1973–74 Cleveland Cavaliers season

The 1973–74 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the fourth season of NBA basketball in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers finished the season with a 29–53 record, finishing last in the Central Division and 7th Eastern Conference. Austin Carr was named an All-Star and set the team record for points per game. The Cavaliers played, and won, their last game in Cleveland Arena.

1973–74 Cleveland Cavaliers season
Head coachBill Fitch
ArenaCleveland Arena
Results
Record29–53 (.354)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Central)
Conference: 7th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWEWS-TV
(Gib Shanley, Hal Lebovitz)
RadioWWWE
(Joe Tait)
< 1972–73 1974–75 >

Offseason

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Trades

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April 24: Cavaliers trade center Rick Roberson and forward John Johnson and switch positions in the first round of the 1973 NBA draft with the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for the Trail Blazers' first round choice and four other draft choices. The Cavaliers select forward Jim Brewer with Portland's first pick.

Draft picks

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Roster

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1973–74 Cleveland Cavaliers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
PF 52 Brewer, Jim 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1951-12-03 Minnesota
G 34 Carr, Austin 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Mar. 10, 1948 Notre Dame
G 35 Cleamons, Jim 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Sep. 13, 1949 Ohio State
F 40 Clemens, Barry 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) May 1, 1943 Ohio Wesleyan
F 42 Davis, Dwight 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Oct. 28, 1949 Houston
C 50 Patterson, Steve 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Jun. 24, 1948 UCLA
G/F 7 Smith, Bingo 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Feb. 26, 1946 Tulsa
G 11 Warren, John 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Jul. 7, 1947 St. John's
G 19 Wilkens, Lenny 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Oct. 28, 1937 Providence
C 44 Witte, Luke 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1950-10-19 Ohio State
Head coach

Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  •   Injured

Regular season

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Season standings

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W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
y-Capital Bullets 47 35 .573 31–10 15–25 1–0 14–8
Atlanta Hawks 35 47 .427 12 23–18 12–25 0–4 13–9
Houston Rockets 32 50 .390 15 18–23 13–25 1–2 9–13
Cleveland Cavaliers 29 53 .354 18 18–23 11–28 0–2 8–14
#
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Boston Celtics 56 26 .683
2 x-New York Knicks 49 33 .598 7
3 y-Capital Bullets 47 35 .573 9
4 x-Buffalo Braves 42 40 .512 14
5 Atlanta Hawks 35 47 .427 21
6 Houston Rockets 32 50 .390 24
7 Cleveland Cavaliers 29 53 .354 27
8 Philadelphia 76ers 25 57 .305 31

