The 1974-75 Cleveland Cavaliers marked their fifth season in the NBA. Under the leadership of head coach Bill Fitch, the team demonstrated notable improvement from previous seasons. The Cavaliers finished the regular season with a 40-42 record, securing fourth place in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. This record represented a significant leap forward, as it was the first time the franchise approached a .500 season.
A key factor in their progress was the performance of standout players like Austin Carr, who averaged 21.9 points per game, and Jim Chones, who contributed significantly both offensively and defensively. The addition of guard Dick Snyder also bolstered their lineup, providing veteran experience and stability. The Cavaliers played their home games at the Coliseum at Richfield, which became an integral part of their identity during this era.
Despite their improvements, the Cavaliers narrowly missed the playoffs, finishing just outside the qualifying spots. However, the season laid the groundwork for future success, setting the stage for the franchise’s eventual playoff runs. The 1974-75 season was a turning point for the Cavaliers, as it showcased their potential and hinted at the brighter prospects that lay ahead. Overall, the season was a stepping stone that helped establish the Cavaliers as a competitive team in the NBA.
- Regular Season Record: 40-42
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats for 1974-75 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Bingo Smith | 82 | 15.9 | 5.0 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Jim Chones | 72 | 14.5 | 9.4 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Austin Carr | 41 | 14.5 | 2.6 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Dick Snyder | 82 | 14.1 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Jim Cleamons | 74 | 12.0 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Dwight Davis | 78 | 9.8 | 5.9 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Jim Brewer | 82 | 8.3 | 6.2 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Fred Foster | 73 | 6.9 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Campy Russell | 68 | 6.2 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Steve Patterson | 81 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Foots Walker | 72 | 4.2 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Luke Witte | 39 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | |||||||
Cleveland Cavaliers 1974-75 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1974-75 season for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 18, 1974 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 131-129 | |
| Oct 19, 1974 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 113-110 | |
| Oct 20, 1974 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 100-93 | |
| Oct 23, 1974 | @ Boston Celtics | W 108-107 | |
| Oct 24, 1974 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 116-97 | |
| Oct 26, 1974 | @ New Orleans Jazz | W 90-88 | |
| Oct 29, 1974 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 107-92 | |
| Oct 31, 1974 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 118-101 | |
| Nov 03, 1974 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 104-101 | |
| Nov 06, 1974 | @ Washington Bullets | W 107-99 | |
| Nov 12, 1974 | @ Buffalo Braves | L 112-94 | |
| Nov 14, 1974 | @ New York Knicks | L 94-89 | |
| Nov 16, 1974 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 92-89 | |
| Nov 19, 1974 | @ Houston Rockets | L 94-85 | |
| Nov 21, 1974 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 106-74 | |
| Nov 23, 1974 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 121-100 | |
| Nov 24, 1974 | @ Kansas City-Omaha Kings | L 109-94 | |
| Nov 26, 1974 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 102-94 | |
| Nov 28, 1974 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 110-103 | |
| Dec 03, 1974 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 97-91 | |
| Dec 05, 1974 | vs. Kansas City-Omaha Kings | W 124-91 | |
| Dec 06, 1974 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 117-91 | |
| Dec 08, 1974 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 88-75 | |
| Dec 11, 1974 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 97-95 | |
| Dec 13, 1974 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 85-84 | |
| Dec 17, 1974 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 119-106 | |
| Dec 19, 1974 | vs. Buffalo Braves | W 106-104 | |
| Dec 21, 1974 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 87-74 | |
| Dec 23, 1974 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 95-79 | |
| Dec 26, 1974 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 99-89 | |
| Dec 29, 1974 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 110-103 | |
| Dec 30, 1974 | @ Washington Bullets | L 103-90 | |
| Jan 03, 1975 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 95-83 | |
| Jan 04, 1975 | @ New York Knicks | L 103-102 | |
| Jan 05, 1975 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 97-86 | |
| Jan 07, 1975 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 113-112 | |
| Jan 10, 1975 | @ Buffalo Braves | L 104-100 | |
| Jan 11, 1975 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 91-81 | |
| Jan 16, 1975 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 89-81 | |
| Jan 18, 1975 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 108-106 | |
| Jan 19, 1975 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 100-98 | |
| Jan 21, 1975 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 97-88 | |
| Jan 23, 1975 | vs. New York Knicks | L 100-89 | |
| Jan 25, 1975 | @ Washington Bullets | L 94-92 | |
| Jan 26, 1975 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 96-93 | |
| Jan 28, 1975 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 125-97 | |
| Jan 30, 1975 | vs. Buffalo Braves | L 97-91 | |
| Jan 31, 1975 | @ Boston Celtics | L 121-99 | |
| Feb 01, 1975 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 112-109 | |
| Feb 02, 1975 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 116-96 | |
| Feb 04, 1975 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 111-97 | |
| Feb 06, 1975 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 98-90 | |
| Feb 08, 1975 | vs. Kansas City-Omaha Kings | W 92-91 | |
| Feb 11, 1975 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 100-86 | |
| Feb 12, 1975 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 105-102 | |
| Feb 13, 1975 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 96-93 | |
| Feb 14, 1975 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 112-105 | |
| Feb 16, 1975 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 100-95 | |
| Feb 18, 1975 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 104-93 | |
| Feb 20, 1975 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 106-95 | |
| Feb 23, 1975 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 111-105 | |
| Feb 25, 1975 | @ Houston Rockets | L 114-87 | |
| Feb 26, 1975 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 108-96 | |
| Feb 28, 1975 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 109-105 | |
| Mar 01, 1975 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 110-95 | |
| Mar 04, 1975 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 117-98 | |
| Mar 07, 1975 | @ Houston Rockets | L 93-86 | |
| Mar 09, 1975 | @ New Orleans Jazz | L 90-86 | |
| Mar 11, 1975 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 123-114 | |
| Mar 13, 1975 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 104-85 | |
| Mar 15, 1975 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 96-88 | |
| Mar 16, 1975 | @ New Orleans Jazz | W 113-111 | |
| Mar 18, 1975 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 112-98 | |
| Mar 20, 1975 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 87-83 | |
| Mar 22, 1975 | @ Washington Bullets | L 100-97 | |
| Mar 23, 1975 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 101-95 | |
| Mar 25, 1975 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 89-84 | |
| Mar 27, 1975 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 86-83 | |
| Mar 28, 1975 | @ Houston Rockets | L 112-105 | |
| Mar 29, 1975 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 103-97 | |
| Apr 03, 1975 | vs. New York Knicks | W 100-95 | |
| Apr 06, 1975 | @ Kansas City-Omaha Kings | L 95-94 |