The 1977-78 Cleveland Cavaliers experienced a challenging NBA season. Under head coach Bill Fitch, the team aimed to build on their previous successes but faced several hurdles. They concluded the season with a 43-39 record, which placed them fifth in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, this record was not sufficient to secure a playoff berth, marking a step back from their playoff appearance the previous year.
The Cavaliers’ roster included standout players such as Austin Carr, who was a key scoring option, and Campy Russell, who provided versatility and skill at the forward position. Despite their efforts, the team struggled to maintain consistency throughout the season, particularly against stronger opponents within their division.
In terms of team statistics, the Cavaliers posted a respectable offensive performance, averaging 107.4 points per game. However, their defense allowed an average of 106.3 points per game, which highlighted the team’s defensive vulnerabilities. This imbalance contributed to their inability to secure a higher standing in the competitive Central Division.
Overall, the 1977-78 season was a period of transition for the Cavaliers, as they attempted to redefine their strategy and roster composition for future success. The team’s struggles highlighted the need for further development and strategic adjustments to compete more effectively in subsequent seasons.
- Regular Season Record: 43-39
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 0-2
Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats for 1977-78 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Campy Russell | 72 | 19.4 | 6.4 | 3.9 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 2 | 27.5 | 7.5 | 5.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Walt Frazier | 51 | 16.2 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Jim Chones | 82 | 15.0 | 10.3 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 2 | 15.0 | 7.5 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Elmore Smith | 81 | 12.5 | 8.4 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 2 | 12.5 | 9.5 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.0 |
| Austin Carr | 82 | 12.3 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 2 | 17.5 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Bingo Smith | 82 | 10.3 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2 | 8.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Foots Walker | 81 | 9.1 | 3.6 | 5.6 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2 | 12.5 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Terry Furlow | 53 | 8.9 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2 | 16.0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Brewer | 80 | 4.9 | 6.2 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dick Snyder | 58 | 4.8 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| John Lambert | 76 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 2 | 1.5 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Eddie Jordan | 22 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1978 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. New York Knicks
In the 1978 NBA Playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers faced the New York Knicks in the first round. Despite a strong effort, the Cavaliers were eliminated after losing the mini-series 2-0. The series highlighted the formidable challenge posed by the Knicks' veteran presence and experience, which the young Cavaliers struggled to overcome.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 12, 1978 | vs. New York Knicks | L 132-114 | |
| Apr 14, 1978 | @ New York Knicks | L 109-107 |
Cleveland Cavaliers 1977-78 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1977-78 season for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 18, 1977 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 91-88 | |
| Oct 20, 1977 | @ New Orleans Jazz | W 107-104 | |
| Oct 22, 1977 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 107-101 | |
| Oct 25, 1977 | @ New York Knicks | W 117-112 | |
| Oct 27, 1977 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 119-104 | |
| Oct 29, 1977 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 103-98 | |
| Nov 01, 1977 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 110-93 | |
| Nov 02, 1977 | @ Boston Celtics | W 104-101 | |
| Nov 03, 1977 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 100-91 | |
| Nov 05, 1977 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 105-93 | |
| Nov 11, 1977 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 88-82 | |
| Nov 15, 1977 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 102-95 | |
| Nov 18, 1977 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 108-104 | |
| Nov 19, 1977 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 109-67 | |
| Nov 20, 1977 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 115-108 | |
| Nov 24, 1977 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 97-82 | |
| Nov 26, 1977 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 105-87 | |
| Nov 29, 1977 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 118-101 | |
| Dec 01, 1977 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 105-92 | |
| Dec 03, 1977 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 111-97 | |
| Dec 04, 1977 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 100-94 | |
| Dec 06, 1977 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 116-94 | |
| Dec 07, 1977 | @ Washington Bullets | L 96-95 | |
| Dec 10, 1977 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 102-87 | |
| Dec 13, 1977 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 116-104 | |
| Dec 16, 1977 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 116-106 | |
| Dec 17, 1977 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 129-116 | |
| Dec 18, 1977 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 101-95 | |
| Dec 22, 1977 | vs. New York Knicks | W 112-100 | |
| Dec 25, 1977 | vs. Buffalo Braves | W 111-105 | |
| Dec 27, 1977 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | L 113-102 | |
| Dec 29, 1977 | @ Houston Rockets | L 104-99 | |
| Dec 30, 1977 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 122-101 | |
| Jan 01, 1978 | @ New York Knicks | L 96-87 | |
| Jan 04, 1978 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 108-93 | |
| Jan 05, 1978 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 110-94 | |
| Jan 07, 1978 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 109-107 | |
| Jan 13, 1978 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 104-98 | |
| Jan 15, 1978 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 113-104 | |
| Jan 17, 1978 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 104-89 | |
| Jan 19, 1978 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 117-109 | |
| Jan 22, 1978 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 93-89 | |
| Jan 24, 1978 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 96-92 | |
| Jan 28, 1978 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 115-105 | |
| Jan 29, 1978 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 120-116 | |
| Jan 31, 1978 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 116-107 | |
| Feb 02, 1978 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 110-93 | |
| Feb 03, 1978 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 104-101 | |
| Feb 07, 1978 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 122-99 | |
| Feb 09, 1978 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 94-88 | |
| Feb 10, 1978 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 108-98 | |
| Feb 12, 1978 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 101-88 | |
| Feb 14, 1978 | vs. New York Knicks | W 136-127 | |
| Feb 16, 1978 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 119-87 | |
| Feb 17, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 99-96 | |
| Feb 18, 1978 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 105-101 | |
| Feb 20, 1978 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 106-95 | |
| Feb 21, 1978 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 127-114 | |
| Feb 24, 1978 | @ New Orleans Jazz | L 101-98 | |
| Feb 25, 1978 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 112-108 | |
| Feb 27, 1978 | @ Houston Rockets | W 110-97 | |
| Mar 01, 1978 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 110-104 | |
| Mar 04, 1978 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 105-100 | |
| Mar 05, 1978 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 128-117 | |
| Mar 08, 1978 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 118-108 | |
| Mar 10, 1978 | @ Buffalo Braves | L 118-117 | |
| Mar 12, 1978 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 95-90 | |
| Mar 14, 1978 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 119-98 | |
| Mar 16, 1978 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 112-102 | |
| Mar 19, 1978 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 123-112 | |
| Mar 20, 1978 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 127-104 | |
| Mar 22, 1978 | @ Boston Celtics | L 105-99 | |
| Mar 26, 1978 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 95-78 | |
| Mar 27, 1978 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 98-88 | |
| Mar 28, 1978 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 112-100 | |
| Mar 30, 1978 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 99-95 | |
| Mar 31, 1978 | @ Washington Bullets | W 102-101 | |
| Apr 01, 1978 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 113-99 | |
| Apr 04, 1978 | vs. Buffalo Braves | W 116-105 | |
| Apr 06, 1978 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 117-105 | |
| Apr 07, 1978 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 111-109 | |
| Apr 09, 1978 | @ Kansas City Kings | W 120-117 |