1970–71 Cleveland Cavaliers season
1970–71 Cleveland Cavaliers season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Bill Fitch |
Arena | Cleveland Arena |
Results | |
Record | 15–67 (.183) |
Place | Division: 4th (Central) Conference: 8th (Eastern) |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | WEWS-TV |
Radio | WERE |
The 1970–71 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the inaugural season of NBA basketball in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers finished the season with a 15–67 record in their first season, finishing last in the Central Division and Eastern Conference. John Johnson was named an All-Star, the first in franchise history.
Key Dates:
Offseason
[edit]Expansion draft
[edit]- As an expansion (first year) franchise, the Cavaliers chose 11 players from other NBA teams in the 'expansion draft.'
Player | Position | Team |
---|---|---|
Butch Beard | Guard | Atlanta Hawks |
Len Chappell | Center | Milwaukee Bucks |
Johnny Egan | Guard | L.A. Lakers |
Bobby Lewis | Guard | San Francisco Warriors |
McCoy McLemore | Center | Detroit Pistons |
Don Ohl | Guard | Atlanta Hawks |
Walt Wesley | Center | Chicago Bulls |
Loy Petersen | Guard | Chicago Bulls |
Luther Rackley | Center | Cincinnati Royals |
Bingo Smith | Guard | San Diego Rockets |
John Warren | Guard | New York Knickerbockers |
Free agents
[edit]Trades
[edit]Draft picks
[edit]Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 7 | John Johnson | Forward | ![]() | Iowa |
2 | 26 | Dave Sorenson | Forward | ![]() | Ohio State |
3 | 41 | Surry Oliver | Guard | ![]() | Stephen F. Austin |
4 | 60 | Glen Vidnovic | Forward | ![]() | Iowa |
5 | 75 | Wayne Sokolowski | Forward | ![]() | Ashland |
6 | 94 | Joe Cooke | Guard | ![]() | Indiana |
7 | 109 | Narvis Anderson | Forward | ![]() | Stephen F. Austin |
8 | 128 | Walt Robertson | Forward | ![]() | Loyola University Chicago |
9 | 143 | Tom Lagodich | Guard | ![]() | Kent State |
10 | 162 | Ken Johnson | Forward | ![]() | Indiana |
Roster
[edit]Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Regular season
[edit]Season standings
[edit]W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
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y-Baltimore Bullets | 42 | 40 | .512 | – | 24–13 | 16–25 | 2–2 | 10–6 |
x-Atlanta Hawks | 36 | 46 | .439 | 6 | 21–20 | 14–26 | 1–0 | 9–7 |
Cincinnati Royals | 33 | 49 | .402 | 9 | 17–16 | 11–28 | 5–5 | 16–6 |
Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 67 | .183 | 27 | 11–30 | 2–37 | 2–0 | 1–13 |
# | ||||
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Team | W | L | PCT | |
1 | z-New York Knicks | 52 | 30 | .634 |
2 | y-Baltimore Bullets | 42 | 40 | .512 |
3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 47 | 35 | .573 |
4 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 36 | 46 | .439 |
5 | Boston Celtics | 44 | 38 | .537 |
6 | Cincinnati Royals | 33 | 49 | .402 |
7 | Buffalo Braves | 22 | 60 | .268 |
8 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 67 | .183 |
Record vs. opponents
[edit]1970–71 NBA Records | |||||||||||||||||
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Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CIN | CLE | DET | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SDR | SFW | SEA |
Atlanta | — | 3–3 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3–2 |
Baltimore | 3–3 | — | 3–3 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 |
Boston | 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 4–0 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 |
Buffalo | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | — | 0–4 | 0–4 | 5–7 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 6–6 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 |
Chicago | 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 4–0 | — | 4–0 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 |
Cincinnati | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 0–4 | — | 5–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 1–4 |
Cleveland | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 7–5 | 0–4 | 1–5 | — | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–10 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 |
