The 2011-12 Cleveland Cavaliers season marked the franchise’s second campaign following LeBron James’ departure to the Miami Heat. Under the guidance of head coach Byron Scott, the Cavaliers aimed to rebuild and develop their young roster. The team ended the lockout-shortened season with a 21-45 record, placing them 13th in the Eastern Conference and out of playoff contention for the second consecutive year.
A significant highlight of the season was the debut of rookie point guard Kyrie Irving, selected first overall in the 2011 NBA Draft. Irving quickly became the focal point of the Cavaliers’ offense, showcasing his scoring prowess and earning the NBA Rookie of the Year award. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game, establishing himself as a cornerstone for the franchise’s future.
Another important addition was forward Tristan Thompson, drafted fourth overall in the same year. Thompson contributed solid performances off the bench, averaging 8.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Despite the individual successes, the Cavaliers struggled with consistency, particularly on the defensive end, ranking 26th in defensive rating.
The season was also marked by injuries to key players such as Anderson Varejao, who only appeared in 25 games, impacting the team’s overall performance. While the Cavaliers displayed glimpses of potential with their youthful core, it was evident that further development and roster adjustments were necessary to compete at a higher level in subsequent seasons.
- Regular Season Record: 21-45
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats for 2011-12 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Kyrie Irving | 51 | 18.5 | 3.7 | 5.4 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 39.9 | |||||||
| Antawn Jamison | 65 | 17.2 | 6.3 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 34.1 | |||||||
| Lester Hudson | 13 | 12.7 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 24.6 | |||||||
| Anderson Varejão | 25 | 10.8 | 11.5 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Alonzo Gee | 63 | 10.6 | 5.1 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 32.1 | |||||||
| Ramon Sessions | 41 | 10.5 | 3.1 | 5.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 41.9 | |||||||
| Tristan Thompson | 60 | 8.2 | 6.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Daniel Gibson | 35 | 7.5 | 2.9 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 39.6 | |||||||
| Anthony Parker | 51 | 7.2 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 36.2 | |||||||
| Omri Casspi | 65 | 7.1 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 31.5 | |||||||
| Manny Harris | 26 | 6.7 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 33.3 | |||||||
| Donald Sloan | 25 | 6.6 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 9.1 | |||||||
| D.J. Kennedy | 2 | 6.0 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 50.0 | |||||||
| Samardo Samuels | 54 | 5.4 | 3.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Ryan Hollins | 24 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Mychel Thompson | 5 | 3.6 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 36.4 | |||||||
| Semih Erden | 28 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Luke Harangody | 21 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 23.8 | |||||||
| Luke Walton | 21 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 43.7 | |||||||
| Ben Uzoh | 2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Christian Eyenga | 6 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 50.0 | |||||||
Cleveland Cavaliers 2011-12 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 2011-12 season for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 26, 2011 | vs. Toronto Raptors | L 104-96 | |
| Dec 28, 2011 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 105-89 | |
| Dec 30, 2011 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 98-91 | |
| Jan 01, 2012 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 98-82 | |
| Jan 03, 2012 | vs. Charlotte Bobcats | W 115-101 | |
| Jan 04, 2012 | @ Toronto Raptors | L 92-77 | |
| Jan 06, 2012 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 98-87 | |
| Jan 08, 2012 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 98-78 | |
| Jan 10, 2012 | @ Utah Jazz | L 113-105 | |
| Jan 12, 2012 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 101-90 | |
| Jan 13, 2012 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 97-92 | |
| Jan 16, 2012 | @ Charlotte Bobcats | W 102-94 | |
| Jan 17, 2012 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 105-95 | |
| Jan 20, 2012 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 114-75 | |
| Jan 21, 2012 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 121-94 | |
| Jan 24, 2012 | @ Miami Heat | L 92-85 | |
| Jan 25, 2012 | vs. New York Knicks | W 91-81 | |
| Jan 27, 2012 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 99-96 | |
| Jan 29, 2012 | @ Boston Celtics | W 88-87 | |
| Jan 31, 2012 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 93-90 | |
| Feb 03, 2012 | @ Orlando Magic | L 102-94 | |
| Feb 04, 2012 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 91-88 | |
| Feb 07, 2012 | @ Miami Heat | L 107-91 | |
| Feb 08, 2012 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 99-92 | |
| Feb 10, 2012 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 113-112 | |
| Feb 11, 2012 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 99-84 | |
| Feb 15, 2012 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 98-87 | |
| Feb 17, 2012 | vs. Miami Heat | L 111-87 | |
| Feb 19, 2012 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 93-92 | |
| Feb 21, 2012 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 101-100 | |
| Feb 22, 2012 | vs. New Orleans Hornets | L 89-84 | |
| Feb 28, 2012 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 86-83 | |
| Feb 29, 2012 | @ New York Knicks | L 120-103 | |
| Mar 02, 2012 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 112-91 | |
| Mar 03, 2012 | @ Washington Wizards | L 101-98 | |
| Mar 05, 2012 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 109-100 | |
| Mar 07, 2012 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 100-99 | |
| Mar 09, 2012 | @ Oklahoma City Thunder | W 96-90 | |
| Mar 11, 2012 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 118-107 | |
| Mar 13, 2012 | vs. Toronto Raptors | L 96-88 | |
| Mar 14, 2012 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 115-105 | |
| Mar 18, 2012 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 103-87 | |
| Mar 19, 2012 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 105-100 | |
| Mar 21, 2012 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 103-102 | |
| Mar 23, 2012 | @ Orlando Magic | L 93-80 | |
| Mar 25, 2012 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 108-83 | |
| Mar 27, 2012 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 103-85 | |
| Mar 28, 2012 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 87-75 | |
| Mar 30, 2012 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 121-84 | |
| Mar 31, 2012 | @ New York Knicks | L 91-75 | |
| Apr 03, 2012 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 125-90 | |
| Apr 04, 2012 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 107-98 | |
| Apr 06, 2012 | @ Toronto Raptors | W 84-80 | |
| Apr 08, 2012 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 122-117 | |
| Apr 10, 2012 | vs. Charlotte Bobcats | W 103-90 | |
| Apr 11, 2012 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 104-98 | |
| Apr 13, 2012 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 102-83 | |
| Apr 14, 2012 | @ Washington Wizards | W 98-89 | |
| Apr 15, 2012 | vs. Orlando Magic | L 100-84 | |
| Apr 17, 2012 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 116-77 | |
| Apr 18, 2012 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 103-87 | |
| Apr 20, 2012 | vs. New York Knicks | W 98-90 | |
| Apr 22, 2012 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 114-98 | |
| Apr 23, 2012 | @ Memphis Grizzlies | L 109-101 | |
| Apr 25, 2012 | vs. Washington Wizards | L 96-85 | |
| Apr 26, 2012 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 107-75 |