# 1973–74 Cleveland Cavaliers season

The 1973–74 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the fourth season of NBA basketball in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers finished the season with a 29–53 record, finishing last in the Central Division and 7th Eastern Conference. Austin Carr was named an All-Star and set the team record for points per game. The Cavaliers played, and won, their last game in Cleveland Arena.

## Offseason
### Trades

April 24: Cavaliers trade center Rick Roberson and forward John Johnson and switch positions in the first round of the 1973 NBA draft with the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for the Trail Blazers' first round choice and four other draft choices. The Cavaliers select forward Jim Brewer with Portland's first pick.

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Central Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
| y-Capital Bullets | 47 | 35 | .573 | – | 31–10 | 15–25 | 1–0 | 14–8 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 35 | 47 | .427 | 12 | 23–18 | 12–25 | 0–4 | 13–9 |
| Houston Rockets | 32 | 50 | .390 | 15 | 18–23 | 13–25 | 1–2 | 9–13 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 29 | 53 | .354 | 18 | 18–23 | 11–28 | 0–2 | 8–14 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Boston Celtics | 56 | 26 | .683 | – |
| 2 | x-New York Knicks | 49 | 33 | .598 | 7 |
| 3 | y-Capital Bullets | 47 | 35 | .573 | 9 |
| 4 | x-Buffalo Braves | 42 | 40 | .512 | 14 |
| 5 | Atlanta Hawks | 35 | 47 | .427 | 21 |
| 6 | Houston Rockets | 32 | 50 | .390 | 24 |
| 7 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 29 | 53 | .354 | 27 |
| 8 | Philadelphia 76ers | 25 | 57 | .305 | 31 |

### Record vs. opponents

1973–74 NBA records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | BUF | CAP | CHI | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | KCO | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA |
| Atlanta | — | 1–5 | 2–4 | 4–4 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 5–2 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 |
| Boston | 5–1 | — | 5–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 7–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 |
| Buffalo | 4–2 | 2–5 | — | 3–3 | 1–3 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 4–4 | 6–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 |
| Capital | 4–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 1–3 | 6–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 |
| Chicago | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | — | 4–0 | 5–2 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 5–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 4–2 |
| Cleveland | 3–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–6 | 0–4 | — | 2–2 | 0–4 | 4–4 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 |
| Detroit | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–5 | 2–2 | — | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 5–1 |
| Golden State | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 1–5 | — | 4–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 3–4 | 3–3 |
| Houston | 2–5 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 0–4 | 4–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 |
| Kansas City-Omaha | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–2 | — | 1–5 | 0–7 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 |
| Los Angeles | 0–4 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 5–1 | — | 4–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 4–3 | 4–3 |
| Milwaukee | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 4–3 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 7–0 | 2–4 | — | 2–2 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 4–2 |
| New York | 5–1 | 2–5 | 4–4 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 4–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 |
| Philadelphia | 3–3 | 1–7 | 1–6 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 3–4 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 |
| Phoenix | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 0–6 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 1–3 | — | 3–3 | 4–3 |
| Portland | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 4–3 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 0–6 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–3 | — | 3–3 |
| Seattle | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 3–4 | 3–3 | — |

