1972–73 Cleveland Cavaliers season
Appearance
(Redirected from 1972-73 Cleveland Cavaliers season)
1972–73 Cleveland Cavaliers season | |
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Head coach | Bill Fitch |
Arena | Cleveland Arena |
Results | |
Record | 32–50 (.390) |
Place | Division: 4th (Central) Conference: 6th (Eastern) |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | WEWS-TV |
Radio | WERE |
The 1972–73 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the third season of NBA basketball in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers finished the season with a 32–50 record, finishing last in the Central Division and 6th Eastern Conference. This was the 2nd consecutive year with a total win increase. Lenny Wilkens led the team in assists and was named an All-Star.
Offseason
[edit]Trades
[edit]August 23: Guard Lenny Wilkens and forward Barry Clemens obtained from the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for guard Butch Beard.
September 21: Cavaliers trade the rights to 1971 second-round draft choice Steve Hawes to the Houston Rockets in exchange for a future undisclosed draft choice.
Draft picks
[edit]Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College/Club team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 3 | Dwight Davis | PF | United States | Houston |
2 | 24 | Steve Hawes | C | United States | Washington |
- Note: This table only lists players drafted through the second round.
Roster
[edit]Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Regular season
[edit]Season standings
[edit]W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y-Baltimore Bullets | 52 | 30 | .634 | – | 24–9 | 21–17 | 7–4 | 17–5 |
x-Atlanta Hawks | 46 | 36 | .561 | 6 | 28–13 | 17–23 | 1–0 | 10–12 |
Houston Rockets | 33 | 49 | .402 | 19 | 14–14 | 10–28 | 9–7 | 9–13 |
Cleveland Cavaliers | 32 | 50 | .390 | 20 | 20–21 | 10–27 | 2–2 | 8–14 |
# | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | |
1 | z-Boston Celtics | 68 | 14 | .829 |
2 | x-New York Knicks | 57 | 25 | .695 |
3 | y-Baltimore Bullets | 52 | 30 | .634 |
4 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 46 | 36 | .561 |
5 | Houston Rockets | 33 | 49 | .402 |
6 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 32 | 50 | .390 |
7 | Buffalo Braves | 21 | 61 | .256 |
8 | Philadelphia 76ers | 9 | 73 | .110 |
Record vs. opponents
[edit]1972–73 NBA records | |||||||||||||||||
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Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | KCO | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA |
Atlanta | — | 3–4 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–4 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 |
Baltimore | 4–3 | — | 1–5 | 5–1 | 0–4 | 8–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–0 |
Boston | 5–1 | 5–1 | — | 7–0 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–4 | 7–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 |
Buffalo | 1–5 | 1–5 | 0–7 | — | 2–2 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–6 | 7–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
Chicago | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 3–1 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 5–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–1 |
Cleveland | 4–3 | 0–8 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 1–3 | — | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–6 | 6–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 |
Detroit | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | — | 2–4 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 2–5 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–4 |
Golden State | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | — | 3–1 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 4–3 |
