1971–72 Cleveland Cavaliers season

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.

1971–72 Cleveland Cavaliers season
Head coachBill Fitch
ArenaCleveland Arena
Results
Record23–59 (.280)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Central)
Conference: 7th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWEWS-TV
RadioWERE

Offseason

Trades

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
Main article: 1971 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College/Club team
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
1971–72 Cleveland Cavaliers roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
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
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

Season standings
Central Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
y-Baltimore Bullets 3844.463–18–1516–244–59–9
x-Atlanta Hawks 3646.439222–1913–261–19–9
Cincinnati Royals 3052.366820–188–322–211–9
Cleveland Cavaliers 2359.2801513–288–302–19–11
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT
1 z-Boston Celtics5626.683
2 y-Baltimore Bullets3844.463
3 x-New York Knicks4834.585
4 x-Atlanta Hawks3646.439
5 Philadelphia 76ers3052.366
5 Cincinnati Royals3052.366
7 Cleveland Cavaliers2359.280
8 Buffalo Braves2260.268

Record vs. opponents
1971–72 NBA Records
Team ATL BAL BOS BUF CHI CIN CLE DET GSW HOU LAL MIL NYK PHI PHO POR SEA
Atlanta –2–40–44–20–53–34–23–23–21–40–52–33–13–33–24–01–4
Baltimore 4–2–2–23–31–44–21–53–21–43–21–40–52–44–04–13–12–3
Boston 4–02–2–6–03–24–25–15–02–35–01–42–33–36–02–34–02–3
Buffalo 2–43–30–6–1–33–34–22–41–30–40–40–41–53–30–42–40–4
Chicago 5–04–12–33–1–3–14–05–13–35–11–32–43–24–15–16–02–3
Cincinnati 3–32–42–43–31–3–6–22–32–30–41–40–52–22–22–32–20–5
Cleveland 2–45–11–52–40–42–6–1–30–42–21–30–41–52–40–44–20–4
Detroit 2–32–30–54–21–53–23–1–0–53–31–41–51–41–42–42–20–4
Golden State 2–34–13–23–13–33–24–05–0–5–11–52–22–34–12–34–24–2
Houston 4–12–30–54–01–54–02–23–31–5–1–50–50–54–11–34–23–3
Los Angeles 5–04–14–14–03–14–13–14–15–15–1–4–14–15–04–26–05–1
Milwaukee 3–25–03–24–04–25–04–05–12–25–01–4–2–34–14–26–06–0
New York 1–34–23–35–12–32–25–14–13–25–01–43–2–3–31–43–13–2
Philadelphia 3–30–40–63–31–42–24–24–11–41–40–51–43–3–1–42–24–1
Phoenix 2–31–43–24–01–53–24–04–23–23–12–42–44–14–1–6–03–2
Portland 0–41–30–44–20–62–22–42–22–42–40–60–61–32–20–6–0–6
Seattle 4–13–23–24–03–25–04–04–02–43–31–50–62–31–42–36–0—

Game log

October

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

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record
1October 15HBuffalo BravesL109–111 (OT)0–1
2October 16ABuffalo BravesW93–891–1
3October 17HNew York KnicksL120–121 (OT)1–2
4October 19AMilwaukee BucksL82–1161–3
5October 20HSan Francisco WarriorsL98–1151–4
6October 23NBaltimore BulletsW109–1012–4at College Park, Maryland
7October 24HPhiladelphia 76ersL93–1112–5
8October 27APhiladelphia 76ersL106–1202–6
9October 29HAtlanta HawksL97–982–7
10October 31HMilwaukee BucksL102–1182–8

November

Record: 6–6 ; Home: 4–2 ; Road: 2–4

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record
11November 5HPhoenix SunsL87–1072–9
12November 7HPortland Trail BlazersW120–993–9
13November 11ASeattle SuperSonicsL91–1103–10
14November 12APortland Trail BlazersW106–1044–10
15November 14APhoenix SunsL105–1194–11
16November 16ALos Angeles LakersL90–1084–12
17November 19APortland Trail BlazersL105–1184–13
18November 21HBoston CelticsL105–1284–14
19November 23HBaltimore BulletsW104–1025–14
20November 26HCincinnati RoyalsW128–1146–14
21November 27AAtlanta HawksW103–957–14
22November 28HPhiladelphia 76ersW124–1208–14

