189-531: The Cleveland Cavaliers first began play in the NBA in 1970 as an expansion team under the ownership of Nick Mileti . Jerry Tomko, the father of future Major League Baseball pitcher Brett Tomko , submitted the winning entry to name the team the "Cavaliers" through a competition sponsored by The Plain Dealer ; supporters preferred it to "Jays", "Foresters" and "Presidents". Playing their home games at Cleveland Arena under
378-724: A 32–50 record in 1972–73 , and 29–53 in 1973–74 . In 1974, the Cavaliers moved into the brand-new Richfield Coliseum , located in rural Richfield, Ohio – 20 miles (32 km) south of downtown Cleveland in Summit County (now part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park ). The move was done as the Cleveland Arena had fallen into disrepair, and the location was chosen in an effort to draw fans in from nearby Akron and other areas of Northeast Ohio . That season ,
567-510: A 2–1 lead in the series, with James taking on the bulk of offensive responsibilities – through three games, James played 142 of 154 possible minutes, scored 123 points and took 107 shots. Despite taking the lead however, the Cavaliers went on to lose the next three games, as the Warriors took out the 2015 NBA Championship on Cleveland's home court in Game 6. The Cavaliers struggled without Love, who suffered
756-477: A 64–166 record in three seasons. The following week, the Cavaliers rehired Mike Brown as head coach, making him the second two-time head coach in team history, after Bill Musselman in the early 1980s. The Cavaliers had several early picks in 2013. They won the 2013 NBA draft lottery to receive the first overall pick. They also had the 19th pick (acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers ), as well as two out of
945-527: A C grade, and improving from the 46th to 54th most polluted by ozone smog. According to daily ozone air quality data provided by the EPA, from 2021 to 2024, Pittsburgh had good or moderate air quality most of the time. Then-Allegheny County executive Rich Fitzgerald said in December 2023 that they’d seen an "80 % drop in hazardous air pollutants" and that they made EPA attainment at all eight county air monitors for
1134-467: A career-high 31 points in the series clincher, and the franchise won its first ever Eastern Conference Championship. The team's first trip to the NBA Finals was a short one, as they were outmatched and outplayed by the deeper, more experienced San Antonio Spurs , who swept the Cavaliers 4–0. The Cavaliers took a step back in the 2007–08 season . They battled injuries and had many roster changes, including
1323-534: A decrease in city population, even as the metropolitan area population increased again. During the late 2000s recession , Pittsburgh was economically strong, adding jobs when most cities were losing them. It was one of the few cities in the United States to see housing property values rise. Between 2006 and 2011, the Pittsburgh metropolitan statistical area (MSA) experienced over 10% appreciation in housing prices,
1512-594: A free state after the Revolution, enslaved African Americans sought freedom here through escape as refugees from the South, or occasionally fleeing from travelers they were serving who stayed in the city. There were active stations of the Underground Railroad in the city, and numerous refugees were documented as getting help from station agents and African-American workers in city hotels. The Drennen Slave Girl walked out of
1701-400: A gold "V-net" logo on the left leg of the shorts. From the 2008–09 to the 2011–12 season, the Cavaliers wore special "mash-up" uniforms – combining the style from one era with the color scheme of another – on select "CavFanatic Nights". Nike also provides a fourth uniform known as the "City Edition", which honors the city of Cleveland as well as the state of Ohio: Cleveland Clinic Courts,
1890-666: A growing residential segment. Most significantly, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is embarking on RiverParc, a four-block mixed-use "green" community, featuring 700 residential units and multiple towers of between 20 and 30 stories. The Firstside portion of Downtown borders the Monongahela River, the historic Mon Wharf and hosts the distinctive PPG Place Gothic-style glass skyscraper complex. New condo towers have been constructed and historic office towers are converted to residential use, increasing 24-hour residents. Downtown
2079-479: A nationally televised one-hour special titled The Decision on ESPN that he would be signing with the Miami Heat . The repercussions of this announcement left many in the city of Cleveland infuriated and feeling betrayed. A number of LeBron James jerseys were burned, and the famous Nike "Witness" mural of James in downtown Cleveland was immediately taken down. Shortly after James made his announcement, Dan Gilbert,
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#17328527791952268-479: A new era in Cleveland Cavaliers basketball, the team's colors were changed from orange, black and blue back to wine and gold, with the addition of navy blue and a new primary logo. James' status as both an area star (having played his high school basketball at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in nearby Akron ) and as one of the most highly touted prospects in NBA history has led many to view his selection as
2457-593: A non-LeBron-led team qualified for postseason play since 1997–98 . The team, however, did not make it out of the play-in tournament, losing the game to the Brooklyn Nets and then to the Atlanta Hawks , ending their season. On March 26, 2023, the Cavaliers clinched a spot in the NBA playoffs, making this the first time since 2018 that the team entered the playoffs, with a 108–91 win over the Houston Rockets . This
2646-533: A quarter of neighborhood names make reference to "hills," "heights," or similar features. The steps of Pittsburgh consist of 800 sets of outdoor public stairways with 44,645 treads and 24,090 vertical feet. They include hundreds of streets composed entirely of stairs, and many other steep streets with stairs for sidewalks. Many provide vistas of the Pittsburgh area while attracting hikers and fitness walkers. Bike and walking trails have been built to border many of
2835-457: A rebound since firing at one's own team's basket does not count as a shot attempt, and doing so intentionally is a technical foul under NBA rules. Since the referees had never seen anyone shoot at his own basket before, they were unfamiliar with the rule and play was allowed to continue. This (which led to Davis being nicknamed in Cleveland as "Wrong Rim Ricky") and countless other acts contributed to
3024-478: A score of 96–95, with the help of a James buzzer-beating three-pointer, it was not enough as Orlando won the series in six games, nixing a LeBron vs. Kobe NBA Finals matchup. During the 2009 off-season, the Cavaliers acquired four-time NBA champion and 15-time All Star center Shaquille O'Neal from the Phoenix Suns. The Cavaliers also signed wingman Anthony Parker , and forwards Leon Powe and Jamario Moon for
3213-492: A shoulder injury in the first round, and Irving, who fractured his kneecap in overtime of the first game of the Finals. To make matters worse, Smith and Shumpert had poor Finals campaigns, which led to players such as Matthew Dellavedova and James Jones playing roles that were beyond their capabilities. Despite the loss, James received serious consideration for Finals MVP after averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists over
3402-522: A similar banner in the rafters are also inducted into the Wall of Honor The following is a list of players and other personnel who have spent at least part of their careers with the Cavaliers that have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame . Notes: Notes: Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( / ˈ p ɪ t s b ɜːr ɡ / PITS -burg ) is a city in and
3591-484: A team that included Brad Daugherty , Mark Price , Ron Harper and Larry Nance , and head coach Lenny Wilkens . They had their second 57-win season in 1991–92 and reached the Eastern Conference Finals that year. However, between 1999 and 2005, the Cavaliers failed to make a playoff appearance. The Cavaliers finished the 2002–03 season 17–65, tied for the worst record in the NBA. The Cavaliers had
