1971–72 Cleveland Cavaliers season

NBA professional basketball team season

NBA professional basketball team season

1971–72 Cleveland Cavaliers season

Head coach| Bill Fitch
Arena| Cleveland Arena
Results
Record| 23-59 (.280)
Place| Division: 4th (Central)
Conference: 7th (Eastern)
Playoff finish| Did not qualify

* * *

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television| WEWS-TV
Radio| WERE
| < 1970–71  | 1972–73 >

|

The 1971–72 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the second season of NBA basketball in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers finished the season with a 23–59 record, finishing last in the Central Division and 7th in the Eastern Conference. Rookie top pick Austin Carr was named to the All-Rookie team and John Johnson and Butch Beard were named All-Stars.

## Offseason[edit]

### Trades[edit]

August 13: Forward Greg Howard obtained from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for undisclosed future draft choices and an undisclosed amount of cash.

## Draft picks[edit]

Main article: 1971 NBA draft

Round  | Pick  | Player  | Position  | Nationality  | College/Club team

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1  | 1  | Austin Carr | SG/SF |  United States  | Notre Dame
2  | 18  | Steve Patterson | C |  United States  | UCLA
2  | 35  | Willie Long | PF/C |  United States  | New Mexico

* Note: This table only lists players drafted through the second round.

## Roster[edit]

1971–72 Cleveland Cavaliers roster

Players  | Coaches
| Pos. | No. | Name | Height | Weight | DOB | From

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G | 21 | Beard, Butch | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)  | 185 lb (84 kg)  | May 4, 1947  | Louisville
G | 22 | Carr, Austin | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)  | 200 lb (91 kg)  | Mar. 10, 1948  | Notre Dame
G | 18 | Davis, Charlie | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)  | 160 lb (73 kg)  | Sep. 7, 1949  | Wake Forest
F | 40 | Howard, Greg | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 215 lb (98 kg)  | Jan. 8, 1948  | New Mexico
F | 32 | Johnson, John | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)  | 200 lb (91 kg)  | Oct. 18, 1947  | Iowa
C | 50 | Patterson, Steve | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 225 lb (102 kg)  | Jun. 24, 1948  | UCLA
G | 23 | Ridgle, Jackie | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)  | 195 lb (88 kg)  | Feb. 13, 1948  | California
F/C | 30 | Roberson, Rick | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 231 lb (105 kg)  | Jul. 7, 1947  | Cincinnati
G/F | 7 | Smith, Bingo | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)  | 195 lb (88 kg)  | Feb. 26, 1946  | Tulsa
F | 15 | Sorenson, Dave | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)  | 225 lb (102 kg)  | Jul. 8, 1948  | Ohio State
G | 11 | Warren, John | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)  | 180 lb (82 kg)  | Jul. 7, 1947  | St. John's
G | 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)

* Jimmy Rodgers

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (DP) Unsigned draft pick
* (FA) Free agent
* (S) Suspended
* Injured

## Regular season[edit]

### Season standings[edit]

Central Division

* v
* t
* e

|  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB  |  Home  |  Road  |  Neutral  |  Div

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y-Baltimore Bullets | 38 | 44 | .463 | – | 18–15 | 16–24 | 4–5 | 9–9
x-Atlanta Hawks | 36 | 46 | .439 | 2 | 22–19 | 13–26 | 1–1 | 9–9
Cincinnati Royals | 30 | 52 | .366 | 8 | 20–18 | 8–32 | 2–2 | 11–9
Cleveland Cavaliers | 23 | 59 | .280 | 15 | 13–28 | 8–30 | 2–1 | 9–11
#  |

Eastern Conference

* v
* t
* e

|

Team  |  W  |  L  |  PCT
1  | z-Boston Celtics | 56 | 26 | .683
2  | y-Baltimore Bullets | 38 | 44 | .463
3  | x-New York Knicks | 48 | 34 | .585
4  | x-Atlanta Hawks | 36 | 46 | .439
5  | Philadelphia 76ers | 30 | 52 | .366
5  | Cincinnati Royals | 30 | 52 | .366
7  | Cleveland Cavaliers | 23 | 59 | .280
8  | Buffalo Braves | 22 | 60 | .268