## Game log

1973–74 game log Total: 29–53 (Home: 18–23; Road: 11–28; Neutral: 0–2) :
October: 2–7 (home: 2–4; road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1October 12, 1973Houston
L 106–99
Austin Carr (24)
Brewer, Wilkens (7)
Lenny Wilkens (7)
Cleveland Arena 3,624
0–1
2October 14, 1973Detroit
L 95–83
Dwight Davis (18)
Dwight Davis (13)
Lenny Wilkens (8)
Cleveland Arena 2,855
0–2
3October 19, 1973New York
L 92–90
Austin Carr (28)
Jim Brewer (13)
Lenny Wilkens (10)
Cleveland Arena 5,102
0–3
4October 20, 1973@ Milwaukee
L 88–101
Austin Carr (24)
Dwight Davis (12)
Carr, Rule (4)
Milwaukee Arena 8,837
0–4
5October 23, 1973Portland
W 96–103
Lenny Wilkens (30)
Bingo Smith (15)
Austin Carr (7)
Cleveland Arena 2,437
1–4
6October 26, 1973N Buffalo
L 97–104
Dwight Davis (19)
Dwight Davis (14)
Lenny Wilkens (7)
Maple Leaf Gardens 7,187
1–5
7October 27, 1973Buffalo
L 111–101
Austin Carr (27)
Bob Rule (6)
Austin Carr (7)
Cleveland Arena 4,313
1–6
8October 28, 1973Boston
W 99–102
Austin Carr (31)
Bob Rule (13)
Lenny Wilkens (6)
Cleveland Arena 2,808
2–6
9October 31, 1973@ Boston
L 110–128
Austin Carr (26)
Bob Rule (7)
Lenny Wilkens (7)
Boston Garden 4,509
2–7 :
November: 7–9 (home: 4–4; road: 3–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
10November 2, 1973Milwaukee
L 118–100
Austin Carr (16)
Jim Brewer (13)
Lenny Wilkens (9)
Cleveland Arena 5,361
2–8
11November 3, 1973@ Chicago
L 94–105
Austin Carr (26)
Jim Brewer (14)
Smith, Wilkens (3)
Chicago Stadium 5,733
2–9
12November 4, 1973Atlanta
L 115–110
Austin Carr (31)
Steve Patterson (10)
Lenny Wilkens (10)
Cleveland Arena 3,587
2–10
13November 6, 1973Los Angeles
W 96–115
Bingo Smith (22)
Jim Brewer (16)
Lenny Wilkens (14)
Cleveland Arena 3,124
3–10
14November 9, 1973Houston
W 106–111
Bingo Smith (23)
Jim Brewer (13)
Lenny Wilkens (12)
Cleveland Arena 9,149
4–10
15November 10, 1973@ New York
L 90–100
Austin Carr (23)
Jim Brewer (9)
Carr, Wilkens (6)
Madison Square Garden 18,999
4–11
16November 11, 1973Kansas City–Omaha
L 103–93
Austin Carr (27)
Steve Patterson (10)
Lenny Wilkens (6)
Cleveland Arena 2,802
4–12
17November 13, 1973@ Golden State
L 115–128
Austin Carr (23)
Bingo Smith (11)
Smith, Wilkens (5)
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 2,194
4–13
18November 16, 1973@ Seattle
L 93–117
Austin Carr (26)
Dwight Davis (14)
Lenny Wilkens (7)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,770
4–14
19November 18, 1973@ Los Angeles
L 100–102
Austin Carr (24)
Steve Patterson (12)
Lenny Wilkens (8)
The Forum 13,205
4–15
20November 22, 1973@ Houston
W 104–96
Austin Carr (27)
Steve Patterson (13)
Carr, Wilkens (4)
Hofheinz Pavilion 4,789
5–15
21November 23, 1973@ Houston
W 85–83
Bingo Smith (20)
Dwight Davis (11)
Lenny Wilkens (8)
Hofheinz Pavilion 3,653
6–15
22November 25, 1973Boston
L 107–101
Austin Carr (26)
Steve Patterson (11)
Austin Carr (9)
Cleveland Arena 4,941
6–16
23November 27, 1973Seattle
W 118–120
Bingo Smith (34)
Dwight Davis (10)
Lenny Wilkens (20)
Cleveland Arena 3,357
7–16
24November 28, 1973@ Detroit
W 96–91
Bingo Smith (23)
Brewer, Patterson (12)
Lenny Wilkens (11)
Cobo Arena 2,601
8–16
25November 30, 1973Philadelphia
W 110–112
Austin Carr (34)
Dwight Davis (11)
Lenny Wilkens (9)
Cleveland Arena 2,566
9–16 :
December: 5–11 (home: 3–6; road: 2–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
26December 1, 1973@ New York
L 99–119
Lenny Wilkens (24)
Dwight Davis (8)
Lenny Wilkens (3)
Madison Square Garden 18,922
9–17
27December 2, 1973Houston
L 130–104
Fred Foster (18)
Jim Brewer (10)
Jim Cleamons (12)