3780-486: A three team trade at the trade deadline in which the team acquired F Joe Smith , G-F Wally Szczerbiak , F-C Ben Wallace , and G Delonte West . The Cavaliers finished 45–37 and lost in the second round against eventual champion Boston in seven games. The next off-season, the team made a major change to its lineup, trading G Damon Jones and Smith (who later in the season rejoined the Cavaliers after being released by Oklahoma City ) for point guard Mo Williams . This trade
3969-582: A turning point in the franchise's history. Embraced by Cleveland as "King James", the 2003–04 season offered great hope for the future, as James rose to become a dominating player, winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award . Hope was even greater for the 2004–05 season. James increased his production in terms of points, rebounds, and assists per game. Despite the loss of Carlos Boozer in the offseason, James teamed with Žydrūnas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden to form
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#17328527791954158-549: A two-year contract and veteran guard Jarrett Jack to a four-year deal. The Cavaliers also signed two-time NBA Champion and former All-Star center Andrew Bynum to a one-year contract. Bynum was then traded on January 7, 2014, to the Chicago Bulls (along with draft picks) for two-time All-Star forward Luol Deng . The Cavaliers on February 6 fired GM Chris Grant . The team then announced that VP of basketball operations David Griffin would serve as acting GM. On May 12, 2014,
4347-475: A wine, gold and navy blue checkerboard trim. The checkerboard trim was a tribute to the original Cavaliers uniforms from the 1970s. The logo used was a gold sword piercing through the words "Cleveland Cavaliers" in white and navy trim, with a wine basketball surrounding it. The Cavaliers debuted new uniforms before the start of the 2010–11 NBA season to coincide with the team returning to the original shades of wine and gold used from 1970 to 1983. The home uniform
4536-570: Is 39.61 inches (1,006 mm) and precipitation is greatest in May while least in October; annual precipitation has historically ranged from 22.65 in (575 mm) in 1930 to 57.83 in (1,469 mm) in 2018. On average, December and January have the greatest number of precipitation days. Snowfall averages 44.1 inches (112 cm) per season, but has historically ranged from 8.8 in (22 cm) in 1918–19 to 80 in (200 cm) in 1950–51. There
4725-480: Is a list of past Cavaliers players and other personnel who have been honored as "Cavs Legends" – either by retiring their number or having commemorative banners placed in the rafters at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. In 2019, the Cavaliers introduced the Wall of Honor, which honors former players and other personnel, and is located in the newly added North Atrium of the renovated Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Note - All personnel who have had their numbers retired or have
4914-404: Is additionally where Jehovah's Witnesses traces its earliest origins, and was the host of the 2009 G20 Pittsburgh summit . Pittsburgh was named in 1758, by General John Forbes , in honor of British statesman William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham . As Forbes was a Scotsman , he probably pronounced the name / ˈ p ɪ t s b ər ə / PITS -bər-ə (similar to Edinburgh ). Pittsburgh
5103-483: Is an average of 59 clear days and 103 partly cloudy days per year, while 203 days are cloudy. In terms of annual percent-average possible sunshine received, Pittsburgh (45%) is similar to Seattle (49%). The American Lung Association's (ALA) 2023 "State of the Air" report (which included data from 2019 to 2021) showed air quality in Pittsburgh improving. The city received a passing grade for ozone pollution, going from an F to
5292-454: Is home to large medical providers, including the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center , Allegheny Health Network , and 68 colleges and universities , including research and development leaders Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh . The area has served as the federal agency headquarters for cyber defense , software engineering , robotics , energy research , and
5481-413: Is home to the University of Pittsburgh , Carnegie Mellon University , Carlow University , Chatham University , The Carnegie Institute's Museums of Art and Natural History , Phipps Conservatory , and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall . It is also home to many parks and public spaces including Mellon Park , Westinghouse Park , Schenley Park , Frick Park , The Frick Pittsburgh , Bakery Square , and
5670-620: Is known as "the Steel City" for its dominant role in the history of the U.S. steel industry . It developed as a vital link of the Atlantic coast and Midwest , as the mineral-rich Allegheny Mountains led to the region being contested by the French and British Empires, Virginians , Whiskey Rebels , and Civil War raiders . For part of the 20th century, Pittsburgh was behind only New York City and Chicago in corporate headquarters employment; it had
5859-557: Is now known as Washington's Landing, formerly Herr's Island , in what is now the Lawrenceville neighborhood. The first known European to enter the region was the French explorer Robert de La Salle from Quebec during his 1669 expedition down the Ohio River . European pioneers, primarily Dutch, followed in the early 18th century. Michael Bezallion was the first to describe the forks of
History of the Cleveland Cavaliers - Misplaced Pages Continue
6048-672: Is primarily composed of residential neighborhoods and is noteworthy for its well-constructed and architecturally interesting homes. Many buildings date from the 19th century and are constructed of brick or stone and adorned with decorative woodwork, ceramic tile, slate roofs and stained glass. The North Side is also home to attractions such as Acrisure Stadium , PNC Park , Kamin Science Center , National Aviary , Andy Warhol Museum , Mattress Factory art museum, Children's Museum of Pittsburgh , Randyland , Penn Brewery , Allegheny Observatory , and Allegheny General Hospital . The South Side
6237-564: Is referred to as "the Point." The city extends east to include the Oakland and Shadyside sections, which are home to the University of Pittsburgh , Carnegie Mellon University , Chatham University , Carnegie Museum and Library , and many other educational, medical, and cultural institutions. The southern, western, and northern areas of the city are primarily residential. Many Pittsburgh neighborhoods are steeply sloped with two-lane roads. More than
6426-506: Is served by the Port Authority 's light rail system and multiple bridges leading north and south. It is also home to Point Park University and Duquesne University which borders Uptown . The North Side is home to various neighborhoods in transition. The area was once known as Allegheny City and operated as its own independent city until 1907, when it was merged with Pittsburgh despite great protest from its citizens. The North Side
6615-495: Is similar to their regular road jersey, except that it features the arched mid-1980s Cavs logo and white numerals in gold trim. A black sleeved uniform features the wine "C" logo in front and was famously worn in the title-clinching Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals . Their logos for the 2017–18 season newly included the color black to commemorate the victory. Beginning in the 2017–18 season , all NBA teams switched to Nike -designed white "Association" uniforms and "Icon" uniforms in
6804-713: Is water. The 80th meridian west passes directly through the city's downtown. The city is on the Allegheny Plateau , within the ecoregion of the Western Allegheny Plateau . The Downtown area (also known as the Golden Triangle) sits where the Allegheny River flows from the northeast and the Monongahela River from the southeast to form the Ohio River . The convergence is at Point State Park and
6993-480: Is white with a wine-and-gold horizontal stripe trim on the collar, sleeves, waistband and pant legs, the word "CAVALIERS" (in block style lettering) in wine on the front of the jersey with wine lettering for the name and number, and white shoes and socks. The road uniform is wine-colored with the same stripe trim, "Cleveland" in gold on the front of the jersey, gold lettering on the name and number, and black shoes and socks. An alternate jersey – gold with "CAVS" in wine on
