 3250 record in 197273, and a small step backwards to 2953 in 197374. In 1974, the Cavaliers moved into the brand-new Richfield Coliseum, located in a rural area thirty miles south of downtown Cleveland in Summit County (now part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park). That season, the Cavaliers finished with a 4042 record, falling just short of a playoff berth.
In the 197576 season with Carr, Smith, Chones, Snyder, and newly acquired Nate Thurmond; Fitch led the Cavaliers to a 4933 record and a division le. Fitch received the league's Coach of the Year award as the Cavs made their first-ever playoff appearance, and clinched their first Central Division le.
The Cavs won the series against the Washington Bullets, 43. Because of the many heroics and last-second shots, the series became known locally as the "Miracle of Richfield." Hampered by injuries, particularly to Jim Chones, the Cavs proceeded to lose to the Boston Celtics in Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA playoffs.
Cleveland won 43 games the next two seasons (197677 and 197778), but both those seasons resulted in early playoff exits. After a 3052 season in 197879, Fitch resigned as head coach.
[edit] 19801983: Under ownership of Ted Stepien
The following season, after going 3745 under Fitch's successor Stan Albeck, original owner Mileti sold his shares to minority owner Joe Zingale. In 1980, after just a few months, Zingale sold the team to Nationwide Advertising magnate Ted Stepien. The new owner oversaw the hiring and firing of a succession of coaches and was involved in making a number of poor trade and free agent signing decisions. The result of Stepien's questionable trading a en was the loss of several of the team's first-round draft picks, which led to a rule change in the NBA prohibiting teams from trading away first-round draft picks in consecutive years. This rule is known as the "Ted Stepien Rule."
Early on in his tenure, Stepien proposed to rename the team the "Ohio Cavaliers", part of a plan that included playing their home games not just in the Cleveland area but in Cincinnati and in non-Ohio markets such as Buffalo and Pittsburgh. He also made changes to the game day entertainment, such as introducing a polka-flavored fight song and a dance team known as "The Teddy Bears".
The ensuing chaos had a major effect on both the Cavaliers' on-court performance and lack of local support, going 2854 in 198081 (Stepien's first year as owner), followed by an abysmal 1567 mark in 198182. The 198182 team lost its last 19 games of the season which, when coupled with the five losses at the start of the 198283 season, cons ute the NBA's second all-time longest losing streak at 24 games. Although the team improved its record to 2359 the following year, local support for the Cavs eroded which eventually bottomed out that year by averaging only 3,900 fans a game at the cavernous Coliseum which seated more than 20,000.
Though Stepien eventually threatened to move the franchise to Toronto and rename it the Toronto Towers, but brothers George and Gordon Gund purchased the franchise in the mid 1980s and decided to keep the team in Cleveland (a decade later, Toronto would eventually receive an expansion franchise, the Toronto Raptors.)
[edit] 19831993: New look and new success
Brad Daugherty, the first overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft and a 5 time NBA All-Star for the Cavs
Shortly after purchasing the Cavaliers in 1983, the Gunds changed the team colors from wine and gold to burnt orange and navy blue. Furthermore, they officially adopted "Cavs" as a shorter nickname for marketing purposes, as it had been used unofficially by fans and headline writers since the team's inception.
Under the coaching of George Karl, the Cavaliers failed again, and missed the playoffs, with a 2854 record, in the 198384. The Cavs finally returned to the playoffs in 1985, only to lose to the eventual Eastern Conference Champions Boston Celtics in the first round. At this point, the team was in transition, led by dynamic players such as World B. Free, Roy Hinson and John Bagley. But in 1986, Karl was fired after 66 games. Interim head coach Gene Littles guided the team the rest of the way, which saw the Cavs finish just one game short of the playoffs. After the season, it was time for a major overhaul. During the 7 season period the Cavaliers had 9 head coaches; Stan Albeck, Bill Musselman, Don Delaney, Bob Kloppenburg, Chuck Daly, Bill Musselman (again), Tom Nissalke, George Karl, and Gene Littles. The only playoff appearance earned during this stretch was during the 198485 season under George Karl losing to the Boston Celtics in the first round in four games (31).
In 1986, the Cavaliers acquired, either through trades or the draft, Brad Daugherty, Mark Price, Ron Harper and Larry Nance. These four players (until Harper was later traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 1989 for the rights to Danny Ferry) formed the core of the team, under the direction of head coach Lenny Wilkens, that led the Cavs to eight playoff seasons in the next nine years, including three 50+ win seasons.
In 1989, the Cavs were paired against the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. In the fourth game of the best-of-five-series, Cleveland managed to beat the Bulls in overtime 108105 to level the series at 22. Home court advantage went to Cleveland. The game was evenly matched, until Cleveland managed to score on a drive and raise the lead by one, with three seconds left. Chicago called for a time-out. The ball was inbounded to Michael Jordan, who went for a jump shot. Cleveland's Craig Ehlo jumped in front to block it, but Jordan seemed to stay in the air until Ehlo landed. "The Shot" went in as time ran out, with Chicago winning the series 32. The buzzer-beater is considered one of Jordan's greatest clutch moments, and the game itself one of the greatest in NBA history. But the pinnacle of the Cavs' success came in the 199192 season, when they compiled a 5725 record and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, losing again to the Chicago Bulls 42.