Record vs. opponents

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1973–74 NBA records
Team ATL BOS BUF CAP CHI CLE DET GSW HOU KCO LAL MIL NYK PHI PHO POR SEA
Atlanta 1–5 2–4 4–4 1–3 4–3 0–4 1–3 5–2 1–3 4–0 1–3 1–5 3–3 1–3 2–2 4–0
Boston 5–1 5–2 2–4 2–2 4–2 3–1 3–1 4–2 3–1 2–2 2–2 5–2 7–1 3–1 4–0 2–2
Buffalo 4–2 2–5 3–3 1–3 5–1 1–3 1–3 4–2 2–2 0–4 1–3 4–4 6–1 3–1 3–1 2–2
Capital 4–4 4–2 3–3 1–3 6–1 2–2 3–1 4–3 3–1 2–2 1–3 3–3 4–2 2–2 3–1 2–2
Chicago 3–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 5–2 4–2 4–0 5–2 1–5 3–3 2–2 3–1 4–2 4–2 4–2
Cleveland 3–4 2–4 1–5 1–6 0–4 2–2 0–4 4–4 0–4 3–1 0–4 1–5 5–1 1–3 4–0 2–2
Detroit 4–0 1–3 3–1 2–2 2–5 2–2 5–1 3–1 4–2 4–2 3–4 1–3 2–2 6–0 5–1 5–1
Golden State 3–1 1–3 3–1 1–3 2–4 4–0 1–5 4–0 3–3 4–2 3–3 1–3 3–1 5–2 3–4 3–3
Houston 2–5 2–4 2–4 3–4 0–4 4–4 1–3 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4 4–2 4–2 2–2 3–1 1–3
Kansas City-Omaha 3–1 1–3 2–2 1–3 2–5 4–0 2–4 3–3 2–2 1–5 0–7 1–3 1–3 4–2 4–2 2–4
Los Angeles 0–4 2–2 4–0 2–2 5–1 1–3 2–4 2–4 2–2 5–1 4–2 2–2 4–0 4–2 4–3 4–3
Milwaukee 3–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 3–3 4–0 4–3 3–3 4–0 7–0 2–4 2–2 4–0 5–1 6–0 4–2
New York 5–1 2–5 4–4 3–3 2–2 5–1 3–1 3–1 2–4 3–1 2–2 2–2 4–3 3–1 2–2 4–0
Philadelphia 3–3 1–7 1–6 2–4 1–3 1–5 2–2 1–3 2–4 3–1 0–4 0–4 3–4 3–1 2–2 0–4
Phoenix 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–4 3–1 0–6 2–5 2–2 2–4 2–4 1–5 1–3 1–3 3–3 4–3
Portland 2–2 0–4 1–3 1–3 2–4 0–4 1–5 4–3 1–3 2–4 3–4 0–6 2–2 2–2 3–3 3–3
Seattle 0–4 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–4 2–2 1–5 3–3 3–1 4–2 3–4 2–4 0–4 4–0 3–4 3–3