7182-535: The 2010 NBA Finals and lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 4–3.) Each team would suffer record-setting playoff defeats on home soil; the Celtics lost by 29, 124–95, in Game 3, the greatest defeat in the history of the Boston Celtics in the playoffs, while the Cavaliers lost by 32, 120–88, in Game 5. With the Cavaliers out of the playoffs, the focus turned to James' impending free agency. On July 8, 2010, James announced in
7371-485: The 2015–16 season , James was criticized for his role in several off-court controversies, including the midseason firing of head coach David Blatt . Despite the Cavaliers' boasting the best record in the Eastern Conference at 30–11, Blatt was fired on January 22 and replaced by his assistant Tyronn Lue . The lack of chemistry and cohesion was the catalyst for the move. Lue had a firm, even-handed approach to coaching
7560-455: The 2017–18 season , most notably the trade of Irving to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Isaiah Thomas and other assets. Thomas was later traded to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a trade deadline overhaul that saw the Cavaliers add Jordan Clarkson , Larry Nance Jr. (son of Cavs legend Larry Nance ) and others. The following offseason, James declined his player option to rejoin
7749-567: The Allegheny Mountains . The Great Fire of Pittsburgh destroyed over a thousand buildings in 1845. The city rebuilt with the aid of Irish immigrants who came to escape the Great Famine . By 1857, Pittsburgh's 1,000 factories were consuming 22 million coal bushels yearly. Coal mining and iron manufacturing attracted waves of European immigrants to the area, with the most coming from Germany . Because Pennsylvania had been established as
History of the Cleveland Cavaliers - Misplaced Pages Continue
7938-424: The Boston Celtics ended the Cavaliers 15–0 start and 15 game winning streak when they won 120–117, giving the Cavaliers their first loss of the season. List of the last five seasons completed by the Cavaliers. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Cleveland Cavaliers seasons . Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, W–L% = Winning percentage When the Cleveland Cavaliers debuted in
8127-540: The Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. It is widely believed among both Cavaliers fans and players that the "Miracle" team would have won the 1976 NBA Championship had Chones stayed healthy. Cleveland won 43 games in both of the 1976–77 and 1977–78 seasons, but both seasons resulted in early playoff exits. After a 30–52 season in 1978–79 , Fitch resigned as head coach. The following season , after going 37–45 under Fitch's successor Stan Albeck , original owner Mileti sold his shares to Louis Mitchell who sold
8316-526: The Boston Celtics in the first round in four games (1–3). During the 1986 NBA draft , the Cavaliers acquired Brad Daugherty , Mark Price , and Ron Harper . They would also add Larry Nance just before the 1988 trade deadline, in a deal with the Phoenix Suns . Those four players (until Harper was later traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 1989 for the rights to Danny Ferry ) formed the core of
8505-410: The Boston Celtics . They made playoff appearances in the following two seasons before a six-year playoff drought. The early 1980s were marked by Ted Stepien 's ownership. During Stepien's tenure, the Cavaliers made a practice of trading future draft picks for marginal veteran players. His most notable deal sent a 1982 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Don Ford and
8694-567: The Charlotte Hornets on November 17, 2024, the Cavaliers achieved a 15-0 start, which is tied for the second-best start in franchise history, and the Cavaliers are the fourth team to achieve this milestone, after the 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors team, the 1993-1994 Houston Rockets team, and the 1948-1949 Washington Capitols team. The 15-0 start is also the Cavaliers’ longest winning streak in franchise history. On November 19, 2024,
8883-607: The Cleveland Indians ' Jacobs Field were built together as part of the city's Gateway project. The Cavaliers revamped their starting lineup during the 1997 off-season, sending guard Bobby Phills , and forward Chris Mills to free agency, and trading Terrell Brandon and Tyrone Hill to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a three-team trade. They acquired All-Star forward Shawn Kemp from the Seattle SuperSonics (from
9072-753: The Edgar Thomson Steel Works in North Braddock, Pennsylvania , which evolved into the Carnegie Steel Company . He adopted the Bessemer process to increase production. Manufacturing was key to growth of Pittsburgh and the surrounding region. Railroad lines were built into the city along both rivers, increasing transportation access to important markets. In 1901, J. P. Morgan and attorney Elbert H. Gary merged Carnegie Steel Company and several other companies into U.S. Steel . By 1910, Pittsburgh
9261-518: The Golden State Warriors in a highly anticipated rematch. The Warriors had gone 12–0 in their Western Conference playoff run, and took down the Cavaliers in five games despite James averaging 33.6 points, 12.0 rebounds and 10.0 assists to become the first player to average a triple-double in the championship round. In the 2017 off-season, Kyrie Irving demanded a trade, citing that he no longer wanted to play second fiddle to LeBron. Irving's wish
9450-426: The Golden State Warriors – winning in 2016 . The 2016 NBA Championship marked the Cavaliers' first title in franchise history, as they became the first team to come back from a 3–1 deficit to win the Finals. It was also Cleveland's first championship in major professional sports since the 1964 Browns , signaling the end of the so-called Cleveland sports curse . The Cavaliers' roster went through many changes in
9639-711: The Iroquois Confederacy , based in New York, had maintained control of much of the Ohio Valley as hunting grounds by right of conquest after defeating other tribes. By the terms of the 1768 Treaty of Fort Stanwix , the Penns were allowed to purchase the modern region from the Iroquois . A 1769 survey referenced the future city as the "Manor of Pittsburgh". Both the Colony of Virginia and
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#17328527791959828-483: The Köppen climate classification , Pittsburgh falls within either a hot-summer humid continental climate ( Dfa ) if the 0 °C (32 °F) isotherm is used or a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) if the −3 °C (27 °F) isotherm is used. Summers are hot and winters are moderately cold with wide variations in temperature. Despite this, it has one of the most pleasant summer climates between medium and large cities in
10017-545: The Miami Heat . The repercussions of this announcement left many in the city of Cleveland infuriated and feeling betrayed. After a 19–win season in 2010–11 , the Cavaliers began a rebuild around Kyrie Irving , whom they selected first overall in the 2011 NBA draft . In 2014, James returned to the Cavaliers after four seasons in Miami. While the Heat had a 224–88 record during James' four-year tenure and won NBA titles in 2012 and 2013,
10206-567: The Minnesota Timberwolves in a trade that saw the Cavaliers give away Delonte West and Sebastian Telfair . The Cavaliers also signed free agent Joey Graham and undrafted rookies Samardo Samuels and Manny Harris . The Cavaliers were also active at the trade deadline in February 2011. They acquired former All-Star Baron Davis and a 2011 first round draft pick from the L.A. Clippers in exchange for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon . On
10395-705: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was started, and in 1787, the Pittsburgh Academy was chartered. Unrest during the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 resulted in federal troops being sent to the area. By 1797, glass manufacture began, while the population grew to around 1,400. Settlers arrived after crossing the Appalachian Mountains or through the Great Lakes . Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh) at the source of
10584-461: The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. The neighborhoods of Shadyside and Squirrel Hill are large, wealthy neighborhoods with some apartments and condos, and pedestrian-oriented shopping/business districts. Squirrel Hill is also known as the hub of Jewish life in Pittsburgh, home to approximately 20 synagogues. Oakland , heavily populated by undergraduate and graduate students, is home to most of