[edit] 19932003: A decade of struggle
ydrūnas Ilgauskas, a Cavs 1996 first round draft pick, a 2 time NBA All Star for the Cavs, and the team's all-time leader in games played, rebounds, and blocked shots.
Soon after, the Cavaliers entered into a period of decline. With the retirements and departures of Nance, Daugherty, and Price, the team lost much of its dominance and were no longer able to contest strongly during the playoffs. After the 199293 season, in which the Cavs boasted a 5428 regular-season record but suffered an early exit from the playoffs in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to the Chicago Bulls, Wilkens left to coach the Atlanta Hawks.
Following the hiring of Mike Fratello as head coach starting with the 199394 season, the Cavs became one of the NBA's best defensive teams under the leadership of point guard Terrell Brandon. But the offense, which was a half-court, "slow-down" tempo installed by Fratello, met with mixed success. Although the Cavaliers made regular playoff appearances, they were unable to advance beyond the first round.
In 1994, the Cavs moved back to downtown Cleveland with the opening of the 20,562-seat, state-of-the-art, Gund Arena. Known by locals as "the Gund", the venue served as the site of the 1997 NBA All-Star Game. The arena and the Cleveland Indians' Jacobs Field were built together as part of the city's Gateway project.
Later on, players like Shawn Kemp and ydrūnas Ilgauskas added quality to the team, but without further success. Fratello was fired following the shortened 199899 season.
Despite the arrivals of Andre Miller, Brevin Knight, Chris Mihm and Carlos Boozer, the Cavs were a perennial lottery team for the early part of the 2000s. The 200203 team finished with the third-worst record in franchise history (1765), which earned them a tie for last place in the league and a 22.5 percent chance at winning the NBA Draft Lottery and the first overall selection.
Ricky Davis received national attention on March 16, 2003 in game against the Utah Jazz. With Cleveland ahead in the game 12095, Davis was one rebound short of a triple-double with only a few seconds left on the clock. After receiving an inbound pass at the Cavs' end of the floor, Davis banged the ball off the rim and caught it in attempt to receive credit for a rebound. Utah's DeShawn Stevenson took offense to this breach of sportman's etiquette and immediately fouled Davis hard.[4] The play did not count as a rebound since firing at your own team's basket does not count as a shot attempt, and in fact is a technical foul under NBA rules. Since the referees had never seen anyone shoot at their own basket before, they were unfamiliar with the rule and play was allowed to continue. This (which led to Davis being nicknamed in Cleveland as "Wrong Rim Ricky") and countless other selfish acts contributed to the Cavs trading of Davis later that year and ushering in a new type of team.[5]
[edit] 20032010: The LeBron James era
Former Cavs F Lebron James, the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, the 2003-2004 Rookie of the Year, a 2 time NBA MVP (2009 and 2010), a 6 time NBA All Star for the Cavs, and the team's all-time leading scorer.
Several losing seasons followed which saw the Cavaliers drop to the bottom of the league and become a perennial lottery draft team. After another disappointing season in 200203, the Cavaliers landed the number one draft pick in the NBA Lottery. With it, the team selected local high school phenomenon and future NBA MVP LeBron James. As if celebrating a new era in Cleveland Cavaliers basketball, the team's colors were changed from orange, black and blue back to wine and gold, with the addition of navy blue and a new primary logo.
James' status as both an area star (having played his high school basketball at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in nearby Akron) and as one of the most highly touted prospects in NBA history has led many to view his selection as a turning point in the franchise's history. Embraced by Clevelanders as "King James," the 200304 season offered great hope for the future, as James rose to become a dominating player, winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Hope was even greater for the 200405 season. James increased his production in terms of points, rebounds, and assists per game. Despite the loss of Carlos Boozer in the offseason, James teamed with ydrūnas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden to form the core of the team. After a promising start, the Cavs began a downward spiral that eventually led to the firing of coach Paul Silas and general manager Jim Paxson. The team failed to make the playoffs that year, tied with New Jersey Nets for the final playoff spot with identical 4240 records; however, the Nets owned the tiebreaker due to having the better head to head record vs the Cavs.
Former head coach Mike Brown, who was NBA Coach of the Year for 2008-2009, and was the head coach of the Eastern Conference for the 2009 All Star Game.
Cleveland Cavaliers versus Chicago Bulls in the Quicken Loans Arena in 2006
The Cavaliers made many changes in the 2005 offseason. Under new owner Dan Gilbert, the team hired a new head coach, Mike Brown, and a new general manager, former Cavaliers forward Danny Ferry. The team experienced success on the court in the following season, clinching their first playoff appearance since 1998. After a first round win over the Washington Wizards, the Cavaliers rebounded from a 02 deficit in the second round against the Detroit Pistons, winning three consecutive games to come one game away from the conference finals. They lost a close Game 6 at home, and followed it with a 7961 loss in Game 7. The playoff rounds were a showcase for the emergence of LeBron James, who achieved many "youngest ever to..." records during the run.