Game log

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1973–74 game log
Total: 29–53 (Home: 18–23; Road: 11–28; Neutral: 0–2)
October: 2–7 (home: 2–4; road: 0–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
1 October 12, 1973 Houston L 106–99 Austin Carr (24) Brewer, Wilkens (7) Lenny Wilkens (7) Cleveland Arena
3,624
0–1
2 October 14, 1973 Detroit L 95–83 Dwight Davis (18) Dwight Davis (13) Lenny Wilkens (8) Cleveland Arena
2,855
0–2
3 October 19, 1973 New York L 92–90 Austin Carr (28) Jim Brewer (13) Lenny Wilkens (10) Cleveland Arena
5,102
0–3
4 October 20, 1973 @ Milwaukee L 88–101 Austin Carr (24) Dwight Davis (12) Carr, Rule (4) Milwaukee Arena
8,837
0–4
5 October 23, 1973 Portland W 96–103 Lenny Wilkens (30) Bingo Smith (15) Austin Carr (7) Cleveland Arena
2,437
1–4
6 October 26, 1973 N Buffalo L 97–104 Dwight Davis (19) Dwight Davis (14) Lenny Wilkens (7) Maple Leaf Gardens
7,187
1–5
7 October 27, 1973 Buffalo L 111–101 Austin Carr (27) Bob Rule (6) Austin Carr (7) Cleveland Arena
4,313
1–6
8 October 28, 1973 Boston W 99–102 Austin Carr (31) Bob Rule (13) Lenny Wilkens (6) Cleveland Arena
2,808
2–6
9 October 31, 1973 @ Boston L 110–128 Austin Carr (26) Bob Rule (7) Lenny Wilkens (7) Boston Garden
4,509
2–7
November: 7–9 (home: 4–4; road: 3–5)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
10 November 2, 1973 Milwaukee L 118–100 Austin Carr (16) Jim Brewer (13) Lenny Wilkens (9) Cleveland Arena
5,361
2–8
11 November 3, 1973 @ Chicago L 94–105 Austin Carr (26) Jim Brewer (14) Smith, Wilkens (3) Chicago Stadium
5,733
2–9
12 November 4, 1973 Atlanta L 115–110 Austin Carr (31) Steve Patterson (10) Lenny Wilkens (10) Cleveland Arena
3,587
2–10
13 November 6, 1973 Los Angeles W 96–115 Bingo Smith (22) Jim Brewer (16) Lenny Wilkens (14) Cleveland Arena
3,124
3–10
14 November 9, 1973 Houston W 106–111 Bingo Smith (23) Jim Brewer (13) Lenny Wilkens (12) Cleveland Arena
9,149
4–10
15 November 10, 1973 @ New York L 90–100 Austin Carr (23) Jim Brewer (9) Carr, Wilkens (6) Madison Square Garden
18,999
4–11
16 November 11, 1973 Kansas City–Omaha L 103–93 Austin Carr (27) Steve Patterson (10) Lenny Wilkens (6) Cleveland Arena
2,802
4–12
17 November 13, 1973 @ Golden State L 115–128 Austin Carr (23) Bingo Smith (11) Smith, Wilkens (5) Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena
2,194
4–13
18 November 16, 1973 @ Seattle L 93–117 Austin Carr (26) Dwight Davis (14) Lenny Wilkens (7) Seattle Center Coliseum
11,770
4–14
19 November 18, 1973 @ Los Angeles L 100–102 Austin Carr (24) Steve Patterson (12) Lenny Wilkens (8) The Forum
13,205
4–15
20 November 22, 1973 @ Houston W 104–96 Austin Carr (27) Steve Patterson (13) Carr, Wilkens (4) Hofheinz Pavilion
4,789
5–15
21 November 23, 1973 @ Houston W 85–83 Bingo Smith (20) Dwight Davis (11) Lenny Wilkens (8) Hofheinz Pavilion
3,653
6–15
22 November 25, 1973 Boston L 107–101 Austin Carr (26) Steve Patterson (11) Austin Carr (9) Cleveland Arena
4,941
6–16
23 November 27, 1973 Seattle W 118–120 Bingo Smith (34) Dwight Davis (10) Lenny Wilkens (20) Cleveland Arena
3,357
7–16
24 November 28, 1973 @ Detroit W 96–91 Bingo Smith (23) Brewer, Patterson (12) Lenny Wilkens (11) Cobo Arena
2,601
8–16
25 November 30, 1973 Philadelphia W 110–112 Austin Carr (34) Dwight Davis (11) Lenny Wilkens (9) Cleveland Arena
2,566
9–16
December: 5–11 (home: 3–6; road: 2–5)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
26 December 1, 1973 @ New York L 99–119 Lenny Wilkens (24) Dwight Davis (8) Lenny Wilkens (3) Madison Square Garden
18,922
9–17
27 December 2, 1973 Houston L 130–104 Fred Foster (18) Jim Brewer (10) Jim Cleamons (12) Cleveland Arena