10773-514: The Pittsburgh metropolitan area , which had a population of 2.457 million residents and is the largest metro area in both the Ohio Valley and Appalachia , the second-largest in Pennsylvania , and the 26th-largest in the U.S. Pittsburgh is the principal city of the greater Pittsburgh–Weirton–Steubenville combined statistical area which includes parts of Ohio and West Virginia . Pittsburgh
10962-844: The Portland Trail Blazers and Buffalo Braves . Home games were first held at Cleveland Arena from 1970 to 1974, followed by the Richfield Coliseum from 1974 to 1994. Since 1994, the Cavs have played home games at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in downtown Cleveland , which is shared with the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League . Dan Gilbert has owned the team since March 2005. The Cavaliers opened their inaugural season by losing their first 15 games and struggled in their early years, placing no better than sixth in
11151-518: The Province of Pennsylvania claimed the region under their colonial charters until 1780, when they agreed under a federal initiative to extend the Mason–Dixon line westward, placing Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. On March 8, 1771, Bedford County, Pennsylvania was created to govern the frontier. On April 16, 1771, the city's first civilian local government was created as Pitt Township . William Teagarden
11340-480: The county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania , United States. It is the second-most populous city in Pennsylvania , after Philadelphia , and the 68th-most populous city in the U.S., with a population of 302,971 as of the 2020 census . The city is located in southwestern Pennsylvania at the confluence of the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River , which combine to form the Ohio River . It anchors
11529-445: The nuclear navy . In the private sector, Pittsburgh-based PNC is the nation's fifth-largest bank, and the city is home to ten Fortune 500 companies and seven of the largest 300 U.S. law firms. Other corporations that have regional headquarters and offices have helped Pittsburgh become the sixth-best area for U.S. job growth. Pittsburgh is sometimes called the "City of Bridges" for its 446 bridges . Its rich industrial history left
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#173285277919511718-463: The playoffs , the Cavaliers won their series against the Washington Bullets , 4–3. Because of the many heroics and last-second shots, the series became known locally as the "Miracle of Richfield." They won Game 7, 87–85, on a shot by Snyder with four seconds to go. But the team became hampered by injuries—particularly to Jim Chones, who suffered a broken ankle. The Cavaliers proceeded to lose to
11907-461: The #1 seeded Detroit Pistons , winning three consecutive games to come one game away from the Conference Finals. They lost a close Game 6 at home, and followed it with a 79–61 loss in Game 7. The playoff rounds were a showcase for the emergence of James, who achieved many "youngest ever to..." records during the run. The Cavaliers continued their success in the 2006–07 season. The team earned
12096-425: The #4 selection in the draft. The Cavaliers took Duke Blue Devils guard Kyrie Irving with the first pick. With the 4th pick, the Cavaliers selected Texas Longhorns power forward Tristan Thompson . The Cavaliers used the next year to build around the two top-5 picks. They acquired small forward Omri Casspi and a lottery-protected first-round draft pick from the Sacramento Kings for forward J. J. Hickson . At
12285-415: The 1850 Fugitive Slave Act , as it required cooperation from law enforcement even in free states and increased penalties. From 1850 to 1860, the black population in Allegheny County dropped from 3,431 to 2,725 as people headed to more safety in Canada. The American Civil War boosted the city's economy with increased iron and armament demand by the Union. Andrew Carnegie began steel production in 1875 at
12474-429: The 1981–82 season. The team finished 15–67, and between March and November 1982, the team had a 24-game losing streak, which, at the time, was the NBA's longest losing streak . George and Gordon Gund purchased the Cavaliers from Stepien in 1983. The Cavaliers made the playoffs 10 times between 1985 and 1998. The 1988–89 seasons was the Cavaliers' best season to date, finishing the regular season at 57–25 with
12663-412: The 1983–84 season, the colors were changed to burnt orange, blue and white. The first Cavaliers uniform under the new scheme featured the Cavaliers logo (with a "V" in the shape of a hoop and circle above as basketball) in an arched pattern and the player name sewn onto the back shoulder as a patch, with orange being the primary color in both the away and home uniforms. However, in the 1987–88 season, orange
12852-428: The 2004–05 season to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the "Miracle of Richfield" team, while the gold "feathered C" uniforms were used again in the 2008–09 season as a buildup to the then-upcoming 40th season of the Cavaliers. The "Miracle of Richfield" gold uniforms were used again in the 2015–16 season on special "Hardwood Classic" nights to commemorate the Miracle of Richfield team's 40th-anniversary celebration. In
13041-414: The 2005 offseason. Under new owner Dan Gilbert , the team hired a new head coach, Mike Brown , and a new general manager, former Cavaliers forward Danny Ferry . The team experienced success on the court in the following season , clinching their first playoff appearance since 1998 . After a first round win over the Washington Wizards , the Cavaliers rebounded from a 0–2 deficit in the second round against
13230-407: The 2009–10 season as part of the franchise's 40th anniversary and as a tribute to the 1988–89 team. Coinciding with the move to Gund Arena in the 1994–95 season, the Cavaliers changed logos and uniforms, adding black in addition to the already existing blue, orange and white colors. The uniforms feature a blue splash in the abdomen area in front. From 1994 to 1997, the word "CAVS" on the home uniforms
13419-413: The 2014–15 season, a second alternate jersey – and fourth uniform overall – was added, which is navy blue (a callback to the 1987–1994 style) with "CAVS" and the player's number in wine with gold trim, the player's name on the back of the jersey in gold and the "Sword C" logo on the side of the pant legs. Two alternate jerseys were unveiled prior to the start of the 2015–16 season. The second wine uniform
13608-472: The 2014–15 season, as he ascended to James' level with a 55-point effort on January 28 against Portland and a 57-point effort on March 12 against San Antonio, which broke the franchise scoring record of 56 held by James. The Cavaliers entered the 2015 NBA playoffs as the second seed in the East with a 53–29 record. They advanced through the first three rounds of the playoffs virtually unchallenged, sweeping Boston in
13797-405: The 22nd overall pick in 1980. As a result of Stepien's dealings, the NBA introduced the "Stepien Rule", which prohibits teams from trading first-round draft picks in successive seasons. The Cavaliers went 66–180, dropped to the bottom of the league in attendance and lost $ 15 million during Stepien's three years as the owner. The Cavs went through six coaches during this span, including four during
13986-626: The All-Rookie Second Team. No other NBA team has ever been represented by five players at the All-Star celebration or four players as All-Rookies in the same year. Still, in the three seasons that Kemp played for the Cavaliers, they managed only one playoff appearance and one playoff win. Fratello was fired following the shortened 1998–99 season. Despite the arrivals of Andre Miller , Brevin Knight , Lamond Murray , Chris Mihm and Carlos Boozer ,
14175-518: The Cavaliers acquired Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves , forming a new star trio along with Kyrie Irving . The Cavaliers struggled over the first two months of the 2014–15 season. They were 19–16 on January 5, and fifth in the Eastern Conference. David Blatt 's coaching job was in peril and the Irving/James/Love "Big 3" wasn't clicking. That was the day general manager David Griffin saved