The Cavs continued their success in the 200607 season. The team earned the second seed in the East with a 5032 record, generating a series of favorable matchups in the playoffs. They battled 7th-seeded Wizards, who struggled with injuries near the end of the season. The Cavaliers swept this series 40, and defeated the New Jersey Nets, 42, in the second round.
The Cavaliers faced the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. After again losing the first two games at Detroit, the Cavaliers won the next three to take a 32 series lead. This time, the Cavaliers eliminated Detroit in Game 6. The wins included a 109107 double-overtime game at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Game 5, in which LeBron James scored the last 25 points for the Cavs, and his performance in this game is recognized as one of the best in NBA history. They continued to a dominant 9882 win at home in Game 6. Rookie Daniel "Boobie" Gibson scored a career-high 31 points in the series clincher, and the franchise won its first ever Eastern Conference Championship.
The team's first trip to the NBA Finals was a short one, as they were outmatched and outplayed by the very strong San Antonio Spurs, who swept the Cavs 40.
The Cavs took a step back in the 200708 season. They battled injuries and had many roster changes, including a three team trade at the trade deadline in which the team acquired F Joe Smith, G-F Wally Szczerbiak, F-C Ben Wallace, and G Delonte West. The Cavs finished 4537 and lost in the second round against eventual champion Boston of the playoffs.
In the 2008 off-season, the team made a major change to its lineup, trading G Damon Jones and Smith (who later in the season rejoined the Cavs after being released by Oklahoma City) for point guard Mo Williams. This trade was made in hopes of bringing another scorer to aid James.
In the next season, the Cavs made astounding progress. They finished with a record of 6616, the winningest season in the franchise's history. The year marked other notable franchise records, including a 13-game winning streak, and road and home winning records. The Cavs entered the playoffs as the #1 seed in the NBA with home court advantage throughout the playoffs. They finished the season 392 at home, one win short of the best all-time home record. Head Coach Mike Brown won NBA Coach of the Year honors and LeBron James finished second in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award and won the NBA MVP. The Cavs began the 2009 postseason by sweeping the 8th-seeded Detroit Pistons 40, winning every game by 10 or more points. In the conference semifinals, the Cavaliers faced the 4th-seeded Atlanta Hawks, who had defeated the Miami Heat in seven games. Despite the Cavaliers' long layoff between the series they swept the Hawks 40, again winning each game by at least ten points, becoming the first team in NBA history to win eight straight playoff games by a double-digit margin.
The Cavs then met the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Cavs lost Game 1 of the series 107106 at home despite James' 49-point effort. Despite winning Game 2 by a score of 9695, with the help of a James buzzer beating three-pointer, it was not enough as Orlando eventually took the series in 6 games.
On June 25, 2009, 4-time NBA Champion and 15-time All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Cavaliers. The trade sent Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic to Phoenix along with the 46th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and $500,000 in cash considerations.[6]
During the 2009 offseason, the Cavaliers signed wingman Anthony Parker, and forwards Leon Powe and Jamario Moon for the following season. On February 17, 2010, the Cavaliers acquired All-Star forward Antawn Jamison from the Washington Wizards and Sebastian Telfair from the LA Clippers in a three way trade. The Cavaliers originally lost ydrūnas Ilgauskas (center) in this trade, but after being waived by Washington, he signed back with the Cavaliers on March 23, 2010 for the rest of the 20092010 season. The Cavaliers managed to finish with the NBA's best record for the second straight season, with a 6121 record. LeBron James was named the NBA MVP, for the second consecutive year. The Cavaliers defeated the Chicago Bulls 41 in the first round of the 2010 NBA Playoffs but, in a huge upset, lost to the Boston Celtics after leading the series 21, with the Celtics proceeding to win 3 consecutive games (afterwards, the Celtics went to the 2010 NBA Finals and lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 43.) Each team would suffer record-setting playoff defeats on home soil; the Celtics lost by 29, 12495, in Game 3 (May 7), the greatest defeat in the history of the Boston Celtics in the playoffs, while the Cavaliers lost by 32, 12088, in Game 5 (May 11).
With the Cavaliers out of the playoffs, the focus then turned to James' impending free agency. On July 8, 2010, James announced in a one hour show named The Decision on ESPN that he would be signing with the Miami Heat. The repercussions of this announcement left many in the city of Cleveland infuriated and feeling betrayed. A couple of LeBron James jerseys were burned, and the famous Nike "Witness" mural of James in downtown Cleveland was immediately taken down. Shortly after James made his announcement, Dan Gilbert, the owner of the Cavaliers, announced in an open letter on the Cavaliers website that James' decision was a "cowardly betrayal" and promised a NBA championship for the Cleveland Cavaliers before LeBron James wins one. Despite being ridiculed for the letter by the media, Cleveland fans embraced the owner, even offering to pay the $100,000 fine given by the NBA.
