# 1982–83 Cleveland Cavaliers season

The 1982–83 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 13th season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and in Cleveland, Ohio. It involved the team going 23–59 in Ted Stepien's final season as the team's owner.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 12 | John Bagley | PG | Boston College |
| 2 | 28 | Dave Magley | PF | Kansas |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Central Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Milwaukee Bucks | 51 | 31 | .622 | – | 31–10 | 20–21 | 22–7 |
| x-Atlanta Hawks | 43 | 39 | .524 | 8 | 26–15 | 17–24 | 21–8 |
| Detroit Pistons | 37 | 45 | .451 | 14 | 23–18 | 14–27 | 19–11 |
| Chicago Bulls | 28 | 54 | .341 | 23 | 18–23 | 10–31 | 13–17 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 23 | 59 | .280 | 28 | 15–26 | 8–33 | 8–22 |
| Indiana Pacers | 20 | 62 | .244 | 31 | 14–27 | 6–35 | 6–24 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Philadelphia 76ers | 65 | 17 | .793 | – |
| 2 | y-Milwaukee Bucks | 51 | 31 | .622 | 14 |
| 3 | x-Boston Celtics | 56 | 26 | .683 | 9 |
| 4 | x-New Jersey Nets | 49 | 33 | .598 | 16 |
| 5 | x-New York Knicks | 44 | 38 | .537 | 21 |
| 6 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 43 | 39 | .524 | 22 |
| 7 | Washington Bullets | 42 | 40 | .512 | 23 |
| 8 | Detroit Pistons | 37 | 45 | .451 | 28 |
| 9 | Chicago Bulls | 28 | 54 | .341 | 37 |
| 10 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 23 | 59 | .280 | 42 |
| 11 | Indiana Pacers | 20 | 62 | .244 | 45 |
    z - clinched division title
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1982-83 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 1–5 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| Boston | 5–1 | — | 3–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 |
| Chicago | 1–5 | 2–3 | — | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 |
| Cleveland | 0–6 | 1–5 | 1–5 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 3–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 0–2 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | — | 2–0 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 |
| Detroit | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 |
| Golden State | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | — | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 2–0 |
| Houston | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 2–3 | — | 2–0 | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–6 | 1–1 |
| Indiana | 0–6 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 |
| Kansas City | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 2–0 |
| Los Angeles | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 |
| Milwaukee | 4–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 3–2 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
| New Jersey | 4–2 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | — | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 |
| New York | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | — | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Philadelphia | 4–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | — | 5–1 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 0–2 |
| Portland | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | — | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| San Antonio | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | — | 4–1 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 2–0 |
| San Diego | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | — | 0–6 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 6–0 | — | 5–0 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 0–5 | — | 0–2 |
| Washington | 2–4 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — |

### Game log

1982–83 game log Total: 23–59 (Home: 15–26; Road: 8–33) :
October: 0–2 (home: 0–2; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
November: 2–11 (home: 1–4; road: 1–7)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
December: 2–12 (home: 2–5; road: 0–7)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
19December 7, 1982Atlanta
L 90–102
Coliseum at Richfield 2,254
3–16
23December 16, 1982@ Atlanta
L 97–106
The Omni 4,564
3–20 :
January: 5–10 (home: 3–5; road: 2–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
February: 6–6 (home: 5–3; road: 1–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
45February 1, 1983@ Atlanta
L 84–93
The Omni 4,802
9–36
47February 4, 1983Atlanta
L 81–92
Coliseum at Richfield 2,066
9–38 :
March: 4–12 (home: 2–3; road: 2–9)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
66March 18, 1983Atlanta
L 73–97
Coliseum at Richfield 2,461
17–49
72March 29, 1983@ Atlanta
L 82–95
The Omni 5,064
18–54 :
April: 4–5 (home: 2–3; road: 2–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
1982–83 schedule :

## Player statistics

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| World B. Free | 54 | 51 | 35.9 | 45.8 | 35.7 | 74.7 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 24.2 |
| Scott Wedman | 35 | 35 | 36.9 | 48.0 | 40.9 | 84.4 | 5.9 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 18.1 |
| Cliff Robinson | 77 | 75 | 33.8 | 47.7 | 0.0 | 70.8 | 11.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 18.0 |
| James Edwards | 15 | 8 | 25.5 | 48.7 | 0.0 | 62.3 | 6.4 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 12.3 |
| Geoff Huston | 80 | 79 | 34.0 | 48.2 | 33.3 | 68.6 | 2.0 | 6.1 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 12.2 |
| Ron Brewer | 21 | 18 | 26.8 | 40.0 | 0.0 | 86.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 11.4 |
| Phil Hubbard | 82 | 38 | 23.8 | 48.2 | 0.0 | 68.9 | 5.7 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 9.5 |
| Larry Kenon | 32 | 7 | 19.5 | 47.2 | 0.0 | 76.1 | 3.7 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 7.3 |
| Jeff Cook | 30 | 20 | 26.1 | 53.7 | 0.0 | 76.0 | 6.9 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 7.1 |
| Carl Nicks | 9 | 2 | 16.4 | 44.1 | 0.0 | 64.7 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 7.0 |
| Bob Wilkerson | 77 | 11 | 22.1 | 41.7 | 0.0 | 75.0 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 6.7 |
| John Bagley | 68 | 3 | 14.6 | 43.2 | 0.0 | 76.2 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 5.7 |
| Paul Mokeski | 23 | 18 | 23.4 | 45.5 | 0.0 | 61.5 | 6.0 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 5.5 |
| Bruce Flowers | 53 | 5 | 13.2 | 53.4 | 0.0 | 77.4 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 4.9 |
| Sam Lacey | 60 | 33 | 20.5 | 42.0 | 22.2 | 78.4 | 3.9 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 4.2 |
| Darren Tillis | 37 | 4 | 13.0 | 43.7 | 0.0 | 63.6 | 3.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 4.1 |
| Steve Hayes | 65 | 3 | 16.3 | 47.9 | 0.0 | 56.9 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 3.6 |
| Dave Magley | 14 | 0 | 4.0 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.9 |
Player Statistics Citation:

## Transactions

October 7, 1982 - Traded a 1986 2nd round draft pick to the Detroit Pistons for Steve Hayes.
October 11, 1982 - Waived Mike Evans.
October 22, 1982 - Waived Michael Wilson.
October 25, 1982 - Traded Brad Branson to the Indiana Pacers for a 1983 2nd round draft pick.
October 28, 1982 - Waived Lowes Moore.
December 6, 1982 - Signed Sam Lacey as a free agent.
December 15, 1982 - Traded Ron Brewer to the Golden State Warriors for World B. Free.
December 20, 1982 - Waived Paul Mokeski.
January 7, 1983 - Waived Dave Magley.
January 10, 1983 - Acquired player rights to Larry Kenon from the Golden State Warriors.
January 14, 1983 - Traded Scott Wedman to the Boston Celtics for Darren Tillis and a 1983 1st round draft pick.
February 7, 1983 - Traded James Edwards and a 1983 1st round draft pick to the Phoenix Suns for Jeff Cook, a 1983 1st round draft pick, and a 1983 3rd round draft pick.
March 21, 1983 - Waived Larry Kenon.
March 30, 1983 - Signed Carl Nicks as a free agent.
June 27, 1983 - Traded a 1983 2nd round draft pick to the Seattle SuperSonics for Lonnie Shelton.