14364-415: The Cavaliers announced that Griffin had been named as the full-time GM, while also announcing that Mike Brown had been fired after one season in his second stint with the team following going 33–49. The Cavaliers won the #1 draft pick in the 2014 Draft Lottery, making it the third time in four years they would win the lottery. The Cavaliers were perennial title contenders between 2014–15 and 2017-18 following
14553-476: The Cavaliers faced a rematch with the Golden State Warriors . The Warriors, coming off an NBA-best 73–9 regular season record, raced to a 2–0 series after handing the Cavaliers back-to-back blowout losses in Games 1 and 2. The Cavaliers responded with a blowout win of their own in Game 3, before falling behind 3–1 in the series with a loss in Game 4. James and Irving responded in Game 5, with both scoring 41 points to lead
14742-490: The Cavaliers finished with a 40–42 record, falling just short of a playoff berth. In the 1975–76 season with Carr, Smith, Chones, Snyder, and newly acquired Nate Thurmond , Fitch led the Cavaliers to a 49–33 record and a division title. Fitch received the league's Coach of the Year award as the Cavaliers got their first winning season, made their first-ever playoff appearance, and clinched their first Central Division Title. In
14931-519: The Cavaliers made five straight playoffs from 2006 to 2010, advancing to at least the second round each time. The 2006–07 Cavaliers advanced to the franchise's first NBA Finals , but were swept by the San Antonio Spurs . The 2008–09 Cavaliers won a franchise-record 66 games, including a franchise-best 39–2 record at home, but lost the Eastern Conference Finals to the Orlando Magic . Despite
15120-609: The Cavaliers to a 112–97 win in Oakland. The pair became the first teammates to each score 40 points in an NBA Finals game. James continued his hot form in Game 6, as he put together his second consecutive 41-point game, leading the Cavaliers to two consecutive wins to stave off elimination. In Game 7 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, a number of key plays down the stretch in the fourth quarter put the Cavaliers in position for victory: James' chase-down block on Andre Iguodala with 1:50 to go; Irving's three-pointer with 53 seconds left that propelled
15309-497: The Cavaliers to a 92–89 lead; and Love's defensive play on Stephen Curry in the ensuing possession. Cleveland emerged victorious with a 93–89 win to earn the city's first professional sports title in 52 years . James was named the unanimous Finals MVP. James became the third player to have a triple-double in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, joining Jerry West in 1969 and James Worthy in 1988. He had 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in
15498-435: The Cavaliers went 97–215 and missed the playoffs each season. The Cavaliers made several moves to build a championship-contending team around James, most notably acquiring power forward Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves , which created what many fans and media referred to as a "Big Three" with James, Love and Irving. The Lebron-led Cavaliers made four consecutive Finals appearances from 2015 to 2018 – all against
15687-529: The Cavaliers were a perennial lottery team for the early part of the 2000s. The 2002–03 team finished with the third-worst record in franchise history (17–65), which earned them a tie for last place in the league and a 22.5% chance at winning the NBA Draft Lottery and the first overall selection. Ricky Davis received national attention on March 16, 2003, in game against the Utah Jazz . With Cleveland ahead in
15876-452: The Cavaliers won the next three to take a 3–2 series lead. This time, the Cavaliers eliminated Detroit in Game 6. The wins included a 109–107 double-overtime game at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Game 5, in which LeBron James scored the last 25 points for the Cavaliers, and his performance in this game is recognized as one of the best in NBA history. They continued to a dominant 98–82 win at home in Game 6. Rookie Daniel "Boobie" Gibson scored
16065-452: The Cavaliers' 50th season, as well as the 25th anniversary of the move to Gund Arena (now Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse). The Cavaliers switched to a modified version of the team's classic wine-and-gold scheme in the 2003–04 season: metallic gold and a crimson shade of wine with navy blue added. The home uniform was white, with the word "Cavaliers" in wine lettering with gold trim on the front, the player's name in wine lettering with gold trim on
16254-493: The Cavaliers' trading of Davis later that year and ushering in a new type of team. Several losing seasons followed which saw the Cavaliers drop to the bottom of the league and become a perennial lottery draft team. After another disappointing season in 2002–03 , the Cavaliers landed the number one draft pick in the NBA draft lottery . With it, the team selected local high school phenomenon and future NBA MVP LeBron James. As if celebrating
16443-437: The Cavs' jerseys is a small Goodyear "Wingfoot" logo, as part of a sponsorship deal with the team. Nike also provides a third, alternate uniform called the "Statement" uniform. The Cavaliers' Statement uniform is black with dark gray pinstripes, a wine-colored "C" trimmed in gold on the front, names in gold letters on the back, wine-colored/gold-trimmed numbers on the front and back, and gold-colored Nike and Goodyear logos on
16632-487: The Cavs, building trust within a team that often seemed on the verge of splintering. He managed egos, implemented an up-tempo offense and made some deft decisions. The Cavaliers entered the 2016 NBA playoffs as the first seed in the East with a 57–25 record, and once again advanced through the first three rounds of the playoffs virtually unchallenged, reaching the NBA Finals with a 12–2 postseason record, including winning 10 straight games as they threatened to sweep through
16821-449: The Central, North Side/North Hills, South Side/South Hills, East End, and West End. Downtown Pittsburgh has 30 skyscrapers, nine of which top 500 feet (150 m). The U.S. Steel Tower is the tallest, at 841 ft (256 m). The Cultural District consists of a 14-block area of downtown along the Allegheny River . This district contains many theaters and arts venues and is home to
17010-504: The Eastern Conference during their first five seasons. The team won their first Central Division title in 1976, which also marked the first winning season and playoff appearance in franchise history, where they advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. The franchise was purchased by Ted Stepien in 1980. Stepien's tenure as owner was marked by six coaching changes, questionable trades and draft decisions, and poor attendance, leading to $ 15 million in financial losses. The Cavs went 66–180 over
17199-561: The Eastern Conference playoffs. The 10–0 start to the playoffs saw Lue pass Pat Riley (9–0) for the most consecutive playoff wins to start a coaching career. They defeated the Detroit Pistons in the first round to set up a Conference Finals rematch with the Atlanta Hawks . The Cavs swept the Hawks and defeated the Toronto Raptors in the Conference Finals in six games. In the NBA Finals,
17388-510: The Elder , while the settlement was named "Pittsborough". During Pontiac's War , a loose confederation of Native American tribes laid siege to Fort Pitt in 1763; the siege was eventually lifted after Colonel Henry Bouquet defeated a portion of the besieging force at the Battle of Bushy Run . Bouquet strengthened the defenses of Fort Pitt the next year. During this period, the powerful nations of
17577-423: The Heat and having won back-to-back titles in the 2011–12 and 2012–13 seasons, James returned to the Cavs in 2014 and led the team to four straight NBA Finals appearances. In 2016 , the Cavaliers won their first NBA Championship , marking Cleveland's first major sports title since 1964. The 2016 NBA Finals victory over the Golden State Warriors marked the first time in Finals history a team had come back to win
17766-551: The Monongahela House in 1850, apparently to freedom. The Merchant's Hotel was also a place where African-American workers would advise slaves the state was free and aid them in getting to nearby stations of the Underground Railroad. Sometimes refugee slaves from the South stayed in Pittsburgh, but other times they continued North, including into Canada. Many slaves left the city and county for Canada after Congress passed