[edit] 2010present: Rebuilding
Current head coach Byron Scott
Kyrie Irving, the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft
During the 2010 offseason, the Cavaliers fired head coach Mike Brown, along with most of their coaching staff. General Manager Danny Ferry resigned on June 4, 2010 and Assistant General Manager Chris Grant was promoted to replace Ferry. On July 1, the Cavaliers hired former Los Angeles Lakers guard and former New Jersey Nets and New Orleans Hornets head coach Byron Scott as the 18th head coach in franchise history.
The Cavaliers spent the rest of the 2010 off-season rebuilding their team after James' departure. On July 23, they signed 2009 first-round pick Christian Eyenga. On July 26, the Cavs traded Delonte West and Sebastian Telfair to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Ramon Sessions, Ryan Hollins and a 2013 second round draft pick. On July 30, the Cavaliers signed free agent Joey Graham to a one-year, veteran's minimum contract with a team option for a second year. On August 16, the Cavs signed undrafted Jamaican rookie Samardo Samuels to a three-year, $2.3 million contract. On September 20, Jawad Williams and the Cavs decided to resign and reached a one-year $1.02 million contract. After finishing the 2010 pre-season with a 62 record, the Cavs decided to waive Danny Green[7] and sign with the undrafted rookie Manny Harris, the Cavs also decided to exercise the fourth-year option with J.J. Hickson.[8] On November 18, the Cavaliers sent Christian Eyenga to the Erie BayHawks, the NBA D-League affiliate.[9] On December 27, the Cavs decided to waive Jawad Williams[10] and assign Samardo Samuels to the NBA D-League.[11] One day later, the Cavs signed Alonzo Gee.[12] On January 1 and 2 the Cavs recalled Samardo Samuels and Christian Eyenga, respectively, from the Erie BayHawks.[13] On February 24, 2011 the Cavs made two trade deadline deals, acquiring former All-Star Baron Davis and a 2011 first round draft pick from the L.A. Clippers, which wound being the number one pick in the entire draft, for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon in return.[14] The Cavaliers also sent a 2013 second-round pick to the Boston Celtics for Luke Harangody and Semih Erden. Leon Powe was waived to create roster space.[15]
On the court, the 201011 season was a stark contrast from the previous two seasons. The Cavaliers were conference-worst 1963. This season also saw the Cavs lose 26 games in a row, which set an NBA record and tied the 197677 Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the longest losing streak in any American professional team sport. The Cavaliers had upset wins against the Los Angeles Lakers (57-25), Miami Heat (58-24) and Boston Celtics (56-26) during the season.[16]
Having the second-worst team record in the 201011 season, the Cavaliers had high odds of winning an early draft pick in the NBA Draft Lottery. With owner Dan Gilbert's 14 year-old son Nick representing the team at the dias (quipping "What's not to like?" when ESPN reporter Heather Cox asked him what he thought of his father calling him "his hero" due to overcoming health problems), the pick received from the Clippers in the Mo Williams/Baron Davis trade was what became the top overall pick, even though there was only a 2.8% chance of it happening. The Cavaliers original first round selection ended up as the #4 selection in the draft. The Cavs became the first team since the 1983 Houston Rockets to have two picks in the top five in the draft. The Cavaliers took Duke guard Kyrie Irving with the first pick, even though he only played 11 games in college. With the 4th pick, the Cavaliers selected Texas power forward Tristan Thompson.
On June 30, 2011, the team traded for small forward Omri Casspi and a 2012 first-round draft pick, sending the Sacramento Kings forward/center J.J. Hickson. The News-Herald opined that Casspi will likely start at small forward for the Cavaliers.[17]
Wait. What if Greg Oden is Kori or timvp too?
That would be worse than Kelly from Saved by the Bell going to Melrose Place.
I never defend my fandom.thats a great franchise... wikipedia has something like 10 pages on the cavaliers...
The Cavaliers first began play in the NBA in 1970 as an expansion team under the ownership of Nick Mileti. The father of Brett Tomko, Jerry Tomko, submitted the winning entry to name the team the "Cavaliers" through a compe ion sponsored by the The Plain Dealer, supporters preferred it to "Jays", "Foresters" and "Presidents".[3] Playing their home games at Cleveland Arena under the direction of head coach Bill Fitch, they compiled a league-worst 1567 record. The team hoped to build around the number one 1971 draft pick Austin Carr who had set numerous scoring records at Notre Dame, but Carr severely injured his leg shortly into his pro career and never was able to realize his potential.
The following seasons saw the Cavaliers gradually improve their on-court performance, thanks to season-by-season additions of talented players such as Bingo Smith, Jim Chones, Jim Cleamons and Snyder. Cleveland improved to 2359 in their sop re season, followed by a 3250 record in 197273, and a small step backwards to 2953 in 197374. In 1974, the Cavaliers moved into the brand-new Richfield Coliseum, located in a rural area thirty miles south of downtown Cleveland in Summit County (now part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park). That season, the Cavaliers finished with a 4042 record, falling just short of a playoff berth.
In the 197576 season with Carr, Smith, Chones, Snyder, and newly acquired Nate Thurmond; Fitch led the Cavaliers to a 4933 record and a division le. Fitch received the league's Coach of the Year award as the Cavs made their first-ever playoff appearance, and clinched their first Central Division le.