Cleveland Arena 2,354
9–18
28December 5, 1973@ Philadelphia
W 89–75
Austin Carr (26)
Dwight Davis (15)
Bingo Smith (5)
Spectrum 4,230
10–18
29December 7, 1973Chicago
L 96–91
Austin Carr (18)
Steve Patterson (13)
Jim Cleamons (10)
Cleveland Arena 2,868
10–19
30December 9, 1973Phoenix
L 117–106
Austin Carr (26)
Dwight Davis (13)
Jim Brewer (9)
Cleveland Arena 3,042
10–20
31December 11, 1973Los Angeles
W 100–101 (OT)
Austin Carr (24)
Jim Brewer (17)
Austin Carr (7)
Cleveland Arena 3,341
11–20
32December 14, 1973Buffalo
L 102–98
John Warren (24)
Dwight Davis (11)
Bingo Smith (7)
Cleveland Arena 2,593
11–21
33December 18, 1973@ Buffalo
L 93–100
Austin Carr (24)
Brewer, Davis (12)
Austin Carr (6)
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 10,224
11–22
34December 19, 1973@ Kansas City–Omaha
L 92–106
Carr, Cleamons (21)
Davis, Smith (9)
Cleamons, Smith (4)
Omaha Civic Auditorium 6,047
11–23
35December 21, 1973Seattle
W 96–101
Austin Carr (30)
Dwight Davis (10)
Jim Brewer (8)
Cleveland Arena 2,173
12–23
36December 22, 1973@ Atlanta
W 108–98
Austin Carr (39)
Steve Patterson (10)
Dwight Davis (7)
The Omni 5,602
13–23
37December 23, 1973Houston
W 91–99
Dwight Davis (23)
Dwight Davis (10)
Jim Cleamons (8)
Cleveland Arena 3,074
14–23
38December 26, 1973@ Milwaukee
L 110–123
Austin Carr (29)
Jim Brewer (14)
Jim Brewer (7)
Milwaukee Arena 9,986
14–24
39December 27, 1973Kansas City–Omaha
W 110–100
Austin Carr (24)
Dwight Davis (12)
Austin Carr (9)
Cleveland Arena 5,417
14–25
40December 29, 1973N Boston
L 92–111
Jim Cleamons (18)
Dwight Davis (16)
Jim Cleamons (5)
Providence Civic Center 6,321
14–26
41December 30, 1973Atlanta
L 99–94
Austin Carr (28)
Dwight Davis (11)
Lenny Wilkens (6)
Cleveland Arena 6,442
14–27 :
January: 5–9 (home: 2–2; road: 3–7)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
42January 4, 1974Capital
L 94–91
Austin Carr (22)
Brewer, Davis, Smith (9)
Lenny Wilkens (7)
Cleveland Arena 3,431
14–28
43January 5, 1974@ Atlanta
L 86–99
Austin Carr (15)
Dwight Davis (8)
Jim Cleamons (5)
The Omni 7,370
14–29
44January 9, 1974@ Philadelphia
L 86–90
Dwight Davis (16)
Luke Witte (11)
Jim Cleamons (5)
Spectrum 2,545
14–30
45January 11, 1974Detroit
L 106–96
Austin Carr (25)
Smith, Witte (8)
Austin Carr (7)
Cleveland Arena 4,208
14–31
46January 12, 1974@ Detroit
W 117–112 (OT)
Austin Carr (27)
Dwight Davis (16)
Lenny Wilkens (9)
Cobo Arena 5,644
15–31
47January 13, 1974Philadelphia
W 94–96
Austin Carr (26)
Dwight Davis (8)
Lenny Wilkens (11)
Cleveland Arena 3,477
16–31
48January 17, 1974@ Capital
L 86–101
Austin Carr (22)
Dwight Davis (7)
Lenny Wilkens (8)
Capital Centre 3,217
16–32
49January 19, 1974@ Kansas City–Omaha
L 108–111
Austin Carr (31)
Dwight Davis (16)
Lenny Wilkens (6)
Kemper Arena 5,538
16–33
50January 22, 1974@ Los Angeles
W 111–110 (OT)
Lenny Wilkens (24)
Brewer, Witte (13)
Lenny Wilkens (10)
The Forum 13,856
17–33
51January 23, 1974@ Phoenix
L 103–110
Bingo Smith (20)
Luke Witte (12)
Lenny Wilkens (13)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,017
17–34
52January 25, 1974@ Portland
W 87–84
Bingo Smith (20)
Steve Patterson (9)
Lenny Wilkens (6)
Memorial Coliseum 8,484
18–34
53January 26, 1974@ Golden State
L 93–106
Bingo Smith (22)
Luke Witte (11)
Lenny Wilkens (7)
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 4,687
18–35
54January 29, 1974Atlanta
W 111–118
Bingo Smith (27)
Steve Patterson (12)
Lenny Wilkens (10)
Cleveland Arena 4,453
19–35
55January 30, 1974@ Boston
L 108–120
Lenny Wilkens (24)
Steve Patterson (11)
Lenny Wilkens (8)
Boston Garden 5,970
19–36 :
