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.

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

Key Dates:

Offseason

Expansion draft

• 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

Draft picks

Main article: 1970 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	7	John Johnson	Forward	United States	Iowa
2	26	Dave Sorenson	Forward	United States	Ohio State
3	41	Surry Oliver	Guard	United States	Stephen F. Austin
4	60	Glen Vidnovic	Forward	United States	Iowa
5	75	Wayne Sokolowski	Forward	United States	Ashland
6	94	Joe Cooke	Guard	United States	Indiana
7	109	Narvis Anderson	Forward	United States	Stephen F. Austin
8	128	Walt Robertson	Forward	United States	Loyola University Chicago
9	143	Tom Lagodich	Guard	United States	Kent State
10	162	Ken Johnson	Forward	United States	Indiana

Roster

1970–71 Cleveland Cavaliers roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From SG 10 Cooke, Joe 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Aug. 14, 1948 Indiana PF 23 Freeman, Gary 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Jul. 25, 1948 Oregon State SF 32 Johnson, John 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Oct. 18, 1947 Iowa SG 5 Lewis, Bobby 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Mar. 20, 1945 North Carolina PF 30 Mikan, Larry 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Apr. 8, 1948 Minnesota C 45 Rackley, Luther 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Jun. 11, 1946 Xavier PF 15 Sorenson, Dave 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Jul. 8, 1948 Ohio State G/F 7 Smith, Bingo 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Feb. 26, 1946 Tulsa C 40 Suiter, Gary 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Jan. 18, 1945 Midwestern State SG 11 Warren, John 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Jul. 7, 1947 St. John's PG 17 Washington, Bobby 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Jul. 11, 1947 Eastern Kentucky C 44 Wesley, Walt 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Jan. 25, 1945 Kansas	Head coach Bill Fitch Assistant coach(es) Jim Lessig Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Neutral	Div
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

#	Eastern Conference
	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

1970–71 NBA Records
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

October

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

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

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

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

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

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)
October: 0–9 (home: 0–2; road: 0–7) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
November: 1–17 (home: 0–8; road: 1–9) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 10 November 1, 1970 Atlanta L 107–131 Cleveland Arena 3,533 0–10
December: 4–13 (home: 4–6; road: 0–7) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 44 December 31, 1970 @ Atlanta L 85–119 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 5,429 5–39
January: 5–9 (home: 4–4; road: 1–5) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 57 January 29, 1971 @ Atlanta L 111–119 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 7,192 9–48
February: 2–12 (home: 1–5; road: 1–7) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
March: 3–7 (home: 2–5; road: 1–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 76 March 12, 1971 Atlanta L 107–119 Cleveland Arena 8,341 13–63
1970–71 schedule

References

• Cleveland Cavaliers on Database Basketball
• Cleveland Cavaliers on Basketball Reference