The Cavs won the series against the Washington Bullets, 43. Because of the many heroics and last-second shots, the series became known locally as the "Miracle of Richfield." Hampered by injuries, particularly to Jim Chones, the Cavs proceeded to lose to the Boston Celtics in Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA playoffs.
Cleveland won 43 games the next two seasons (197677 and 197778), but both those seasons resulted in early playoff exits. After a 3052 season in 197879, Fitch resigned as head coach.
[edit] 19801983: Under ownership of Ted Stepien
The following season, after going 3745 under Fitch's successor Stan Albeck, original owner Mileti sold his shares to minority owner Joe Zingale. In 1980, after just a few months, Zingale sold the team to Nationwide Advertising magnate Ted Stepien. The new owner oversaw the hiring and firing of a succession of coaches and was involved in making a number of poor trade and free agent signing decisions. The result of Stepien's questionable trading a en was the loss of several of the team's first-round draft picks, which led to a rule change in the NBA prohibiting teams from trading away first-round draft picks in consecutive years. This rule is known as the "Ted Stepien Rule."
Early on in his tenure, Stepien proposed to rename the team the "Ohio Cavaliers", part of a plan that included playing their home games not just in the Cleveland area but in Cincinnati and in non-Ohio markets such as Buffalo and Pittsburgh. He also made changes to the game day entertainment, such as introducing a polka-flavored fight song and a dance team known as "The Teddy Bears".
The ensuing chaos had a major effect on both the Cavaliers' on-court performance and lack of local support, going 2854 in 198081 (Stepien's first year as owner), followed by an abysmal 1567 mark in 198182. The 198182 team lost its last 19 games of the season which, when coupled with the five losses at the start of the 198283 season, cons ute the NBA's second all-time longest losing streak at 24 games. Although the team improved its record to 2359 the following year, local support for the Cavs eroded which eventually bottomed out that year by averaging only 3,900 fans a game at the cavernous Coliseum which seated more than 20,000.
Though Stepien eventually threatened to move the franchise to Toronto and rename it the Toronto Towers, but brothers George and Gordon Gund purchased the franchise in the mid 1980s and decided to keep the team in Cleveland (a decade later, Toronto would eventually receive an expansion franchise, the Toronto Raptors.)
[edit] 19831993: New look and new success
Brad Daugherty, the first overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft and a 5 time NBA All-Star for the Cavs
Shortly after purchasing the Cavaliers in 1983, the Gunds changed the team colors from wine and gold to burnt orange and navy blue. Furthermore, they officially adopted "Cavs" as a shorter nickname for marketing purposes, as it had been used unofficially by fans and headline writers since the team's inception.
Under the coaching of George Karl, the Cavaliers failed again, and missed the playoffs, with a 2854 record, in the 198384. The Cavs finally returned to the playoffs in 1985, only to lose to the eventual Eastern Conference Champions Boston Celtics in the first round. At this point, the team was in transition, led by dynamic players such as World B. Free, Roy Hinson and John Bagley. But in 1986, Karl was fired after 66 games. Interim head coach Gene Littles guided the team the rest of the way, which saw the Cavs finish just one game short of the playoffs. After the season, it was time for a major overhaul. During the 7 season period the Cavaliers had 9 head coaches; Stan Albeck, Bill Musselman, Don Delaney, Bob Kloppenburg, Chuck Daly, Bill Musselman (again), Tom Nissalke, George Karl, and Gene Littles. The only playoff appearance earned during this stretch was during the 198485 season under George Karl losing to the Boston Celtics in the first round in four games (31).
In 1986, the Cavaliers acquired, either through trades or the draft, Brad Daugherty, Mark Price, Ron Harper and Larry Nance. These four players (until Harper was later traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 1989 for the rights to Danny Ferry) formed the core of the team, under the direction of head coach Lenny Wilkens, that led the Cavs to eight playoff seasons in the next nine years, including three 50+ win seasons.
In 1989, the Cavs were paired against the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. In the fourth game of the best-of-five-series, Cleveland managed to beat the Bulls in overtime 108105 to level the series at 22. Home court advantage went to Cleveland. The game was evenly matched, until Cleveland managed to score on a drive and raise the lead by one, with three seconds left. Chicago called for a time-out. The ball was inbounded to Michael Jordan, who went for a jump shot. Cleveland's Craig Ehlo jumped in front to block it, but Jordan seemed to stay in the air until Ehlo landed. "The Shot" went in as time ran out, with Chicago winning the series 32. The buzzer-beater is considered one of Jordan's greatest clutch moments, and the game itself one of the greatest in NBA history. But the pinnacle of the Cavs' success came in the 199192 season, when they compiled a 5725 record and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, losing again to the Chicago Bulls 42.
[edit] 19932003: A decade of struggle
ydrūnas Ilgauskas, a Cavs 1996 first round draft pick, a 2 time NBA All Star for the Cavs, and the team's all-time leader in games played, rebounds, and blocked shots.
