1970–71 Cleveland Cavaliers season


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

Expansion Draft

PlayerPositionTeam
Butch BeardGuardAtlanta Hawks
Len ChappellCenterMilwaukee Bucks
Johnny EganGuardL.A. Lakers
Bobby LewisGuardSan Francisco Warriors
McCoy McLemoreCenterDetroit Pistons
Don OhlGuardAtlanta Hawks
Walt WesleyCenterChicago Bulls
Loy PetersenGuardChicago Bulls
Luther RackleyCenterCincinnati Royals
Bingo SmithGuardSan Diego Rockets
John WarrenGuardNew York Knickerbockers

Free agents

Trades

Draft picks

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalitySchool/Club Team
17John JohnsonForwardUnited StatesIowa
226Dave SorensonForwardUnited StatesOhio State
341Surry OliverGuardUnited StatesStephen F. Austin
460Glen VidnovicForwardUnited StatesIowa
575Wayne SokolowskiForwardUnited StatesAshland
694Joe CookeGuardUnited StatesIndiana
7109Narvis AndersonForwardUnited StatesStephen F. Austin
8128Walt RobertsonForwardUnited StatesLoyola University Chicago
9143Tom LagodichGuardUnited StatesKent State
10162Ken JohnsonForwardUnited StatesIndiana

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

October

Record: 0–9 ; Home: 0–2 ; Road: 0–7
#DateH/A/NOpponentW/LScoreRecord-
1October 14ABuffalo BravesL92–1070–1-
2October 16APortland Trail BlazersL112–1150–2-
3October 17ASan Francisco WarriorsL108–1280–3at Oakland, California
4October 20APortland Trail BlazersL98–1200–4-
5October 22ASan Diego RocketsL110–1400–5-
6October 23APhoenix SunsL104–1080–6-
7October 25ALos Angeles LakersL96–1230–7-
8October 28HSan Diego RocketsL99–1100–8-
9October 30HCincinnati RoyalsL110–1250–9-

November

Record: 1–17 ; Home: 0–8 ; Road: 1–9
#DateH/A/NOpponentW/LScoreRecord
10November 1HAtlanta HawksL107–1300–10
11November 2APhiladelphia 76ersL87–1410–11
12November 4HMilwaukee BucksL108–1100–12
13November 7ABuffalo BravesL91–1030–13
14November 8HSeattle SuperSonicsL105–1110–14
15November 10ASan Francisco WarriorsL74–1090–15
16November 12APortland Trail BlazersW105–1031–15
17November 13ASeattle SuperSonicsL91–1111–16
18November 14APortland Trail BlazersL110–1251–17
19November 16ABaltimore BulletsL86–981–18
20November 18HBaltimore BulletsL98–1111–19
21November 20ABoston CelticsL112–1161–20
22November 21ANew York KnicksL94–1021–21
23November 22HPhoenix SunsL99–1141–22
24November 25HSan Francisco WarriorsL99–1081–23
25November 27HPortland Trail BlazersL102–1111–24
26November 28ACincinnati RoyalsL86–1051–25
27November 29HDetroit PistonsL99–1201–26

December

Record: 4–13 ; Home: 4–6 ; Road: 0–7
#DateH/A/NOpponentW/LScoreRecord
28December 4HBoston CelticsL107–1181–27
29December 6HBuffalo BravesW108–1062–27
30December 9HPortland Trail BlazersL102–1092–28
31December 11AMilwaukee BucksL92–1342–29
32December 12ACincinnati RoyalsL95–1142–30
33December 13HSan Diego RocketsL95–1182–31
34December 15ANew York KnicksL92–1102–32
35December 16HNew York KnicksL84–1082–33
36December 18ABuffalo BravesL94–1132–34
37December 19HBuffalo BravesW123–1123–34
38December 20HChicago BullsL103–1163–35
39December 22AChicago BullsL80–1213–36
40December 25ACincinnati RoyalsL100–1173–37
41December 26HBuffalo BravesW120–1074–37
42December 27HPhiladelphia 76ersW114–1015–37
43December 29HMilwaukee BucksL97–1195–38
44December 31AAtlanta HawksL85–1195–39

January

Record: 5–9 ; Home: 4–4 ; Road: 0–5 ; Neutral: 1–0:
#DateH/A/NOpponentW/LScoreRecord-
45January 1HBaltimore BulletsL105–1285–40-
46January 2AMilwaukee BucksL73–1185–41-
47January 4HPortland Trail BlazersL106–1195–42-
48January 6HNew York KnicksL94–1275–43-
49January 7HLos Angeles LakersL105–1105–44-
50January 9HBuffalo BravesW111–896–44-
51January 14ADetroit PistonsL106–1086–45-
52January 16APhiladelphia 76ersL96–1156–46-
53January 19NBuffalo BravesW111–797–46at Syracuse, New York
54January 24ABoston CelticsL110–1217–47-
55January 25HBoston CelticsW117–1168–47-
56January 27HPortland Trail BlazersW118–1049–47-
57January 29AAtlanta HawksL111–1199–48-
58January 31HBuffalo BravesW117–10810–48-

February

Record: 2–12 ; Home: 1–5 ; Road: 0–7 ; Neutral: 1–0
#DateH/A/NOpponentW/LScoreRecord-
59February 2NBuffalo BravesW101–9111–48at Rochester, New York
60February 3HSeattle SuperSonicsL95–9811–49-
61February 5ASan Diego RocketsL105–11611–50-
62February 6APhoenix SunsL91–11911–51-
63February 7APortland Trail BlazersL103–11211–52-
64February 9HLos Angeles LakersL111–11611–53-
65February 12HPhoenix SunsL105–11411–54-
66February 13HBuffalo BravesL106–11111–55-
67February 14AChicago BullsL83–10811–56-
68February 17HChicago BullsL104–10911–57-
69February 19HCincinnati RoyalsW125–10912–57-
70February 21APortland Trail BlazersL105–12312–58-
71February 24ASeattle SuperSonicsL101–12312–59-
72February 28ALos Angeles LakersL90–10712–60-

March

Record: 3–7 ; Home: 2–5 ; Road: 1–2
#DateH/A/NOpponentW/LScoreRecord
73March 6ABuffalo BravesL109–12012–61
74March 7ADetroit PistonsW104–10013–61
75March 9HPhiladelphia 76ersL113–12413–62
76March 12HAtlanta HawksL107–11913–63
77March 14HCincinnati RoyalsL103–11513–64
78March 16HSan Francisco WarriorsW108–10314–64
79March 17ABaltimore BulletsL109–11314–65
80March 20HDetroit PistonsW114–10315–65
81March 21HPortland Trail BlazersL110–11315–66
82March 23HPortland Trail BlazersL112–11415–67