### Record vs. opponents[edit]

1971–72 NBA Records

Team  | ATL  | BAL  | BOS  | BUF  | CHI  | CIN  | CLE  | DET  | GSW  | HOU  | LAL  | MIL  | NYK  | PHI  | PHO  | POR  | SEA
Atlanta | – | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–5 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–4
Baltimore | 4–2 | – | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–3
Boston | 4–0 | 2–2 | – | 6–0 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 2–3
Buffalo | 2–4 | 3–3 | 0–6 | – | 1–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–4 | 2–4 | 0–4
Chicago | 5–0 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | – | 3–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 2–3
Cincinnati | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–3 | – | 6–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–5
Cleveland  | 2–4 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 2–6 | – | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–4
Detroit | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 3–1 | – | 0–5 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 0–4
Golden State | 2–3 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 5–0 | – | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–2
Houston | 4–1 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–5 | – | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3
Los Angeles | 5–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | – | 4–1 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 5–1
Milwaukee | 3–2 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | – | 2–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 6–0
New York | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 3–2 | – | 3–3 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 3–2
Philadelphia | 3–3 | 0–4 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 3–3 | – | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–1
Phoenix | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 4–1 | 4–1 | – | 6–0 | 3–2
Portland | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–6 | – | 0–6
Seattle | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 6–0 | —

## Game log[edit]

### October[edit]

Record: 2–8 ; Home: 0–6 ; Road: 1–2 ; Neutral: 1–0

#  | Date  | H/A/N  | Opponent  | W/L  | Score  | Record

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1 | October 15 | H | Buffalo Braves | L | 109–111 (OT) | 0–1
2 | October 16 | A | Buffalo Braves | W | 93–89 | 1–1
3 | October 17 | H | New York Knicks | L | 120–121 (OT) | 1–2
4 | October 19 | A | Milwaukee Bucks | L | 82–116 | 1–3
5 | October 20 | H | San Francisco Warriors | L | 98–115 | 1–4
6 | October 23 | N | Baltimore Bullets | W | 109–101 | 2–4 | at College Park, Maryland
7 | October 24 | H | Philadelphia 76ers | L | 93–111 | 2–5
8 | October 27 | A | Philadelphia 76ers | L | 106–120 | 2–6
9 | October 29 | H | Atlanta Hawks | L | 97–98 | 2–7
10 | October 31 | H | Milwaukee Bucks | L | 102–118 | 2–8

### November[edit]

Record: 6–6 ; Home: 4–2 ; Road: 2–4

#  | Date  | H/A/N  | Opponent  | W/L  | Score  | Record

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11 | November 5 | H | Phoenix Suns | L | 87–107 | 2–9
12 | November 7 | H | Portland Trail Blazers | W | 120–99 | 3–9
13 | November 11 | A | Seattle SuperSonics | L | 91–110 | 3–10
14 | November 12 | A | Portland Trail Blazers | W | 106–104 | 4–10
15 | November 14 | A | Phoenix Suns | L | 105–119 | 4–11
16 | November 16 | A | Los Angeles Lakers | L | 90–108 | 4–12
17 | November 19 | A | Portland Trail Blazers | L | 105–118 | 4–13
18 | November 21 | H | Boston Celtics | L | 105–128 | 4–14
19 | November 23 | H | Baltimore Bullets | W | 104–102 | 5–14
20 | November 26 | H | Cincinnati Royals | W | 128–114 | 6–14
21 | November 27 | A | Atlanta Hawks | W | 103–95 | 7–14
22 | November 28 | H | Philadelphia 76ers | W | 124–120 | 8–14