Soon after, the Cavaliers entered into a period of decline. With the retirements and departures of Nance, Daugherty, and Price, the team lost much of its dominance and were no longer able to contest strongly during the playoffs. After the 199293 season, in which the Cavs boasted a 5428 regular-season record but suffered an early exit from the playoffs in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to the Chicago Bulls, Wilkens left to coach the Atlanta Hawks.
Following the hiring of Mike Fratello as head coach starting with the 199394 season, the Cavs became one of the NBA's best defensive teams under the leadership of point guard Terrell Brandon. But the offense, which was a half-court, "slow-down" tempo installed by Fratello, met with mixed success. Although the Cavaliers made regular playoff appearances, they were unable to advance beyond the first round.
In 1994, the Cavs moved back to downtown Cleveland with the opening of the 20,562-seat, state-of-the-art, Gund Arena. Known by locals as "the Gund", the venue served as the site of the 1997 NBA All-Star Game. The arena and the Cleveland Indians' Jacobs Field were built together as part of the city's Gateway project.
Later on, players like Shawn Kemp and ydrūnas Ilgauskas added quality to the team, but without further success. Fratello was fired following the shortened 199899 season.
Despite the arrivals of Andre Miller, Brevin Knight, Chris Mihm and Carlos Boozer, the Cavs were a perennial lottery team for the early part of the 2000s. The 200203 team finished with the third-worst record in franchise history (1765), which earned them a tie for last place in the league and a 22.5 percent chance at winning the NBA Draft Lottery and the first overall selection.
Ricky Davis received national attention on March 16, 2003 in game against the Utah Jazz. With Cleveland ahead in the game 12095, Davis was one rebound short of a triple-double with only a few seconds left on the clock. After receiving an inbound pass at the Cavs' end of the floor, Davis banged the ball off the rim and caught it in attempt to receive credit for a rebound. Utah's DeShawn Stevenson took offense to this breach of sportman's etiquette and immediately fouled Davis hard.[4] The play did not count as a rebound since firing at your own team's basket does not count as a shot attempt, and in fact is a technical foul under NBA rules. Since the referees had never seen anyone shoot at their own basket before, they were unfamiliar with the rule and play was allowed to continue. This (which led to Davis being nicknamed in Cleveland as "Wrong Rim Ricky") and countless other selfish acts contributed to the Cavs trading of Davis later that year and ushering in a new type of team.[5]
[edit] 20032010: The LeBron James era
Former Cavs F Lebron James, the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, the 2003-2004 Rookie of the Year, a 2 time NBA MVP (2009 and 2010), a 6 time NBA All Star for the Cavs, and the team's all-time leading scorer.
Several losing seasons followed which saw the Cavaliers drop to the bottom of the league and become a perennial lottery draft team. After another disappointing season in 200203, the Cavaliers landed the number one draft pick in the NBA Lottery. With it, the team selected local high school phenomenon and future NBA MVP LeBron James. As if celebrating a new era in Cleveland Cavaliers basketball, the team's colors were changed from orange, black and blue back to wine and gold, with the addition of navy blue and a new primary logo.
James' status as both an area star (having played his high school basketball at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in nearby Akron) and as one of the most highly touted prospects in NBA history has led many to view his selection as a turning point in the franchise's history. Embraced by Clevelanders as "King James," the 200304 season offered great hope for the future, as James rose to become a dominating player, winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Hope was even greater for the 200405 season. James increased his production in terms of points, rebounds, and assists per game. Despite the loss of Carlos Boozer in the offseason, James teamed with ydrūnas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden to form the core of the team. After a promising start, the Cavs began a downward spiral that eventually led to the firing of coach Paul Silas and general manager Jim Paxson. The team failed to make the playoffs that year, tied with New Jersey Nets for the final playoff spot with identical 4240 records; however, the Nets owned the tiebreaker due to having the better head to head record vs the Cavs.
Former head coach Mike Brown, who was NBA Coach of the Year for 2008-2009, and was the head coach of the Eastern Conference for the 2009 All Star Game.
Cleveland Cavaliers versus Chicago Bulls in the Quicken Loans Arena in 2006
The Cavaliers made many changes in the 2005 offseason. Under new owner Dan Gilbert, the team hired a new head coach, Mike Brown, and a new general manager, former Cavaliers forward Danny Ferry. The team experienced success on the court in the following season, clinching their first playoff appearance since 1998. After a first round win over the Washington Wizards, the Cavaliers rebounded from a 02 deficit in the second round against the Detroit Pistons, winning three consecutive games to come one game away from the conference finals. They lost a close Game 6 at home, and followed it with a 7961 loss in Game 7. The playoff rounds were a showcase for the emergence of LeBron James, who achieved many "youngest ever to..." records during the run.
The Cavs continued their success in the 200607 season. The team earned the second seed in the East with a 5032 record, generating a series of favorable matchups in the playoffs. They battled 7th-seeded Wizards, who struggled with injuries near the end of the season. The Cavaliers swept this series 40, and defeated the New Jersey Nets, 42, in the second round.