Houston | 4–4 | 2–5 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 0–4 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 1–3 | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
Kansas City-Omaha | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | — | 1–5 | 1–6 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 |
Los Angeles | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 5–1 | — | 3–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 6–1 | 6–0 | 6–0 |
Milwaukee | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 6–1 | 3–3 | — | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 |
New York | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–4 | 6–1 | 1–3 | 6–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 6–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 |
Philadelphia | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–7 | 1–7 | 0–4 | 0–6 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–6 | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 |
Phoenix | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–6 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 4–0 | — | 5–2 | 4–2 |
Portland | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 3–1 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–5 | — | 3–4 |
Seattle | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 4–3 | — |
Game log
[edit]1972–73 Game log | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | |||||
1 | October 10 | Baltimore | 102–90 | John Johnson (24) | 0–1 | |||||
2 | October 13 | Houston | 109–108 | Austin Carr (40) | 0–2 | |||||
3 | October 15 | Los Angeles | 95–83 | Austin Carr (26) | 0–3 | |||||
4 | October 20 | New York | 92–89 | Austin Carr (22) | 0–4 | |||||
5 | October 21 | @ Detroit | 96–103 | Rick Roberson (21) | 0–5 | |||||
6 | October 22 | Milwaukee | 104–84 | Carr, C. Davis, Johnson (14) | 0–6 | |||||
7 | October 24 | @ New York | 90–123 | Austin Carr (15) | 0–7 | |||||
8 | October 25 | @ Philadelphia | 113–108 | Austin Carr (35) | 1–7 | |||||
9 | October 27 | @ Boston | 97–123 | Lenny Wilkens (23) | 1–8 | |||||
10 | October 29 | Kansas City–Omaha | 97–115 | Austin Carr (22) | 2–8 | |||||
11 | October 31 | Philadelphia | 116–126 | Smith, Wilkens (27) | 3–8 | |||||
12 | November 3 | Buffalo | 97–124 | Austin Carr (26) | 4–8 | |||||
13 | November 4 | N Baltimore | 98–108 | Austin Carr (22) | 4–9 | |||||
14 | November 5 | Phoenix | 107–106 | Lenny Wilkens (29) | 4–10 | |||||
15 | November 8 | @ Phoenix | 99–107 | Austin Carr (26) | 4–11 | |||||
16 | November 10 | @ Los Angeles | 88–118 | Lenny Wilkens (16) | 4–12 | |||||
17 | November 12 | @ Seattle | 113–107 | Carr, Wilkens (22) | 5–12 | |||||
18 | November 14 | @ Portland | 91–100 | Dwight Davis (21) | 5–13 | |||||
19 | November 17 | @ Kansas City–Omaha | 96–115 | John Johnson (26) | 5–14 | |||||
20 | November 19 | Atlanta | 98–109 | Austin Carr (26) | 6–14 | |||||
21 | November 21 | Seattle | 88–98 | Austin Carr (31) | 7–14 | |||||
22 | November 25 | @ Buffalo | 103–90 | Lenny Wilkens (20) | 8–14 | |||||
23 | November 26 | Portland | 105–102 | Lenny Wilkens (29) | 8–15 | |||||
24 | November 28 | @ New York | 84–107 | Lenny Wilkens (22) | 8–16 | |||||
25 | December 1 | Detroit | 114–113 | Austin Carr (29) | 8–17 | |||||
26 | December 3 | Seattle | 103–105 (OT) | Austin Carr (30) | 9–17 | |||||
27 | December 5 | Baltimore | 103–100 | Austin Carr (31) | 9–18 | |||||
28 | December 8 | Boston | 96–87 | Austin Carr (20) | 9–19 | |||||
29 | December 9 | @ Boston | 88–123 | Austin Carr (27) | 9–20 | |||||
30 | December 10 | Golden State | 103–100 | Austin Carr (26) | 9–21 | |||||
31 | December 12 | @ Kansas City–Omaha | 99–100 | Austin Carr (27) | 9–22 | |||||
32 | December 15 | @ Milwaukee | 82–98 | Dwight Davis (17) | 9–23 | |||||