### December[edit]

Record: 7–10 ; Home: 5–4 ; Road: 1–6 ; Neutral: 1–0

#  | Date  | H/A/N  | Opponent  | W/L  | Score  | Record

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23 | December 1 | H | Houston Rockets | W | 116–106 | 9–14
24 | December 3 | A | Buffalo Braves | L | 90–91 | 9–15
25 | December 5 | H | Seattle SuperSonics | L | 91–99 | 9–16
26 | December 7 | A | Chicago Bulls | L | 99–115 | 9–17
27 | December 8 | A | Boston Celtics | L | 107–126 | 9–18
28 | December 10 | H | Detroit Pistons | W | 112–111 | 10–18
29 | December 11 | A | Cincinnati Royals | L | 95–103 | 10–19
30 | December 12 | H | New York Knicks | L | 92–103 | 10–20
31 | December 14 | A | Baltimore Bullets | W | 88–85 | 11–20
32 | December 17 | H | Boston Celtics | L | 109–115 | 11–21
33 | December 18 | A | New York Knicks | L | 84–104 | 11–22
34 | December 19 | H | Chicago Bulls | L | 101–119 | 11–23
35 | December 22 | A | Detroit Pistons | L | 94–104 | 11–24
36 | December 23 | H | Atlanta Hawks | W | 115–110 | 12–24
37 | December 26 | H | Baltimore Bullets | W | 108–102 | 13–24
38 | December 28 | H | Portland Trail Blazers | W | 112–111 | 14–24
39 | December 29 | N | Philadelphia 76ers | W | 103–102 | 15–24 | at Hershey, Pennsylvania

### January[edit]

Record: 1–13 ; Home: 0–5 ; Road: 1–6 ; Neutral: 0–2

#  | Date  | H/A/N  | Opponent  | W/L  | Score  | Record

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40 | January 2 | H | Philadelphia 76ers | L | 119–148 | 15–25
41 | January 5 | H | Los Angeles Lakers | L | 103–113 | 15–26
42 | January 7 | A | Seattle SuperSonics | L | 111–125 | 15–27
43 | January 8 | A | Portland Trail Blazers | L | 102–125 | 15–28
44 | January 11 | N | San Francisco Warriors | L | 92–101 | 15–29 | at Oakland, California
45 | January 14 | A | Phoenix Suns | L | 107–117 | 15–30
46 | January 15 | A | Houston Rockets | L | 109–112 | 15–31
47 | January 16 | N | Cincinnati Royals | L | 108–128 | 15–32 | at Las Cruces, New Mexico
48 | January 21 | A | Milwaukee Bucks | L | 91–120 | 15–33
49 | January 22 | A | Cincinnati Royals | L | 96–113 | 15–34
50 | January 25 | H | San Francisco Warriors | L | 111–117 | 15–35
51 | January 26 | A | Boston Celtics | W | 112–108 | 16–35
52 | January 29 | H | Cincinnati Royals | L | 118–120 | 16–36
53 | January 30 | H | Buffalo Braves | L | 98–99 | 16–37

### February[edit]

Record: 4–12 ; Home: 3–6 ; Road: 1–6

#  | Date  | H/A/N  | Opponent  | W/L  | Score  | Record

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54 | February 1 | A | Buffalo Braves | W | 104–99 | 17–37
55 | February 2 | A | Detroit Pistons | L | 108–133 | 17–38
56 | February 4 | H | Seattle SuperSonics | L | 112–118 | 17–39
57 | February 5 | A | Atlanta Hawks | L | 117–120 | 17–40
58 | February 6 | H | Buffalo Braves | L | 108–121 | 17–41
59 | February 8 | A | Chicago Bulls | L | 90–114 | 17–42
60 | February 9 | H | Milwaukee Bucks | L | 121–126 | 17–43
61 | February 12 | A | New York Knicks | L | 91–106 | 17–44
62 | February 13 | H | Detroit Pistons | L | 121–136 | 17–45
63 | February 16 | A | Philadelphia 76ers | L | 116–121 | 17–46
64 | February 18 | H | Cincinnati Royals | W | 133–109 | 18–46
65 | February 19 | A | Cincinnati Royals | L | 92–112 | 18–47
66 | February 20 | H | New York Knicks | W | 111–109 | 19–47
67 | February 23 | H | Boston Celtics | L | 111–113 | 19–48
68 | February 25 | H | Portland Trail Blazers | W | 113–104 | 20–48
69 | February 27 | H | Phoenix Suns | L | 125–127 | 20–49