February: 4–11 (home: 2–7; road: 2–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
56February 1, 1974Capital
L 107–99
Austin Carr (28)
Dwight Davis (11)
Cleamons, Wilkens (9)
Cleveland Arena 3,735
19–37
57February 2, 1974@ New York
L 87–103
Austin Carr (18)
Patterson, Witte (9)
Lenny Wilkens (4)
Madison Square Garden 19,694
19–38
58February 3, 1974Chicago
L 108–94
Steve Patterson (17)
Steve Patterson (15)
Lenny Wilkens (11)
Cleveland Arena 3,406
19–39
59February 5, 1974Milwaukee
L 102–87
Lenny Wilkens (18)
Dwight Davis (12)
Lenny Wilkens (9)
Cleveland Arena 5,291
19–40
60February 8, 1974@ Houston
L 106–120
Austin Carr (22)
Steve Patterson (16)
Steve Patterson (10)
Hofheinz Pavilion 4,237
19–41
61February 9, 1974@ Atlanta
L 90–99
Austin Carr (24)
Steve Patterson (14)
Lenny Wilkens (7)
The Omni 5,534
19–42
62February 10, 1974Buffalo
W 121–125
Austin Carr (35)
Steve Patterson (10)
Fred Foster (8)
Cleveland Arena 2,997
20–42
63February 12, 1974Capital
L 107–99
Lenny Wilkens (22)
Steve Patterson (18)
Steve Patterson (6)
Cleveland Arena 3,549
20–43
64February 16, 1974@ Portland
W 106–101
Steve Patterson (22)
Steve Patterson (19)
Lenny Wilkens (10)
Memorial Coliseum 5,583
21–43
65February 17, 1974@ Seattle
L 97–106
Lenny Wilkens (25)
Steve Patterson (14)
Lenny Wilkens (7)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,078
21–44
66February 19, 1974Golden State
L 104–98
Austin Carr (34)
Steve Patterson (11)
Lenny Wilkens (11)
Cleveland Arena 2,946
21–45
67February 21, 1974Golden State
L 122–103
Austin Carr (26)
Steve Patterson (16)
Lenny Wilkens (6)
Cleveland Arena 1,641
21–46
68February 22, 1974New York
L 117–110
Austin Carr (32)
Jim Cleamons (8)
Lenny Wilkens (6)
Cleveland Arena 7,781
21–47
69February 23, 1974@ Capital
W 104–101
Austin Carr (28)
Dwight Davis (11)
Lenny Wilkens (8)
Capital Centre 9,247
22–47
70February 24, 1974Phoenix
W 97–101
Lenny Wilkens (19)
Steve Patterson (11)
Carr, Wilkens (6)
Cleveland Arena 3,288
23–47 :
March: 6–6 (home: 5–0; road: 1–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
71March 1, 1974@ Philadelphia
W 110–93
Austin Carr (28)
Barry Clemens (17)
Lenny Wilkens (7)
Spectrum 3,852
24–47
72March 3, 1974@ Capital
L 93–98
Austin Carr (24)
Brewer, Patterson (13)
Lenny Wilkens (6)
Capital Centre 5,072
24–48
73March 9, 1974@ Phoenix
L 100–109
Austin Carr (16)
Dwight Davis (10)
Lenny Wilkens (7)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6,153
24–49
74March 10, 1974@ Houston
L 108–113
Austin Carr (32)
Steve Patterson (9)
Lenny Wilkens (10)
Hofheinz Pavilion 2,054
24–50
75March 12, 1974Atlanta
W 84–95
Carr, Smith (24)
Steve Patterson (18)
Lenny Wilkens (9)
Cleveland Arena 4,514
25–50
76March 15, 1974Boston
W 103–104
Lenny Wilkens (24)
Dwight Davis (9)
Austin Carr (6)
Cleveland Arena 7,304
26–50
77March 16, 1974@ Buffalo
L 105–114
Lenny Wilkens (18)
Steve Patterson (7)
Jim Cleamons (5)
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 18,000
26–51
78March 17, 1974Philadelphia
W 99–115
Austin Carr (31)
Steve Patterson (15)
Lenny Wilkens (14)
Cleveland Arena 2,891
27–51
79March 19, 1974Portland
W 103–107
Bingo Smith (24)
Steve Patterson (16)
Lenny Wilkens (6)
Cleveland Arena 3,379
28–51
80March 20, 1974@ Capital
L 91–101
Lenny Wilkens (26)
Steve Patterson (13)
Lenny Wilkens (9)
Capital Centre 7,943
28–52
81March 24, 1974New York
W 92–114
Lenny Wilkens (22)
Davis, Patterson (8)
Lenny Wilkens (11)
Cleveland Arena 8,829
29–52
82March 26, 1974@ Chicago
L 98–104
Carr, Smith (22)
Davis, Patterson (8)
Austin Carr (6)
Chicago Stadium 5,327
29–53 :
1973–74 schedule :