33 | December 16 | @ Atlanta | 94–100 | Carr, Johnson (21) | 9–24 | |||||
34 | December 17 | Houston | 110–109 | John Johnson (30) | 9–25 | |||||
35 | December 22 | New York | 98–87 | Austin Carr (27) | 9–26 | |||||
36 | December 26 | Atlanta | 96–115 | Austin Carr (26) | 10–26 | |||||
37 | December 28 | @ Golden State | 105–118 | Lenny Wilkens (25) | 10–27 | |||||
38 | December 29 | @ Seattle | 91–99 | Austin Carr (20) | 10–28 | |||||
39 | January 2 | Phoenix | 88–111 | Austin Carr (20) | 11–28 | |||||
40 | January 3 | @ Baltimore | 80–89 | Rick Roberson (17) | 11–29 | |||||
41 | January 6 | Los Angeles | 93–108 | Lenny Wilkens (36) | 12–29 | |||||
42 | January 7 | Houston | 97–102 | Lenny Wilkens (24) | 13–29 | |||||
43 | January 9 | @ Buffalo | 102–106 | Lenny Wilkens (23) | 13–30 | |||||
44 | January 12 | N Philadelphia | 109–113 (2OT) | Lenny Wilkens (27) | 14–30 | |||||
45 | January 13 | @ Houston | 123–115 | Austin Carr (25) | 15–30 | |||||
46 | January 16 | @ Golden State | 100–98 | Lenny Wilkens (22) | 16–30 | |||||
47 | January 19 | @ Houston | 108–104 | John Johnson (28) | 17–30 | |||||
48 | January 20 | @ Atlanta | 84–96 | Austin Carr (16) | 17–31 | |||||
49 | January 26 | Philadelphia | 100–105 | Lenny Wilkens (28) | 18–31 | |||||
50 | January 28 | Baltimore | 102–93 | Lenny Wilkens (22) | 18–32 | |||||
51 | January 30 | Milwaukee | 98–112 | Dwight Davis (23) | 19–32 | |||||
52 | January 31 | @ Boston | 89–94 | John Johnson (22) | 19–33 | |||||
53 | February 3 | @ New York | 90–95 | Lenny Wilkens (20) | 19–34 | |||||
54 | February 4 | New York | 114–97 | Lenny Wilkens (23) | 19–35 | |||||
55 | February 6 | Boston | 105–110 | Lenny Wilkens (31) | 20–35 | |||||
56 | February 8 | @ Atlanta | 136–132 (OT) | Austin Carr (38) | 21–35 | |||||
57 | February 9 | Chicago | 103–97 | Austin Carr (26) | 21–36 | |||||
58 | February 11 | Atlanta | 115–107 | Austin Carr (26) | 21–37 | |||||
59 | February 13 | Golden State | 103–90 | Austin Carr (21) | 21–38 | |||||
60 | February 16 | @ Chicago | 92–100 | Austin Carr (23) | 21–39 | |||||
61 | February 17 | @ Detroit | 106–104 | Austin Carr (23) | 22–39 | |||||
62 | February 18 | Buffalo | 98–122 | Austin Carr (26) | 23–39 | |||||
63 | February 20 | N Milwaukee | 118–100 | Lenny Wilkens (20) | 23–40 | |||||
64 | February 23 | Portland | 102–121 | Austin Carr (26) | 24–40 | |||||
65 | February 25 | Boston | 105–92 | Lenny Wilkens (23) | 24–41 | |||||
66 | February 27 | @ Baltimore | 95–99 | Lenny Wilkens (24) | 24–42 | |||||
67 | March 2 | @ Portland | 92–106 | Lenny Wilkens (32) | 24–43 | |||||
68 | March 4 | @ Los Angeles | 84–127 | Austin Carr (18) | 24–44 | |||||
69 | March 6 | @ Phoenix | 102–110 | Lenny Wilkens (26) | 24–45 | |||||
70 | March 7 | N Houston | 100–118 | John Johnson (22) | 25–45 | |||||
71 | March 10 | @ Houston | 116–131 | Austin Carr (26) | 25–46 | |||||
72 | March 13 | Atlanta | 107–115 | Austin Carr (28) | 26–46 | |||||
73 | March 16 | Kansas City–Omaha | 99–114 | Bingo Smith (21) | 27–46 | |||||
74 | March 17 | @ Buffalo | 114–97 | Carr, Roberson (18) | 28–46 | |||||
75 | March 18 | Buffalo | 101–102 | Lenny Wilkens (21) | 29–46 | |||||
76 | March 20 | Philadelphia | 105–131 | Austin Carr (25) | 30–46 | |||||
77 | March 21 | @ Philadelphia | 112–109 | Austin Carr (24) | 31–46 | |||||
78 | March 23 | Baltimore | 106–104 | Lenny Wilkens (25) | 31–47 | |||||
79 | March 24 | @ Baltimore | 116–120 (OT) | Austin Carr (31) | 31–48 | |||||
80 | March 25 | Chicago | 105–112 | Lenny Wilkens (26) | 32–48 | |||||
81 | March 27 | @ Chicago | 105–121 | Johnson, Wilkens (18) | 32–49 | |||||
82 | March 28 | Detroit | 131–119 (OT) | Austin Carr (27) | 32–50 |
Awards and records
[edit]- Dwight Davis, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team