### March[edit]

Record: 3–10 ; Home: 1–5 ; Road: 2–4 ; Neutral: 0–1

#  | Date  | H/A/N  | Opponent  | W/L  | Score  | Record

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70 | March 1 | A | Boston Celtics | L | 105–115 | 20–50
71 | March 4 | A | Houston Rockets | W | 130–123 | 21–50
72 | March 7 | N | San Francisco Warriors | L | 112–119 | 21–51 | at Oakland
73 | March 10 | A | Los Angeles Lakers | L | 98–132 | 21–52
74 | March 12 | A | Atlanta Hawks | L | 114–135 | 21–53
75 | March 14 | A | Baltimore Bullets | W | 127–118 (OT) | 22–53
76 | March 16 | H | Baltimore Bullets | L | 101–105 | 22–54
77 | March 18 | H | Chicago Bulls | L | 91–109 | 22–55
78 | March 19 | H | Atlanta Hawks | L | 105–115 | 22–56
79 | March 22 | H | Los Angeles Lakers | W | 124–120 | 23–56
80 | March 24 | H | Houston Rockets | L | 119–127 | 23–57
81 | March 25 | A | New York Knicks | L | 83–98 | 23–58
82 | March 26 | H | Cincinnati Royals | L | 122–135 | 23–59

1971–72 game log
Total: 23–59 (Home: 13–28; Road: 8–30; Neutral: 2–1)

October: 2–8 (home: 0–6; road: 2–2)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Record

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9 | October 29, 1971 | Atlanta | L 97–98 |  |  |  | Cleveland Arena
3,442  | 2–7

November: 6–6 (home: 4–2; road: 2–4)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Record

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21 | November 27, 1971 | @ Atlanta | W 103–95 |  |  |  | Alexander Memorial Coliseum
5,101  | 7–14

December: 7–10 (home: 5–4; road: 2–6)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Record

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36 | December 23, 1971 | Atlanta | W 115–110 |  |  |  | Cleveland Arena
4,562  | 12–24

January: 1–13 (home: 0–5; road: 1–8)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Record

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February: 4–12 (home: 3–6; road: 1–6)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Record

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57 | February 5, 1972 | @ Atlanta | L 117–120 |  |  |  | Alexander Memorial Coliseum
6,281  | 17–40

March: 3–10 (home: 1–5; road: 2–5)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Record

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74 | March 12, 1972 | @ Atlanta | L 114–135 |  |  |  | Alexander Memorial Coliseum
4,915  | 21–53
78 | March 19, 1972 | Atlanta | L 105–115 |  |  |  | Cleveland Arena
8,049  | 22–56

1971–72 schedule

## Awards and honors[edit]

* Austin Carr, NBA All-Rookie Team First Team

## References[edit]

* Cleveland Cavaliers on Database Basketball
* Cleveland Cavaliers on Basketball Reference

* v
* t
* e

1971–72 NBA season by team

* 1971 NBA draft
* All-Star Game
* Playoffs
* Finals
* Transactions
* NBA 25th Anniversary Team

Eastern|

| Atlantic|

* Boston
* Buffalo
* New York
* Philadelphia

|

Central|

* Atlanta
* Baltimore
* Cincinnati
* Cleveland

Western|

| Midwest|

* Chicago
* Detroit
* Milwaukee
* Phoenix

|

Pacific|

* Golden State
* Houston
* Los Angeles
* Portland
* Seattle

* v
* t
* e

Cleveland Cavaliers seasons

* Franchise
* History
* Seasons

1970s|

|  |  1970–71 |  1971–72 |  1972–73 |  1973–74 |  1974–75 |  1975–76 |  1976–77 |  1977–78 |  1978–79

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1980s|

|  1979–80 |  1980–81 |  1981–82 |  1982–83 |  1983–84 |  1984–85 |  1985–86 |  1986–87 | 1987–88 |  1988–89

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1990s|

|  1989–90 |  1990–91 |  1991–92 |  1992–93 |  1993–94 |  1994–95 | 1995–96 |  1996–97 | 1997–98 |  1998–99

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2000s|

|  1999–00 |  2000–01 |  2001–02 |  2002–03 |  2003–04 |  2004–05 |  2005–06 |  2006–07 |  2007–08 |  2008–09

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2010s|

|  2009–10 |  2010–11 |  2011–12 |  2012–13 |  2013–14 |  2014–15 |  2015–16 |  2016–17 |  2017–18 |  2018–19

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2020s|

|  2019–20 |  2020–21 |  2021–22 |  2022–23 |  2023–24 |  |  |  |  |

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Bold indicates NBA Finals victory
*[Pos.]: Position
*[No.]: Number
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[ W ]: Games won
*[ L ]: Games lost
*[ PCT ]: Winning percentage
*[ GB ]: Games behind
*[ Home ]: Home record
*[ Road ]: Road record
*[ Neutral ]: Neutral record
*[ Div ]: Division record