The 1971-72 season marked the Cleveland Cavaliers’ second year in the NBA. Under the guidance of head coach Bill Fitch, the team aimed to improve upon their inaugural season’s performance. The Cavaliers competed in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference, where they faced stiff competition from more established teams. Despite their efforts, the Cavaliers struggled throughout the season, ending with a record of 23-59.
The Cavaliers played their home games at the Cleveland Arena, where they hoped to capitalize on home-court advantage. However, the team faced challenges with consistency and depth, which were evident in their overall performance. The roster included players like John Johnson, who led the team in scoring, averaging 17.0 points per game. Other notable contributors included Butch Beard and Bingo Smith, who played pivotal roles in the team’s efforts.
Throughout the season, the Cavaliers showed flashes of potential, securing notable victories against stronger opponents. However, their inability to maintain momentum and close out games contributed to their losing record. Despite their struggles, the season was a valuable learning experience for the young franchise, offering insights into areas that required improvement. The Cavaliers’ 1971-72 season laid the groundwork for future development, as they continued to build their identity and competitiveness in the league.
- Regular Season Record: 23-59
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats for 1971-72 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Austin Carr | 43 | 21.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| John Johnson | 82 | 17.0 | 7.7 | 5.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Butch Beard | 68 | 15.4 | 4.1 | 6.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Bingo Smith | 82 | 15.0 | 6.1 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Rick Roberson | 63 | 13.1 | 12.7 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Walt Wesley | 82 | 12.4 | 8.7 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Charlie Davis | 61 | 9.8 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Dave Sorenson | 76 | 7.0 | 4.0 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Bobby Washington | 69 | 5.1 | 1.9 | 3.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| John Warren | 68 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Steve Patterson | 65 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Greg Howard | 48 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Luther Rackley | 9 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Jackie Ridgle | 32 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
Cleveland Cavaliers 1971-72 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1971-72 season for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 1971 | vs. Buffalo Braves | L 111-109 | |
| Oct 16, 1971 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 93-89 | |
| Oct 17, 1971 | vs. New York Knicks | L 121-120 | |
| Oct 19, 1971 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 116-82 | |
| Oct 20, 1971 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 115-98 | |
| Oct 23, 1971 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 109-101 | |
| Oct 24, 1971 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 111-93 | |
| Oct 27, 1971 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 120-106 | |
| Oct 29, 1971 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 98-97 | |
| Oct 31, 1971 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 118-102 | |
| Nov 05, 1971 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 107-87 | |
| Nov 07, 1971 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 120-99 | |
| Nov 11, 1971 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 110-91 | |
| Nov 12, 1971 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 106-104 | |
| Nov 14, 1971 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 119-105 | |
| Nov 16, 1971 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 108-90 | |
| Nov 19, 1971 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 118-105 | |
| Nov 21, 1971 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 128-105 | |
| Nov 23, 1971 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 104-102 | |
| Nov 26, 1971 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 128-114 | |
| Nov 27, 1971 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 103-95 | |
| Nov 28, 1971 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 124-120 | |
| Dec 01, 1971 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 116-106 | |
| Dec 03, 1971 | @ Buffalo Braves | L 91-90 | |
| Dec 05, 1971 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 99-91 | |
| Dec 07, 1971 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 115-99 | |
| Dec 08, 1971 | @ Boston Celtics | L 126-107 | |
| Dec 10, 1971 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 112-111 | |
| Dec 11, 1971 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 103-95 | |
| Dec 12, 1971 | vs. New York Knicks | L 103-92 | |
| Dec 14, 1971 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 88-85 | |
| Dec 17, 1971 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 115-109 | |
| Dec 18, 1971 | @ New York Knicks | L 104-84 | |
| Dec 19, 1971 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 119-101 | |
| Dec 22, 1971 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 104-94 | |
| Dec 23, 1971 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 115-110 | |
| Dec 26, 1971 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 108-102 | |
| Dec 28, 1971 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 112-111 | |
| Dec 29, 1971 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 103-102 | |
| Jan 02, 1972 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 148-119 | |
| Jan 05, 1972 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 113-103 | |
| Jan 07, 1972 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 125-111 | |
| Jan 08, 1972 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 125-102 | |
| Jan 11, 1972 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 101-92 | |
| Jan 14, 1972 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 117-107 | |
| Jan 15, 1972 | @ Houston Rockets | L 112-109 | |
| Jan 16, 1972 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 128-108 | |
| Jan 21, 1972 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 120-91 | |
| Jan 22, 1972 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 113-96 | |
| Jan 25, 1972 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 117-111 | |
| Jan 26, 1972 | @ Boston Celtics | W 112-108 | |
| Jan 29, 1972 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | L 120-118 | |
| Jan 30, 1972 | vs. Buffalo Braves | L 99-98 | |
| Feb 01, 1972 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 104-99 | |
| Feb 02, 1972 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 133-108 | |
| Feb 04, 1972 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 118-112 | |
| Feb 05, 1972 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 120-117 | |
| Feb 06, 1972 | vs. Buffalo Braves | L 121-108 | |
| Feb 08, 1972 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 114-90 | |
| Feb 09, 1972 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 126-121 | |
| Feb 12, 1972 | @ New York Knicks | L 106-91 | |
| Feb 13, 1972 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 136-121 | |
| Feb 16, 1972 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 126-116 | |
| Feb 18, 1972 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 133-109 | |
| Feb 19, 1972 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 112-92 | |
| Feb 20, 1972 | vs. New York Knicks | W 111-109 | |
| Feb 23, 1972 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 113-111 | |
| Feb 25, 1972 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 113-104 | |
| Feb 27, 1972 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 127-125 | |
| Mar 01, 1972 | @ Boston Celtics | L 115-105 | |
| Mar 04, 1972 | @ Houston Rockets | W 130-123 | |
| Mar 07, 1972 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 119-112 | |
| Mar 10, 1972 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 132-98 | |
| Mar 12, 1972 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 135-114 | |
| Mar 14, 1972 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 127-118 | |
| Mar 16, 1972 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | L 105-101 | |
| Mar 18, 1972 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 109-91 | |
| Mar 19, 1972 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 115-105 | |
| Mar 22, 1972 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 124-120 | |
| Mar 24, 1972 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 127-119 | |
| Mar 25, 1972 | @ New York Knicks | L 98-83 | |
| Mar 26, 1972 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | L 135-122 |