Detroit | 5–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–2 | — | 2–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 3–1 |
Los Angeles | 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–2 | — | 1–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 |
Milwaukee | 4–1 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 4–1 | — | 1–4 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 6–0 | 5–1 |
New York | 3–3 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 4–1 | — | 2–4 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 |
Philadelphia | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 4–2 | — | 3–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 |
Phoenix | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 2–3 | — | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 |
Portland | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 6–6 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 10–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–4 |
San Diego | 3–2 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 0–6 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–0 | — | 2–4 | 5–1 |
San Francisco | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | — | 3–3 |
Seattle | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | — |
Game log
[edit]October
[edit]Record: 0–9 ; Home: 0–2 ; Road: 0–7
# | Date | H/A/N | Opponent | W/L | Score | Record | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 14 | A | Buffalo Braves | L | 92–107 | 0–1 | |
2 | October 16 | A | Portland Trail Blazers | L | 112–115 | 0–2 | |
3 | October 17 | A | San Francisco Warriors | L | 108–128 | 0–3 | at Oakland, California |
4 | October 20 | A | Portland Trail Blazers | L | 98–120 | 0–4 | |
5 | October 22 | A | San Diego Rockets | L | 110–140 | 0–5 | |
6 | October 23 | A | Phoenix Suns | L | 104–108 | 0–6 | |
7 | October 25 | A | Los Angeles Lakers | L | 96–123 | 0–7 | |
8 | October 28 | H | San Diego Rockets | L | 99–110 | 0–8 | |
9 | October 30 | H | Cincinnati Royals | L | 110–125 | 0–9 |
November
[edit]Record: 1–17 ; Home: 0–8 ; Road: 1–9
# | Date | H/A/N | Opponent | W/L | Score | Record |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 | November 1 | H | Atlanta Hawks | L | 107–130 | 0–10 |
11 | November 2 | A | Philadelphia 76ers | L | 87–141 | 0–11 |
12 | November 4 | H | Milwaukee Bucks | L | 108–110 | 0–12 |
13 | November 7 | A | Buffalo Braves | L | 91–103 | 0–13 |
14 | November 8 | H | Seattle SuperSonics | L | 105–111 | 0–14 |
15 | November 10 | A | San Francisco Warriors | L | 74–109 | 0–15 |
16 | November 12 | A | Portland Trail Blazers | W | 105–103 | 1–15 |
17 | November 13 | A | Seattle SuperSonics | L | 91–111 | 1–16 |
18 | November 14 | A | Portland Trail Blazers | L | 110–125 | 1–17 |
19 | November 16 | A | Baltimore Bullets | L | 86–98 | 1–18 |
20 | November 18 | H | Baltimore Bullets | L | 98–111 | 1–19 |
21 | November 20 | A | Boston Celtics | L | 112–116 | 1–20 |
22 | November 21 | A | New York Knicks | L | 94–102 | 1–21 |
23 | November 22 | H | Phoenix Suns | L | 99–114 | 1–22 |
24 | November 25 | H | San Francisco Warriors | L | 99–108 | 1–23 |
25 | November 27 | H | Portland Trail Blazers | L | 102–111 | 1–24 |
26 | November 28 | A | Cincinnati Royals | L | 86–105 | 1–25 |
27 | November 29 | H | Detroit Pistons | L | 99–120 | 1–26 |
December
[edit]Record: 4–13 ; Home: 4–6 ; Road: 0–7
# | Date | H/A/N | Opponent | W/L | Score | Record |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
28 | December 4 | H | Boston Celtics | L | 107–118 | 1–27 |
29 | December 6 | H | Buffalo Braves | W | 108–106 | 2–27 |
30 | December 9 | H | Portland Trail Blazers | L | 102–109 | 2–28 |
31 | December 11 | A | Milwaukee Bucks | L | 92–134 | 2–29 |
32 | December 12 | A | Cincinnati Royals | L | 95–114 | 2–30 |
33 | December 13 | H | San Diego Rockets | L | 95–118 | 2–31 |
34 | December 15 | A | New York Knicks | L | 92–110 | 2–32 |
35 | December 16 | H | New York Knicks | L | 84–108 | 2–33 |
36 | December 18 | A | Buffalo Braves | L | 94–113 | 2–34 |
37 | December 19 | H | Buffalo Braves | W | 123–112 | 3–34 |