17955-478: The NBA Finals for the fourth straight year, only again to be stopped by the Warriors, who swept them 4–0. After the Finals, three frontrunners emerged as favorites to sign LeBron: The Cavs, Los Angeles Lakers, and Philadelphia 76ers . LeBron signed with the Lakers, leaving Cleveland again. Trying to stay competitive, the Cavs re-signed Kevin Love to 4-year, $ 120 million extension. After LeBron had left, Cleveland's plan
18144-426: The NBA in 1970, the team's original jersey colors were wine and gold. The first jerseys featured the feathered treatment of the letter "C" in "Cavaliers". In 1974, they changed into the classic block lettering and checkerboard pattern that was synonymous to the "Miracle of Richfield" team of 1976. In 1980, the gold shade was changed from yellowish to metallic, and the uniforms removed the checkerboard pattern and placed
18333-430: The NBA prohibiting teams from trading away first-round draft picks in consecutive years. This rule is known as the "Ted Stepien Rule". The ensuing chaos had a major effect on both the Cavaliers' on-court performance and lack of local support, going 28–54 in 1980–81 (Stepien's first year as owner), followed by an abysmal 15–67 mark in 1981–82 . The 1981–82 team lost its last 19 games of the season which, when coupled with
18522-449: The NBA's best record for the second straight season, with a 61–21 record. James was named the NBA MVP for the second consecutive year. The Cavaliers defeated the Chicago Bulls 4–1 in the first round of the 2010 NBA playoffs , but lost to the Boston Celtics in the semifinals after leading the series 2–1, with the Celtics proceeding to win 3 consecutive games (afterwards, the Celtics went to
18711-553: The No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA draft , selecting future NBA MVP LeBron James , a native of nearby Akron . On January 3, 2005, the team was sold to businessman Dan Gilbert for $ 375 million, and the deal was finalized on March 1, 2005. That year, the team also hired head coach Mike Brown and general manager Danny Ferry . The Cavaliers built a team around James and Žydrūnas Ilgauskas by adding players such as Drew Gooden , Larry Hughes and Anderson Varajao . Under this new leadership,
18900-509: The North American front of the Seven Years' War , began with the future Pittsburgh as its center. British General Edward Braddock was dispatched with Major George Washington as his aide to take Fort Duquesne. The British and colonial force were defeated at Braddock's Field . General John Forbes finally took the forks in 1758. He began construction on Fort Pitt , named after William Pitt
19089-690: The North Side, and the Golden Triangle are characterized by more density of housing, walking neighborhoods, and a more diverse, urban feel. Pittsburgh falls within the borders of the Northeastern United States as defined by multiple US Government agencies. Pittsburgh is the principal city of the Pittsburgh Combined Statistical Area , a combined statistical area defined by the U.S. Census Bureau . Pittsburgh falls within
19278-666: The Ohio River became the main base for settlers moving into the Northwest Territory . The federal government recognizes Pittsburgh as the starting point for the Lewis and Clark Expedition . Preparations began in Pittsburgh in 1803 when Meriwether Lewis purchased a keelboat that would later be used to ascend the Missouri River . The War of 1812 cut off the supply of British goods, stimulating American industry. By 1815, Pittsburgh
19467-551: The Ohio headwaters was long inhabited by the Shawnee and several other settled groups of Native Americans . Shannopin's Town was an 18th-century Lenape (Delaware) town located roughly from where Penn Avenue is today, below the mouth of Two Mile Run, from 30th Street to 39th Street. According to George Croghan , the town was situated on the south bank of the Allegheny, nearly opposite what
19656-502: The Ohio in a 1717 manuscript, and later that year European fur traders established area posts and settlements. In 1749, French soldiers from Quebec launched an expedition to the forks to unite Canada with French Louisiana via the rivers. During 1753–1754, the British hastily built Fort Prince George before a larger French force drove them off. The French built Fort Duquesne based on LaSalle's 1669 claims. The French and Indian War ,
19845-477: The U.S. The city lies in the USDA plant hardiness zone 6b except along the rivers where the zone is 7a. The area has four distinct seasons: winters are cold and snowy, springs and falls are mild with moderate levels of sunshine, and summers are warm. As measured by percent possible sunshine, summer is by far the sunniest season, though annual sunshine is low among major US cities at well under 50%. The warmest month of
20034-420: The addition of four-time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal , the 2009–10 Cavaliers were unable to return to the Eastern Conference Finals after losing to the Boston Celtics in the second round. With the Cavaliers out of the playoffs, the focus turned to James' impending free agency. On July 8, 2010, James announced in a nationally televised one-hour special titled The Decision that he would be signing with
20223-399: The air and the rivers. The "Renaissance II" project followed in 1977, focused on cultural and neighborhood development. The industrial base continued to expand through the 1970s, but beginning in the early 1980s both the area's steel and electronics industries imploded during national industrial restructuring. There were massive layoffs from mill and plant closures. In the later 20th century,
20412-425: The area shifted its economic base to education, tourism, and services, largely based on healthcare/medicine, finance, and high technology such as robotics. Although Pittsburgh successfully shifted its economy and remained viable, the city's population has never rebounded to its industrial-era highs. While 680,000 people lived in the city proper in 1950, a combination of suburbanization and economic turbulence resulted in
20601-585: The area with renowned cultural institutions, including the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy , Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium , Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens , the National Aviary , and a diverse cultural district . The city's major league professional sports teams include the Pittsburgh Steelers , Pittsburgh Penguins , and Pittsburgh Pirates . Pittsburgh
20790-448: The back, the player's numbers in navy blue, and wine-and-gold trim on the sides. The team's standard road uniform was wine-colored, with the word "Cleveland", the player's name and the player's numbers all in white lettering with gold trim, as well as white and gold trim on the sides. The team's alternate jersey was navy blue with the word "Cleveland", the player's name and the player's numbers all in white lettering with gold trim, as well as
20979-528: The borders of Appalachia as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission , and has long been characterized as the "northern urban industrial anchor of Appalachia." In its post-industrial state, Pittsburgh has been characterized as the "Paris of Appalachia", recognizing the city's cultural, educational, healthcare, and technological resources, and is the largest city in Appalachia. Under
21168-481: The city's population. Pittsburgh also became a main destination of the African-American Great Migration from the rural South during the first half of the 20th century. Limited initially by discrimination, some 95% percent of the men became unskilled steel workers. During World War II , demand for steel increased and area mills operated 24 hours a day to produce 95 million tons of steel for
21357-537: The city's rivers and hollows. The Great Allegheny Passage and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath connect the city directly to downtown Washington, D.C. (some 335 miles [539 km] away) with a continuous bike/running trail. The city consists of the Downtown area, called the Golden Triangle, and four main areas surrounding it. These surrounding areas are subdivided into distinct neighborhoods (Pittsburgh has 90 neighborhoods). Relative to downtown, these areas are known as
