# 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

* 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 |

### Trades
## Draft picks

| 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 |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Central Divisionvte | 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 Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | 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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
November: 1–17 (home: 0–8; road: 1–9)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
10November 1, 1970Atlanta
L 107–131
Cleveland Arena 3,533
0–10 :
December: 4–13 (home: 4–6; road: 0–7)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
44December 31, 1970@ Atlanta
L 85–119
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 5,429
5–39 :
January: 5–9 (home: 4–4; road: 1–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
57January 29, 1971@ Atlanta
L 111–119
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 7,192
9–48 :
February: 2–12 (home: 1–5; road: 1–7)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
March: 3–7 (home: 2–5; road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
76March 12, 1971Atlanta
L 107–119
Cleveland Arena 8,341
13–63 :
1970–71 schedule :