38 | December 20 | H | Chicago Bulls | L | 103–116 | 3–35 |
39 | December 22 | A | Chicago Bulls | L | 80–121 | 3–36 |
40 | December 25 | A | Cincinnati Royals | L | 100–117 | 3–37 |
41 | December 26 | H | Buffalo Braves | W | 120–107 | 4–37 |
42 | December 27 | H | Philadelphia 76ers | W | 114–101 | 5–37 |
43 | December 29 | H | Milwaukee Bucks | L | 97–119 | 5–38 |
44 | December 31 | A | Atlanta Hawks | L | 85–119 | 5–39 |
January
[edit]Record: 5–9 ; Home: 4–4 ; Road: 0–5 ; Neutral: 1–0:
# | Date | H/A/N | Opponent | W/L | Score | Record | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
45 | January 1 | H | Baltimore Bullets | L | 105–128 | 5–40 | |
46 | January 2 | A | Milwaukee Bucks | L | 73–118 | 5–41 | |
47 | January 4 | H | Portland Trail Blazers | L | 106–119 | 5–42 | |
48 | January 6 | H | New York Knicks | L | 94–127 | 5–43 | |
49 | January 7 | H | Los Angeles Lakers | L | 105–110 | 5–44 | |
50 | January 9 | H | Buffalo Braves | W | 111–89 | 6–44 | |
51 | January 14 | A | Detroit Pistons | L | 106–108 | 6–45 | |
52 | January 16 | A | Philadelphia 76ers | L | 96–115 | 6–46 | |
53 | January 19 | N | Buffalo Braves | W | 111–79 | 7–46 | at Syracuse, New York |
54 | January 24 | A | Boston Celtics | L | 110–121 | 7–47 | |
55 | January 25 | H | Boston Celtics | W | 117–116 | 8–47 | |
56 | January 27 | H | Portland Trail Blazers | W | 118–104 | 9–47 | |
57 | January 29 | A | Atlanta Hawks | L | 111–119 | 9–48 | |
58 | January 31 | H | Buffalo Braves | W | 117–108 | 10–48 |
February
[edit]Record: 2–12 ; Home: 1–5 ; Road: 0–7 ; Neutral: 1–0
# | Date | H/A/N | Opponent | W/L | Score | Record | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
59 | February 2 | N | Buffalo Braves | W | 101–91 | 11–48 | at Rochester, New York |
60 | February 3 | H | Seattle SuperSonics | L | 95–98 | 11–49 | |
61 | February 5 | A | San Diego Rockets | L | 105–116 | 11–50 | |
62 | February 6 | A | Phoenix Suns | L | 91–119 | 11–51 | |
63 | February 7 | A | Portland Trail Blazers | L | 103–112 | 11–52 | |
64 | February 9 | H | Los Angeles Lakers | L | 111–116 | 11–53 | |
65 | February 12 | H | Phoenix Suns | L | 105–114 | 11–54 | |
66 | February 13 | H | Buffalo Braves | L | 106–111 | 11–55 | |
67 | February 14 | A | Chicago Bulls | L | 83–108 | 11–56 | |
68 | February 17 | H | Chicago Bulls | L | 104–109 | 11–57 | |
69 | February 19 | H | Cincinnati Royals | W | 125–109 | 12–57 | |
70 | February 21 | A | Portland Trail Blazers | L | 105–123 | 12–58 | |
71 | February 24 | A | Seattle SuperSonics | L | 101–123 | 12–59 | |
72 | February 28 | A | Los Angeles Lakers | L | 90–107 | 12–60 |
March
[edit]Record: 3–7 ; Home: 2–5 ; Road: 1–2
# | Date | H/A/N | Opponent | W/L | Score | Record |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
73 | March 6 | A | Buffalo Braves | L | 109–120 | 12–61 |
74 | March 7 | A | Detroit Pistons | W | 104–100 | 13–61 |
75 | March 9 | H | Philadelphia 76ers | L | 113–124 | 13–62 |
76 | March 12 | H | Atlanta Hawks | L | 107–119 | 13–63 |
77 | March 14 | H | Cincinnati Royals | L | 103–115 | 13–64 |
78 | March 16 | H | San Francisco Warriors | W | 108–103 | 14–64 |
79 | March 17 | A | Baltimore Bullets | L | 109–113 | 14–65 |
80 | March 20 | H | Detroit Pistons | W | 114–103 | 15–65 |
81 | March 21 | H | Portland Trail Blazers | L | 110–113 | 15–66 |
82 | March 23 | H | Portland Trail Blazers | L | 112–114 | 15–67 |
1970–71 game log Total: 15–67 (Home: 11–30; Road: 2–37, Neutral: 2–0) | ||||||||||||||||||
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October: 0–9 (home: 0–2; road: 0–7)
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November: 1–17 (home: 0–8; road: 1–9)
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December: 4–13 (home: 4–6; road: 0–7)
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January: 5–9 (home: 4–4; road: 1–5)
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February: 2–12 (home: 1–5; road: 1–7)
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March: 3–7 (home: 2–5; road: 1–2)
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1970–71 schedule |
References
[edit]- ^ BOBCATS: All-Time Expansion Draft Results Archived 2008-01-16 at the Wayback Machine