21546-416: The clincher, capping a series where the Cavaliers became the first team to successfully overcome a 3–1 deficit in the Finals. An estimated 1.3 million people attended the downtown victory parade on June 22. At the championship rally later that day, general manager David Griffin noted that " The Shot , The Drive , The Fumble all must now be replaced by The Block , the three, and the D." The 2016–17 season
21735-476: The community and various developers to create a master plan for a mixed-use development that included a riverfront park, office space, housing, health-care facilities, and indoor practice fields for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pitt Panthers . Construction of the development began in 1998. The SouthSide Works has been open since 2005, featuring many stores, restaurants, offices, and the world headquarters for American Eagle Outfitters . The East End of Pittsburgh
21924-418: The conference semifinals, the Cavaliers swept the 4th-seeded Atlanta Hawks , again winning each game by at least ten points, becoming the first team in NBA history to win eight straight playoff games by a double-digit margin. The Cavaliers then met the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Cavaliers lost Game 1 of the series 107–106 at home despite James' 49-point effort. Despite winning Game 2 by
22113-537: The core of the team. After a promising start, the Cavaliers began a downward spiral that eventually led to the firing of coach Paul Silas and general manager Jim Paxson . The team failed to make the playoffs that year, tied with New Jersey Nets for the final playoff spot with identical 42–40 records; however, the Nets owned the tiebreaker due to having the better head-to-head record. The Cavaliers made many changes in
22302-402: The course of those three seasons and endured a 24-game losing streak spanning the 1981–82 and 1982–83 seasons. George and Gordon Gund purchased the franchise in 1983. During the latter half of the 1980s and through much of the 1990s, the Cavs were a regular playoff contender – led by players such as Mark Price and Brad Daugherty – and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1992. After
22491-440: The court, the 2010–11 season was a stark contrast from the previous season. They went from a league-best 61 wins in 2009–10 to a conference-worst 19, the biggest single-season drop in NBA history. This season also saw the Cavaliers lose 63 games, including a 26-game losing streak, which set an NBA record and tied the expansion 1976–77 Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the longest losing streak in any American professional team sport. Having
22680-696: The direction of head coach Bill Fitch , they compiled a league-worst 15–67 record in their inaugural season. The team hoped to build around the number one 1971 draft pick Austin Carr , who had set numerous scoring records at Notre Dame , but Carr severely injured his leg shortly into his pro career and never was able to realize his potential. The following seasons saw the Cavaliers gradually improve their on-court performance, thanks to season-by-season additions of talented players such as Bobby "Bingo" Smith , Jim Chones , Jim Cleamons and Dick Snyder . The Cavaliers improved to 23–59 in their sophomore season , followed by
22869-464: The downtown skyline, and numerous other residential neighborhoods such as Sheraden and Elliott . Many of Pittsburgh's patchwork of neighborhoods still retain ethnic characters reflecting the city's settlement history. These include: Several neighborhoods on the edges of the city are less urban, featuring tree-lined streets, yards and garages, with a more suburban character. Oakland, the South Side,
23058-689: The fifth pick in the 2019 NBA draft . Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers , often referred to as the Cavs , are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland . The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference . The team began play as an expansion team in 1970 , along with
23247-532: The first Eastern Conference championship in franchise history. After failing to return to the NBA Finals in the ensuing three seasons, James joined the Miami Heat in 2010. As a result, the Cavaliers finished the 2010–11 season last in the conference, enduring a 26-game losing streak, the third-longest in NBA history . Between 2010 and 2014, however, the team won the top pick in the NBA draft lottery three times – first in 2011 where they selected Kyrie Irving , and again in 2013 and 2014 . After four seasons with
23436-415: The first round, defeating Chicago in six games in the second round, and sweeping Atlanta in the Conference Finals to claim the franchise's second ever Eastern Conference championship and a trip to the NBA Finals . Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals saw a pair of overtime games, in which Game 1 went to the favored Golden State Warriors and Game 2 went to the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers went on to win Game 3 to take
23625-430: The five losses at the start of the 1982–83 season , constitute the NBA's second all-time longest losing streak at 24 games . Although the team improved its record to 23–59 the following year, local support for the Cavaliers eroded which eventually bottomed out that year by averaging only 3,900 fans a game at the cavernous (and isolated) Coliseum which seated more than 20,000. Though Stepien eventually threatened to move
23814-485: The following season . On February 17, 2010, the Cavaliers acquired All-Star forward Antawn Jamison from the Washington Wizards and Sebastian Telfair from the Los Angeles Clippers in a three team trade. The Cavaliers originally lost Žydrūnas Ilgauskas in this trade, but after being waived by Washington, he signed back with the Cavaliers on March 23 for the rest of the season. The Cavaliers managed to finish with
24003-474: The following unsigned draft picks who have been playing outside the NBA. A drafted player – either an international draftee or a college draftee who is not signed by the team that drafted him – is allowed to sign with any non-NBA teams. In this case, the team retains the player's draft rights in the NBA until one year after the player's contract with the non-NBA team ends. This list includes draft rights that were acquired from trades with other teams. The following
24192-631: The franchise to Toronto and rename it the Toronto Towers - to the point that he had a Toronto Towers logo created - brothers George and Gordon Gund purchased the Cavaliers in 1983 and decided to keep the team in Cleveland (it would be another 12 years before Toronto finally got an NBA team in the form of the Raptors via expansion). As an incentive to the Gunds, NBA owners awarded the team bonus first-round picks for each year from 1983 to 1986 to help compensate for
24381-433: The front of the jersey, wine lettering on the name and number, white socks and shoes, and the same stripe trim as the other uniforms – was added for the 2012–13 season. All uniforms have the team motto – "All for one. One for all." – stitched on the inside of the collar and the secondary "Sword C" logo on the side of the pant legs. The logo used is the same piercing sword logo, updated to the classic wine-and-gold scheme. For
24570-418: The front. In the same vein as the logo on their 2017–18 jerseys, the black jersey is a nod to the team's former black-sleeved jerseys that they wore when they won Game 7 of the 2016 Finals. For the 2022–23 NBA season , the Cavaliers unveiled an updated logo and color scheme, removing navy blue while reverting to the metallic gold first used from 1980 to 1983, and from 2003 to 2010. The "C-sword" alternate logo
24759-411: The game 120–95, Davis was one rebound short of a triple-double with only a few seconds left on the clock. After receiving an inbound pass at the Cavaliers' end of the floor, Davis banged the ball off the rim and caught it in attempt to receive credit for a rebound. Utah's DeShawn Stevenson took offense to this breach of sportsman's etiquette and immediately fouled Davis hard. The play did not count as
24948-415: The game day entertainment, such as introducing a polka -flavored fight song and a dance team known as "The Teddy Bears". Stepien also oversaw the hiring and firing of a succession of coaches and was involved in making a number of poor trade and free agent signing decisions. The result of his questionable trading acumen was the loss of several of the team's first-round draft picks, which led to a rule change in