The Cavaliers faced the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. After again losing the first two games at Detroit, the Cavaliers won the next three to take a 32 series lead. This time, the Cavaliers eliminated Detroit in Game 6. The wins included a 109107 double-overtime game at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Game 5, in which LeBron James scored the last 25 points for the Cavs, and his performance in this game is recognized as one of the best in NBA history. They continued to a dominant 9882 win at home in Game 6. Rookie Daniel "Boobie" Gibson scored a career-high 31 points in the series clincher, and the franchise won its first ever Eastern Conference Championship.
The team's first trip to the NBA Finals was a short one, as they were outmatched and outplayed by the very strong San Antonio Spurs, who swept the Cavs 40.
The Cavs took a step back in the 200708 season. They battled injuries and had many roster changes, including a three team trade at the trade deadline in which the team acquired F Joe Smith, G-F Wally Szczerbiak, F-C Ben Wallace, and G Delonte West. The Cavs finished 4537 and lost in the second round against eventual champion Boston of the playoffs.
In the 2008 off-season, the team made a major change to its lineup, trading G Damon Jones and Smith (who later in the season rejoined the Cavs after being released by Oklahoma City) for point guard Mo Williams. This trade was made in hopes of bringing another scorer to aid James.
In the next season, the Cavs made astounding progress. They finished with a record of 6616, the winningest season in the franchise's history. The year marked other notable franchise records, including a 13-game winning streak, and road and home winning records. The Cavs entered the playoffs as the #1 seed in the NBA with home court advantage throughout the playoffs. They finished the season 392 at home, one win short of the best all-time home record. Head Coach Mike Brown won NBA Coach of the Year honors and LeBron James finished second in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award and won the NBA MVP. The Cavs began the 2009 postseason by sweeping the 8th-seeded Detroit Pistons 40, winning every game by 10 or more points. In the conference semifinals, the Cavaliers faced the 4th-seeded Atlanta Hawks, who had defeated the Miami Heat in seven games. Despite the Cavaliers' long layoff between the series they swept the Hawks 40, again winning each game by at least ten points, becoming the first team in NBA history to win eight straight playoff games by a double-digit margin.
The Cavs then met the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Cavs lost Game 1 of the series 107106 at home despite James' 49-point effort. Despite winning Game 2 by a score of 9695, with the help of a James buzzer beating three-pointer, it was not enough as Orlando eventually took the series in 6 games.
On June 25, 2009, 4-time NBA Champion and 15-time All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Cavaliers. The trade sent Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic to Phoenix along with the 46th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and $500,000 in cash considerations.[6]
During the 2009 offseason, the Cavaliers signed wingman Anthony Parker, and forwards Leon Powe and Jamario Moon for the following season. On February 17, 2010, the Cavaliers acquired All-Star forward Antawn Jamison from the Washington Wizards and Sebastian Telfair from the LA Clippers in a three way trade. The Cavaliers originally lost ydrūnas Ilgauskas (center) in this trade, but after being waived by Washington, he signed back with the Cavaliers on March 23, 2010 for the rest of the 20092010 season. The Cavaliers managed to finish with the NBA's best record for the second straight season, with a 6121 record. LeBron James was named the NBA MVP, for the second consecutive year. The Cavaliers defeated the Chicago Bulls 41 in the first round of the 2010 NBA Playoffs but, in a huge upset, lost to the Boston Celtics after leading the series 21, with the Celtics proceeding to win 3 consecutive games (afterwards, the Celtics went to the 2010 NBA Finals and lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 43.) Each team would suffer record-setting playoff defeats on home soil; the Celtics lost by 29, 12495, in Game 3 (May 7), the greatest defeat in the history of the Boston Celtics in the playoffs, while the Cavaliers lost by 32, 12088, in Game 5 (May 11).
With the Cavaliers out of the playoffs, the focus then turned to James' impending free agency. On July 8, 2010, James announced in a one hour show named The Decision on ESPN that he would be signing with the Miami Heat. The repercussions of this announcement left many in the city of Cleveland infuriated and feeling betrayed. A couple of LeBron James jerseys were burned, and the famous Nike "Witness" mural of James in downtown Cleveland was immediately taken down. Shortly after James made his announcement, Dan Gilbert, the owner of the Cavaliers, announced in an open letter on the Cavaliers website that James' decision was a "cowardly betrayal" and promised a NBA championship for the Cleveland Cavaliers before LeBron James wins one. Despite being ridiculed for the letter by the media, Cleveland fans embraced the owner, even offering to pay the $100,000 fine given by the NBA.
[edit] 2010present: Rebuilding
Current head coach Byron Scott
Kyrie Irving, the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft
During the 2010 offseason, the Cavaliers fired head coach Mike Brown, along with most of their coaching staff. General Manager Danny Ferry resigned on June 4, 2010 and Assistant General Manager Chris Grant was promoted to replace Ferry. On July 1, the Cavaliers hired former Los Angeles Lakers guard and former New Jersey Nets and New Orleans Hornets head coach Byron Scott as the 18th head coach in franchise history.
