The 1981-82 Cleveland Cavaliers season marked a challenging period for the franchise, as they struggled to find their footing in the NBA. The team ended the regular season with a 15-67 record, placing them last in the Central Division and the entire league. This record tied them with the San Diego Clippers for the worst in the NBA that season, underscoring the difficulties they faced on the court.
Under the direction of head coach Don Delaney, the Cavaliers struggled with consistency and performance, resulting in Delaney being replaced by assistant coach Bob Kloppenburg mid-season. Despite the leadership change, the team could not reverse its fortunes. The Cavaliers’ roster included players like Mike Mitchell, who led the team in scoring, averaging 22.2 points per game, and James Edwards, who contributed by leading the team in rebounds, averaging 8.1 per game. However, individual performances were not enough to elevate the team’s overall success.
The Cavaliers’ offensive and defensive struggles were evident throughout the season, as they were unable to find a rhythm or effectively compete against stronger teams. This season was part of a difficult era for the Cavaliers, leading to future changes in management and roster in their quest to become more competitive. The 1981-82 season is often remembered as a low point in the franchise’s history, ultimately serving as a catalyst for rebuilding efforts in the following years.
- Regular Season Record: 15-67
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats for 1981-82 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Mike Mitchell | 27 | 19.6 | 5.2 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Ron Brewer | 47 | 19.5 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 25.0 | |||||||
| James Edwards | 77 | 16.7 | 7.5 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Cliff Robinson | 30 | 16.3 | 9.6 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Kenny Carr | 46 | 14.9 | 8.6 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 12.5 | |||||||
| Lowes Moore | 4 | 11.3 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 20.0 | |||||||
| James Silas | 67 | 11.2 | 1.6 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Bob Wilkerson | 65 | 11.0 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 17.7 | |||||||
| Scott Wedman | 54 | 10.9 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 21.7 | |||||||
| Phil Hubbard | 31 | 10.4 | 6.5 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Geoff Huston | 78 | 10.3 | 1.9 | 7.5 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 30.0 | |||||||
| Reggie Johnson | 23 | 9.7 | 5.4 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Roger Phegley | 27 | 9.2 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 30.8 | |||||||
| Bill Laimbeer | 50 | 6.7 | 5.5 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 42.9 | |||||||
| Richard Washington | 18 | 6.1 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Brad Branson | 10 | 5.3 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Mike Evans | 8 | 3.4 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Paul Mokeski | 28 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Keith Herron | 30 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Mickey Dillard | 33 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Mel Bennett | 3 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Kevin Restani | 34 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Don Ford | 21 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
Cleveland Cavaliers 1981-82 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1981-82 season for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 1981 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 128-104 | |
| Nov 03, 1981 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 125-110 | |
| Nov 04, 1981 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 128-102 | |
| Nov 07, 1981 | @ Houston Rockets | W 96-92 | |
| Nov 09, 1981 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 102-101 | |
| Nov 10, 1981 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 109-102 | |
| Nov 12, 1981 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 130-99 | |
| Nov 14, 1981 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 92-91 | |
| Nov 15, 1981 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 98-96 | |
| Nov 18, 1981 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 110-103 | |
| Nov 20, 1981 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 99-94 | |
| Nov 24, 1981 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 94-92 | |
| Nov 25, 1981 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 108-102 | |
| Nov 27, 1981 | vs. New York Knicks | L 116-95 | |
| Nov 28, 1981 | @ New York Knicks | L 101-90 | |
| Dec 01, 1981 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 126-110 | |
| Dec 02, 1981 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 125-106 | |
| Dec 05, 1981 | @ Washington Bullets | L 94-87 | |
| Dec 09, 1981 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 112-108 | |
| Dec 11, 1981 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 131-113 | |
| Dec 12, 1981 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 120-115 | |
| Dec 15, 1981 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 98-89 | |
| Dec 16, 1981 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 106-102 | |
| Dec 18, 1981 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 109-73 | |
| Dec 19, 1981 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 119-107 | |
| Dec 22, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | L 120-116 | |
| Dec 23, 1981 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 114-95 | |
| Dec 26, 1981 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 109-102 | |
| Dec 30, 1981 | vs. New York Knicks | L 110-108 | |
| Jan 02, 1982 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 106-103 | |
| Jan 05, 1982 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 113-103 | |
| Jan 07, 1982 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 109-100 | |
| Jan 08, 1982 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 110-100 | |
| Jan 12, 1982 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 114-100 | |
| Jan 13, 1982 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 117-104 | |
| Jan 15, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 117-108 | |
| Jan 16, 1982 | @ Utah Jazz | W 125-120 | |
| Jan 19, 1982 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 99-97 | |
| Jan 22, 1982 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 108-93 | |
| Jan 23, 1982 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 109-99 | |
| Jan 27, 1982 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 110-106 | |
| Jan 28, 1982 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 116-104 | |
| Feb 02, 1982 | @ Washington Bullets | W 100-99 | |
| Feb 03, 1982 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 108-104 | |
| Feb 06, 1982 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 88-87 | |
| Feb 07, 1982 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 110-94 | |
| Feb 10, 1982 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 105-91 | |
| Feb 11, 1982 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 123-113 | |
| Feb 13, 1982 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 110-109 | |
| Feb 14, 1982 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 125-97 | |
| Feb 17, 1982 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 110-102 | |
| Feb 19, 1982 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 106-88 | |
| Feb 20, 1982 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 116-109 | |
| Feb 24, 1982 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 131-97 | |
| Feb 28, 1982 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 102-101 | |
| Mar 02, 1982 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 117-108 | |
| Mar 03, 1982 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 136-107 | |
| Mar 05, 1982 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 111-110 | |
| Mar 07, 1982 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 147-127 | |
| Mar 11, 1982 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 101-95 | |
| Mar 13, 1982 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 121-115 | |
| Mar 14, 1982 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 109-103 | |
| Mar 17, 1982 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 113-107 | |
| Mar 19, 1982 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 119-97 | |
| Mar 20, 1982 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 115-102 | |
| Mar 21, 1982 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 98-93 | |
| Mar 23, 1982 | @ New York Knicks | L 120-97 | |
| Mar 24, 1982 | @ Boston Celtics | L 136-115 | |
| Mar 26, 1982 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 115-111 | |
| Mar 28, 1982 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 104-101 | |
| Mar 31, 1982 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 103-87 | |
| Apr 01, 1982 | @ New York Knicks | L 111-110 | |
| Apr 02, 1982 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 135-115 | |
| Apr 04, 1982 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 119-109 | |
| Apr 06, 1982 | @ Washington Bullets | L 94-85 | |
| Apr 07, 1982 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 122-105 | |
| Apr 09, 1982 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 100-97 | |
| Apr 10, 1982 | vs. New York Knicks | L 117-114 | |
| Apr 13, 1982 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 119-111 | |
| Apr 15, 1982 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 120-110 | |
| Apr 16, 1982 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 112-102 | |
| Apr 18, 1982 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 116-113 |