December

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

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record
23December 1HHouston RocketsW116–1069–14
24December 3ABuffalo BravesL90–919–15
25December 5HSeattle SuperSonicsL91–999–16
26December 7AChicago BullsL99–1159–17
27December 8ABoston CelticsL107–1269–18
28December 10HDetroit PistonsW112–11110–18
29December 11ACincinnati RoyalsL95–10310–19
30December 12HNew York KnicksL92–10310–20
31December 14ABaltimore BulletsW88–8511–20
32December 17HBoston CelticsL109–11511–21
33December 18ANew York KnicksL84–10411–22
34December 19HChicago BullsL101–11911–23
35December 22ADetroit PistonsL94–10411–24
36December 23HAtlanta HawksW115–11012–24
37December 26HBaltimore BulletsW108–10213–24
38December 28HPortland Trail BlazersW112–11114–24
39December 29NPhiladelphia 76ersW103–10215–24at Hershey, Pennsylvania

January

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

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record
40January 2HPhiladelphia 76ersL119–14815–25
41January 5HLos Angeles LakersL103–11315–26
42January 7ASeattle SuperSonicsL111–12515–27
43January 8APortland Trail BlazersL102–12515–28
44January 11NSan Francisco WarriorsL92–10115–29at Oakland, California
45January 14APhoenix SunsL107–11715–30
46January 15AHouston RocketsL109–11215–31
47January 16NCincinnati RoyalsL108–12815–32at Las Cruces, New Mexico
48January 21AMilwaukee BucksL91–12015–33
49January 22ACincinnati RoyalsL96–11315–34
50January 25HSan Francisco WarriorsL111–11715–35
51January 26ABoston CelticsW112–10816–35
52January 29HCincinnati RoyalsL118–12016–36
53January 30HBuffalo BravesL98–9916–37

February

Record: 4–12 ; Home: 3–6 ; Road: 1–6

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record
54February 1ABuffalo BravesW104–9917–37
55February 2ADetroit PistonsL108–13317–38
56February 4HSeattle SuperSonicsL112–11817–39
57February 5AAtlanta HawksL117–12017–40
58February 6HBuffalo BravesL108–12117–41
59February 8AChicago BullsL90–11417–42
60February 9HMilwaukee BucksL121–12617–43
61February 12ANew York KnicksL91–10617–44
62February 13HDetroit PistonsL121–13617–45
63February 16APhiladelphia 76ersL116–12117–46
64February 18HCincinnati RoyalsW133–10918–46
65February 19ACincinnati RoyalsL92–11218–47
66February 20HNew York KnicksW111–10919–47
67February 23HBoston CelticsL111–11319–48
68February 25HPortland Trail BlazersW113–10420–48
69February 27HPhoenix SunsL125–12720–49

March

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

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record
70March 1ABoston CelticsL105–11520–50
71March 4AHouston RocketsW130–12321–50
72March 7NSan Francisco WarriorsL112–11921–51at Oakland
73March 10ALos Angeles LakersL98–13221–52
74March 12AAtlanta HawksL114–13521–53
75March 14ABaltimore BulletsW127–118 (OT)22–53
76March 16HBaltimore BulletsL101–10522–54
77March 18HChicago BullsL91–10922–55
78March 19HAtlanta HawksL105–11522–56
79March 22HLos Angeles LakersW124–12023–56
80March 24HHouston RocketsL119–12723–57
81March 25ANew York KnicksL83–9823–58
82March 26HCincinnati RoyalsL122–13523–59
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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
9October 29, 1971Atlanta L 97–98 Cleveland Arena
3,442		 2–7
November: 6–6 (home: 4–2; road: 2–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
21November 27, 1971@ Atlanta W 103–95 Alexander Memorial Coliseum
5,101		 7–14
December: 7–10 (home: 5–4; road: 2–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
36December 23, 1971Atlanta W 115–110 Cleveland Arena
4,562		 12–24
January: 1–13 (home: 0–5; road: 1–8)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
February: 4–12 (home: 3–6; road: 1–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
57February 5, 1972@ Atlanta L 117–120 Alexander Memorial Coliseum
6,281		 17–40
March: 3–10 (home: 1–5; road: 2–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
74March 12, 1972@ Atlanta L 114–135 Alexander Memorial Coliseum
4,915		 21–53
78March 19, 1972Atlanta L 105–115 Cleveland Arena
8,049		 22–56
1971–72 schedule

Awards and honors

References
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