The Cavaliers spent the rest of the 2010 off-season rebuilding their team after James' departure. On July 23, they signed 2009 first-round pick Christian Eyenga. On July 26, the Cavs traded Delonte West and Sebastian Telfair to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Ramon Sessions, Ryan Hollins and a 2013 second round draft pick. On July 30, the Cavaliers signed free agent Joey Graham to a one-year, veteran's minimum contract with a team option for a second year. On August 16, the Cavs signed undrafted Jamaican rookie Samardo Samuels to a three-year, $2.3 million contract. On September 20, Jawad Williams and the Cavs decided to resign and reached a one-year $1.02 million contract. After finishing the 2010 pre-season with a 62 record, the Cavs decided to waive Danny Green[7] and sign with the undrafted rookie Manny Harris, the Cavs also decided to exercise the fourth-year option with J.J. Hickson.[8] On November 18, the Cavaliers sent Christian Eyenga to the Erie BayHawks, the NBA D-League affiliate.[9] On December 27, the Cavs decided to waive Jawad Williams[10] and assign Samardo Samuels to the NBA D-League.[11] One day later, the Cavs signed Alonzo Gee.[12] On January 1 and 2 the Cavs recalled Samardo Samuels and Christian Eyenga, respectively, from the Erie BayHawks.[13] On February 24, 2011 the Cavs made two trade deadline deals, acquiring former All-Star Baron Davis and a 2011 first round draft pick from the L.A. Clippers, which wound being the number one pick in the entire draft, for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon in return.[14] The Cavaliers also sent a 2013 second-round pick to the Boston Celtics for Luke Harangody and Semih Erden. Leon Powe was waived to create roster space.[15]
On the court, the 201011 season was a stark contrast from the previous two seasons. The Cavaliers were conference-worst 1963. This season also saw the Cavs lose 26 games in a row, which set an NBA record and tied the 197677 Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the longest losing streak in any American professional team sport. The Cavaliers had upset wins against the Los Angeles Lakers (57-25), Miami Heat (58-24) and Boston Celtics (56-26) during the season.[16]
Having the second-worst team record in the 201011 season, the Cavaliers had high odds of winning an early draft pick in the NBA Draft Lottery. With owner Dan Gilbert's 14 year-old son Nick representing the team at the dias (quipping "What's not to like?" when ESPN reporter Heather Cox asked him what he thought of his father calling him "his hero" due to overcoming health problems), the pick received from the Clippers in the Mo Williams/Baron Davis trade was what became the top overall pick, even though there was only a 2.8% chance of it happening. The Cavaliers original first round selection ended up as the #4 selection in the draft. The Cavs became the first team since the 1983 Houston Rockets to have two picks in the top five in the draft. The Cavaliers took Duke guard Kyrie Irving with the first pick, even though he only played 11 games in college. With the 4th pick, the Cavaliers selected Texas power forward Tristan Thompson.
On June 30, 2011, the team traded for small forward Omri Casspi and a 2012 first-round draft pick, sending the Sacramento Kings forward/center J.J. Hickson. The News-Herald opined that Casspi will likely start at small forward for the Cavaliers.[17]
It's my religion.
Ko'i yo'll allus be mah gal but ah got some sins t'confess...
We all knows thet Kool hyar is capable of dominatin' ev'ry poster on this hyar fo'um, dawgone it...raggin' on their asses wifout mercy eff'n ah felt like it...ah doesn't on account o' thet jest'dn't be fair...this fo'um needs it's court jesters
ah nevah meant fo' DPG t'have his intire repeetayshun hyar hoof it down th' toilet on over a pitcher...ah nevah wanted thet fo' him, dawgone it...so ah's a-gonna put it out thar an' let ev'ryone knows this real hyar....th' origeenal pitcher ah posted ain't of me...it's of one of mah homefellas thet doesn't knows ah posted his pitcher
Ko'i, DPG, timvp, midgit, all of yo'...yo' haf mah sinsyarst apology...on th' real though ah played wif fire an' DPG got burnt fum it
Kowi you'ww awways be my giww but I got some sins to confess. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! ..
We aww know that Koow hewe is capabwe of dominating evewy postew on this fowum...wagging on theiw asses without mewcy if I fewt wike it...I don't because that just wouwdn't be faiw...this fowum needs it's couwt jestews
I nevew meant fow DPG to have his entiwe weputation hewe go down the toiwet ovew a pictuwe...I nevew wanted that fow him...so I'm going to put it out thewe and wet evewyone know this weaw hewe....the owiginaw pictuwe I posted ain't of me...it's of one of my homeboys that don't know I posted his pictuwe
Kowi, DPG, timvp, midget, aww of you...you have my sincewest apowogy...on the weaw though I pwayed wif fiwe and DPG got buwnt fwom it
lolwut?
Can someone explain wtf is going on? I really shouldn't give a , but for some inexplicable reason, I do.
^ Timvp stole mono's account and created a thread with mono's account in koolaid style.... well this is what I understood
oh and Kool is Kori's troll, point number 14) in the list
or maybe I have no clue of what I'm talking about
but I do know Cul is a cav fan or a sun fan
I never defend my fandom.
It's my religion.
That's pretty much what you're doing every time you repeat that line.
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