# 1985–86 Cleveland Cavaliers season

The 1985–86 NBA season was the Cavaliers' 16th season in the NBA.
The season saw the team draft Charles Oakley and John "Hot Rod" Williams with the 9th and 45th picks in the 1985 NBA draft, respectively. Oakley's draft rights were traded to the Chicago Bulls. Williams played in the United States Basketball League during the 1986 season, as he was unable to play in the NBA due to a trial in which he was charged for sports bribery and conspiracy. However, Williams would later spend nine seasons with the Cavaliers franchise starting in the 1986–87 season.
The Cavaliers finished the season with a 29–53 record, missing the playoffs.

## NBA draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 9 | Charles Oakley | PF/C | United States | Virginia Union |
| 2 | 30 | Calvin Duncan | | United States | Virginia Commonwealth |
| 2 | 45 | Hot Rod Williams | PF/C | United States | Tulane |
| 3 | 55 | Herb Johnson | PF/C | United States | Tulsa |
| 4 | 79 | Mark Davis | F | United States | Old Dominion |
| 5 | 101 | Gunther Behnke | | Germany | |
| 6 | 125 | Ricky Johnson | | United States | Illinois State |
| 7 | 147 | Buzz Peterson | | United States | North Carolina |

## Regular season

| Central Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Milwaukee Bucks | 57 | 25 | .695 | – | 33–8 | 24–17 | 21–9 |
| x-Atlanta Hawks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 7 | 34–7 | 16–25 | 21–9 |
| x-Detroit Pistons | 46 | 36 | .561 | 11 | 31–10 | 15–26 | 18–12 |
| x-Chicago Bulls | 30 | 52 | .366 | 27 | 22–19 | 8–33 | 10–20 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 29 | 53 | .354 | 28 | 16–25 | 13–28 | 10–19 |
| Indiana Pacers | 26 | 56 | .317 | 31 | 19–22 | 7–34 | 9–20 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Boston Celtics | 67 | 15 | .817 | – |
| 2 | y-Milwaukee Bucks | 57 | 25 | .695 | 10 |
| 3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 54 | 28 | .659 | 13 |
| 4 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 17 |
| 5 | x-Detroit Pistons | 46 | 36 | .561 | 21 |
| 6 | x-Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 28 |
| 7 | x-New Jersey Nets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 28 |
| 8 | x-Chicago Bulls | 30 | 52 | .366 | 37 |
| 9 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 29 | 53 | .354 | 38 |
| 10 | Indiana Pacers | 26 | 56 | .317 | 41 |
| 11 | New York Knicks | 23 | 59 | .280 | 44 |

### Notes

    z - clinched division title
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1985-86 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 0–6 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 |
| Boston | 6–0 | – | 5–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 |
| Chicago | 1–5 | 1–5 | – | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–6 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | – | 3–3 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | – | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 |
| Detroit | 2–4 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Golden State | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | – | 0–5 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 5–0 | – | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 |
| Indiana | 1–5 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 5–1 |
| L.A. Clippers | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 0–2 | – | 2–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 0–2 |
| L.A. Lakers | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | – | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 5–0 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 |
| Milwaukee | 3–3 | 0–5 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 4–2 | 6–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| New Jersey | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | – | 5–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 |
| New York | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 1–5 | – | 0–6 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 |
| Philadelphia | 1–4 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 6–0 | – | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Phoenix | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | – | 2–4 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 |
| Portland | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–2 | – | 3–2 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
| Sacramento | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | – | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 1–5 | – | 2–3 | 2–4 | 2–0 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 0–5 | 3–2 | – | 2–3 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–2 | – | 1–1 |
| Washington | 4–1 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — |

## Regular season
### Game log

1985–86 game log Total: 29–53 (Home: 16–25; Road: 13–28) :
October: 1–3 (home: 0–2; road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1October 25, 1985@ Chicago
2October 26, 1985Boston :
November: 6–7 (home: 2–3; road: 4–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
11November 16, 1985@ Chicago
12November 19, 1985Golden State
15November 24, 1985Atlanta
W 98–90
Coliseum at Richfield 6,145
6–9
16November 26, 1985@ Detroit :
December: 7–8 (home: 4–6; road: 3–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
20December 7, 1985Denver
21December 10, 1985Detroit
24December 14, 1985Boston
25December 17, 1985Houston
28December 22, 1985Dallas
30December 27, 1985@ Detroit
32December 30, 1985Chicago :
January: 4–11 (home: 4–3; road: 0–8)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
36January 8, 1986@ Boston
39January 16, 1986@ Atlanta
L 99–116
The Omni 4,961
16–23
42January 22, 1986Detroit
44January 27, 1986@ Denver
45January 28, 1986@ Houston
47January 31, 1986@ Dallas :
February: 5–7 (home: 4–4; road: 1–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
48February 4, 1986Atlanta
L 104–105
Coliseum at Richfield 6,702
18–30
55February 20, 1986Detroit
58February 26, 1986@ Atlanta
L 109–129
The Omni 6,504
23–35
59February 28, 1986@ Chicago :
March: 5–10 (home: 1–5; road: 4–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
63March 8, 1986@ Golden State
69March 18, 1986vs. Boston (at Hartford, CT)
71March 22, 1986Chicago
72March 25, 1986Atlanta
L 91–97
Coliseum at Richfield 7,178
26–46
74March 29, 1986@ Atlanta
W 123–105
The Omni 9,056
28–46 :
April: 1–7 (home: 1–2; road: 0–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
75April 1, 1986Boston
79April 7, 1986@ Detroit
81April 11, 1986@ Boston
82April 13, 1986Chicago :
1985–86 schedule :

## Player stats

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| World B. Free | 75 | 75 | 33.8 | 45.5 | 42.0 | 78.0 | 2.9 | 4.2 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 23.4 |
| Roy Hinson | 82 | 82 | 34.6 | 53.2 | 0.0 | 71.9 | 7.8 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 19.6 |
| Melvin Turpin | 80 | 69 | 28.7 | 54.4 | 0.0 | 81.1 | 7.0 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 13.7 |
| John Bagley | 78 | 77 | 31.7 | 42.3 | 24.3 | 79.1 | 3.5 | 9.4 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 11.7 |
| Phil Hubbard | 23 | 21 | 27.8 | 47.0 | 0.0 | 67.9 | 5.2 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 11.4 |
| Eddie Johnson | 32 | 4 | 19.2 | 44.0 | 36.9 | 73.3 | 1.4 | 3.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 9.8 |
| Edgar Jones | 53 | 6 | 19.1 | 50.5 | 30.4 | 74.2 | 3.9 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 9.7 |
| Keith Lee | 58 | 38 | 20.6 | 46.6 | 22.2 | 78.1 | 6.1 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 7.4 |
| Johnny Davis | 39 | 0 | 15.7 | 43.0 | 18.2 | 84.8 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 7.0 |
| Dirk Minniefield | 76 | 2 | 14.9 | 48.1 | 27.0 | 78.5 | 1.7 | 3.5 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 5.5 |
| Ron Brewer | 40 | 3 | 13.8 | 38.6 | 29.4 | 89.2 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 5.1 |
| Ron Anderson | 17 | 3 | 12.2 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 75.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 5.1 |
| Ben Poquette | 81 | 3 | 18.5 | 47.7 | 20.0 | 72.0 | 4.6 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 5.0 |
| Lonnie Shelton | 44 | 1 | 15.5 | 48.9 | 0.0 | 87.5 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 4.5 |
| Mark West | 67 | 26 | 17.5 | 54.1 | 0.0 | 52.4 | 4.8 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 4.2 |
| Ben McDonald | 21 | 0 | 12.7 | 48.3 | 0.0 | 62.5 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2.9 |
| Ennis Whatley | 8 | 0 | 8.3 | 47.4 | 0.0 | 57.1 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 2.8 |
Player Statistics Citation:

## Transactions
### Trades

| June 18, 1985 (Draft day) | To Cleveland CavaliersDraft rights to Keith Lee Ennis Whatley | To Chicago BullsDraft rights to Charles Oakley Draft rights to Calvin Duncan |
| December 10, 1985 | To Cleveland Cavaliers1987 fourth-round pick | To Indiana PacersRon Anderson |
| February 10, 1986 | To Cleveland CavaliersEddie Johnson | To Atlanta HawksJohnny Davis |
| June 16, 1986 | To Cleveland Cavaliers1986 first-round pick | To Philadelphia 76ersRoy Hinson Cash considerations |

### Free agents

Additions :
| Player | Date signed | Former team |
| Derrick Rowland | September 5 | N/A |
| Dirk Minniefield | September 11 | Louisville Catbirds (CBA) |
| Ron Brewer | January 11 | Chicago Bulls |
| Ben McDonald | March 4 | Magia Huesca (Spain) |
Subtractions :
| Player | Reason Left | New team |
| Mark Davis | Waived | Pensacola Tornados (CBA) |
| Kevin Williams | Waived | Tampa Bay Thrillers (CBA) |
| Derrick Rowland | Waived | Milwaukee Bucks |
| Ennis Whatley | Waived | Washington Bullets |