2,354
9–18
28 December 5, 1973 @ Philadelphia W 89–75 Austin Carr (26) Dwight Davis (15) Bingo Smith (5) Spectrum
4,230
10–18
29 December 7, 1973 Chicago L 96–91 Austin Carr (18) Steve Patterson (13) Jim Cleamons (10) Cleveland Arena
2,868
10–19
30 December 9, 1973 Phoenix L 117–106 Austin Carr (26) Dwight Davis (13) Jim Brewer (9) Cleveland Arena
3,042
10–20
31 December 11, 1973 Los Angeles W 100–101 (OT) Austin Carr (24) Jim Brewer (17) Austin Carr (7) Cleveland Arena
3,341
11–20
32 December 14, 1973 Buffalo L 102–98 John Warren (24) Dwight Davis (11) Bingo Smith (7) Cleveland Arena
2,593
11–21
33 December 18, 1973 @ Buffalo L 93–100 Austin Carr (24) Brewer, Davis (12) Austin Carr (6) Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
10,224
11–22
34 December 19, 1973 @ Kansas City–Omaha L 92–106 Carr, Cleamons (21) Davis, Smith (9) Cleamons, Smith (4) Omaha Civic Auditorium
6,047
11–23
35 December 21, 1973 Seattle W 96–101 Austin Carr (30) Dwight Davis (10) Jim Brewer (8) Cleveland Arena
2,173
12–23
36 December 22, 1973 @ Atlanta W 108–98 Austin Carr (39) Steve Patterson (10) Dwight Davis (7) The Omni
5,602
13–23
37 December 23, 1973 Houston W 91–99 Dwight Davis (23) Dwight Davis (10) Jim Cleamons (8) Cleveland Arena
3,074
14–23
38 December 26, 1973 @ Milwaukee L 110–123 Austin Carr (29) Jim Brewer (14) Jim Brewer (7) Milwaukee Arena
9,986
14–24
39 December 27, 1973 Kansas City–Omaha W 110–100 Austin Carr (24) Dwight Davis (12) Austin Carr (9) Cleveland Arena
5,417
14–25
40 December 29, 1973 N Boston L 92–111 Jim Cleamons (18) Dwight Davis (16) Jim Cleamons (5) Providence Civic Center
6,321
14–26
41 December 30, 1973 Atlanta L 99–94 Austin Carr (28) Dwight Davis (11) Lenny Wilkens (6) Cleveland Arena
6,442
14–27
January: 5–9 (home: 2–2; road: 3–7)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
42 January 4, 1974 Capital L 94–91 Austin Carr (22) Brewer, Davis, Smith (9) Lenny Wilkens (7) Cleveland Arena
3,431
14–28
43 January 5, 1974 @ Atlanta L 86–99 Austin Carr (15) Dwight Davis (8) Jim Cleamons (5) The Omni
7,370
14–29
44 January 9, 1974 @ Philadelphia L 86–90 Dwight Davis (16) Luke Witte (11) Jim Cleamons (5) Spectrum
2,545
14–30
45 January 11, 1974 Detroit L 106–96 Austin Carr (25) Smith, Witte (8) Austin Carr (7) Cleveland Arena
4,208
14–31
46 January 12, 1974 @ Detroit W 117–112 (OT) Austin Carr (27) Dwight Davis (16) Lenny Wilkens (9) Cobo Arena
5,644
15–31
47 January 13, 1974 Philadelphia W 94–96 Austin Carr (26) Dwight Davis (8) Lenny Wilkens (11) Cleveland Arena
3,477
16–31
48 January 17, 1974 @ Capital L 86–101 Austin Carr (22) Dwight Davis (7) Lenny Wilkens (8) Capital Centre
3,217
16–32
49 January 19, 1974 @ Kansas City–Omaha L 108–111 Austin Carr (31) Dwight Davis (16) Lenny Wilkens (6) Kemper Arena
5,538
16–33
50 January 22, 1974 @ Los Angeles W 111–110 (OT) Lenny Wilkens (24) Brewer, Witte (13) Lenny Wilkens (10) The Forum
13,856
17–33
51 January 23, 1974 @ Phoenix L 103–110 Bingo Smith (20) Luke Witte (12) Lenny Wilkens (13) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
5,017
17–34
52 January 25, 1974 @ Portland W 87–84 Bingo Smith (20) Steve Patterson (9) Lenny Wilkens (6) Memorial Coliseum
8,484
18–34
53 January 26, 1974 @ Golden State L 93–106 Bingo Smith (22) Luke Witte (11) Lenny Wilkens (7) Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena
4,687
18–35
54 January 29, 1974 Atlanta W 111–118 Bingo Smith (27) Steve Patterson (12) Lenny Wilkens (10) Cleveland Arena
4,453
19–35
55 January 30, 1974 @ Boston L 108–120 Lenny Wilkens (24) Steve Patterson (11) Lenny Wilkens (8) Boston Garden
5,970
19–36
February: 4–11 (home: 2–7; road: 2–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
56 February 1, 1974 Capital L 107–99 Austin Carr (28) Dwight Davis (11) Cleamons, Wilkens (9) Cleveland Arena
3,735
19–37
57 February 2, 1974 @ New York L 87–103 Austin Carr (18) Patterson, Witte (9) Lenny Wilkens (4) Madison Square Garden
19,694
19–38
58 February 3, 1974 Chicago L 108–94 Steve Patterson (17) Steve Patterson (15) Lenny Wilkens (11) Cleveland Arena
3,406
19–39
59 February 5, 1974 Milwaukee L 102–87 Lenny Wilkens (18) Dwight Davis (12) Lenny Wilkens (9) Cleveland Arena
5,291
19–40
60 February 8, 1974 @ Houston L 106–120 Austin Carr (22) Steve Patterson (16) Steve Patterson (10) Hofheinz Pavilion
4,237
19–41
61 February 9, 1974 @ Atlanta L 90–99 Austin Carr (24) Steve Patterson (14) Lenny Wilkens (7) The Omni
5,534
19–42
62 February 10, 1974 Buffalo W 121–125 Austin Carr (35) Steve Patterson (10) Fred Foster (8) Cleveland Arena
2,997
20–42
63 February 12, 1974 Capital L 107–99 Lenny Wilkens (22) Steve Patterson (18) Steve Patterson (6) Cleveland Arena
3,549
20–43
64 February 16, 1974 @ Portland W 106–101 Steve Patterson (22) Steve Patterson (19) Lenny Wilkens (10) Memorial Coliseum
5,583
21–43
65 February 17, 1974 @ Seattle L 97–106 Lenny Wilkens (25) Steve Patterson (14) Lenny Wilkens (7) Seattle Center Coliseum
14,078
21–44
66 February 19, 1974 Golden State L 104–98 Austin Carr (34) Steve Patterson (11) Lenny Wilkens (11) Cleveland Arena
2,946
21–45
67 February 21, 1974 Golden State L 122–103 Austin Carr (26) Steve Patterson (16) Lenny Wilkens (6) Cleveland Arena
1,641
21–46
68 February 22, 1974 New York L 117–110 Austin Carr (32) Jim Cleamons (8) Lenny Wilkens (6) Cleveland Arena
7,781
21–47
69 February 23, 1974 @ Capital W 104–101 Austin Carr (28) Dwight Davis (11) Lenny Wilkens (8) Capital Centre
9,247
22–47
70 February 24, 1974 Phoenix W 97–101 Lenny Wilkens (19) Steve Patterson (11) Carr, Wilkens (6) Cleveland Arena
3,288
23–47
March: 6–6 (home: 5–0; road: 1–6)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
71 March 1, 1974 @ Philadelphia W 110–93 Austin Carr (28) Barry Clemens (17) Lenny Wilkens (7) Spectrum
3,852
24–47
72 March 3, 1974 @ Capital L 93–98 Austin Carr (24) Brewer, Patterson (13) Lenny Wilkens (6) Capital Centre
5,072
24–48
73 March 9, 1974 @ Phoenix L 100–109 Austin Carr (16) Dwight Davis (10) Lenny Wilkens (7) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
6,153
24–49
74 March 10, 1974 @ Houston L 108–113 Austin Carr (32) Steve Patterson (9) Lenny Wilkens (10) Hofheinz Pavilion
2,054
24–50
75 March 12, 1974 Atlanta W 84–95 Carr, Smith (24) Steve Patterson (18) Lenny Wilkens (9) Cleveland Arena
4,514
25–50
76 March 15, 1974 Boston W 103–104 Lenny Wilkens (24) Dwight Davis (9) Austin Carr (6) Cleveland Arena
7,304
26–50
77 March 16, 1974 @ Buffalo L 105–114 Lenny Wilkens (18) Steve Patterson (7) Jim Cleamons (5) Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
18,000
26–51
78 March 17, 1974 Philadelphia W 99–115 Austin Carr (31) Steve Patterson (15) Lenny Wilkens (14) Cleveland Arena
2,891
27–51
79 March 19, 1974 Portland W 103–107 Bingo Smith (24) Steve Patterson (16) Lenny Wilkens (6) Cleveland Arena
3,379
28–51
80 March 20, 1974 @ Capital L 91–101 Lenny Wilkens (26) Steve Patterson (13) Lenny Wilkens (9) Capital Centre
7,943
28–52
81 March 24, 1974 New York W 92–114 Lenny Wilkens (22) Davis, Patterson (8) Lenny Wilkens (11) Cleveland Arena
8,829
29–52
82 March 26, 1974 @ Chicago L 98–104 Carr, Smith (22) Davis, Patterson (8) Austin Carr (6) Chicago Stadium
5,327
29–53
1973–74 schedule

References

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