25137-437: The highest appreciation of the largest 25 metropolitan statistical areas in the United States, with 22 of the largest 25 metropolitan statistical areas experiencing depreciations in housing values. In September 2009, the 2009 G20 Pittsburgh summit was held in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh has an area of 58.3 square miles (151 km ), of which 55.6 square miles (144 km ) is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km ), or 4.75%,
25326-402: The latter iteration, the blue splash was moved from the right leg to the left leg, surrounding "CLEVELAND" on the home uniforms and "CAVS" on the road uniforms, with a minor change in striping. In the 1999–2000 season, the Cavaliers opted to go for a cleaner look, eliminating the splash and adding an orange and blue line that runs through the shorts. The home jerseys feature the team nickname and
25515-486: The leadership of point guard Terrell Brandon . But the offense, which was a half-court, "slow-down" tempo installed by Fratello, met with mixed success. Although the Cavaliers made regular playoff appearances, they were unable to advance beyond the first round. In the 1994 NBA Playoffs , the last which Daugherty and Nance played in, the Cavaliers yet again met the Chicago Bulls in the first round, led by Scottie Pippen in
25704-435: The most U.S. stockholders per capita. Deindustrialization in the late 20th century resulted in massive layoffs among blue-collar workers as steel and other heavy industries declined, coinciding with several Pittsburgh-based corporations moving out of the city. However, the city divested from steel and, since the 1990s, Pittsburgh has focused its energies on the healthcare, education, and technology industries. Pittsburgh
25893-536: The next year's trade deadline, the Cavaliers acquired forward Luke Walton and a first-round draft pick from the Los Angeles Lakers . The 2011–12 lockout shortened season was an improvement for the Cavaliers, as they finished 21–45. Irving was named NBA Rookie of the Year and was unanimously voted to the NBA All-Rookie First Team . Thompson was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team . For
26082-421: The ones Stepien traded away. Shortly after purchasing the Cavaliers in 1983, the Gunds changed the team colors from wine and gold to burnt orange and navy blue. Furthermore, they officially adopted "Cavs" as a shorter nickname for marketing purposes, as it had been used unofficially by fans and headline writers since the team's inception. Under the coaching of George Karl , the Cavaliers failed again, and missed
26271-525: The opening of Cleveland Clinic Courts, the team used the practice court located on the club level of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse . In honor of the Cavs winning the NBA Championship, the city of Independence renamed the section of Brecksville Road leading to the team's practice facility "Cavaliers Way" in November 2016. Roster Last transaction: November 1, 2024 The Cavaliers hold the draft rights to
26460-553: The owner of the Cavaliers, announced in an open letter on the Cavaliers website that James' decision was a "cowardly betrayal" and promised an NBA Championship for the Cleveland Cavaliers before James won one, although James would win a championship before the Cavaliers with the Miami Heat in 2012 . During the 2010 off-season, before LeBron James left the team, the Cavaliers fired head coach Mike Brown , along with most of their coaching staff. General Manager Danny Ferry resigned on June 4, 2010, and Assistant General Manager Chris Grant
26649-419: The playoffs, with a 28–54 record, in the 1983–84 season. The Cavaliers finally returned to the playoffs in 1985 , only to lose to the eventual Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics in the first round. At that point, the team was in transition, led by dynamic players such as World B. Free , Roy Hinson and John Bagley . But in 1986, Karl was fired after 66 games. Interim head coach Gene Littles guided
26838-476: The playoffs. After the 1992–93 season, in which the Cavaliers had a 54–28 regular-season record but suffered an early exit from the playoffs in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to the Chicago Bulls, Wilkens left to coach the Atlanta Hawks . Following the hiring of Mike Fratello as head coach starting with the 1993–94 season , the Cavaliers became one of the NBA's best defensive teams under
27027-550: The playoffs. They finished the season 39–2 at home, one win short of the best all-time home record . Head coach Mike Brown won NBA Coach of the Year honors and LeBron James finished second in NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award voting and won the NBA Most Valuable Player award . The Cavaliers began the 2009 postseason by sweeping the 8th-seeded Detroit Pistons , winning every game by ten or more points. In
27216-495: The record cold daily maximum is −3 °F (−19 °C), which occurred three times, most recently the day of the all-time record low, while, conversely, the record warm daily minimum is 82 °F (28 °C) on July 1, 1901. Due to elevation and location on the windward side of the Appalachian Mountains, 100 °F (38 °C)+ readings are very rare, and were last seen on July 15, 1995. Average annual precipitation
27405-421: The respective team's primary color. The Cavaliers' Icon uniforms were wine-colored with "Cleveland" across the front and the player's name in gold lettering with navy blue numerals both in the front and in the back. The white Association uniforms have "Cavs" across the front, with wine color letters and numbers both front and back. All teams have the choice of which uniform to wear for any home game. Also included on
27594-489: The return of LeBron James to Cleveland. On July 11, 2014, James revealed via a first-person essay in Sports Illustrated that he intended to return to the Cavaliers. In contrast to The Decision , his announcement to return to Cleveland was well received. A day later, he officially signed with the team, who had compiled a league-worst 97–215 record in the four seasons following his departure. A month after James' signing,
27783-463: The season with two moves. First, Dion Waiters was sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a three-team deal that landed J. R. Smith and Iman Shumpert . Then two days later, Griffin gave up two first-round picks for Denver Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov . The Cavaliers bottomed out at 19–20 on January 13 but were 32–9 the rest of the way. Irving proved to be a worthy partner for James during
27972-526: The second seed in the East with a 50–32 record, generating a series of favorable matchups in the playoffs . They battled 7th-seeded Wizards, who struggled with injuries near the end of the season. The Cavaliers swept this series 4–0, and defeated the New Jersey Nets , 4–2, in the second round. The Cavaliers faced the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. After again losing the first two games at Detroit,
28161-403: The second seed in the East with a 51–31 record, after losing their final four games. Despite this, the Cavaliers rolled through the Eastern Conference playoffs, going 12–1 and putting up the best offensive efficiency in the history of the postseason through the first three rounds, besting the "Showtime" Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s. However, they met their match in the 2017 NBA Finals , facing
28350-449: The second straight year, the Cavaliers had two first-round picks in the NBA draft . With their own #4 pick, they chose guard Dion Waiters from Syracuse , and with pick #17 (which was acquired from Dallas on draft night), they chose center Tyler Zeller from North Carolina . In August 2012, the Cavaliers signed veteran free agent swingman C. J. Miles . The team struggled in 2012–13, which led to them sacking head coach Byron Scott after
28539-541: The second-worst team record in the 2010–11 season as well as the Clippers' first-round pick that they received in the Mo Williams – Baron Davis trade, the Cavaliers had high odds of winning an early draft pick in the NBA draft lottery , with a 22.7% chance of their pick becoming number 1 overall. The selection acquired from the Clippers became the first pick in the lottery, while the Cavaliers original selection ended up as
28728-493: The series 3–2. The pinnacle of the Cavaliers' success came in the 1991–92 season, when they compiled a 57–25 record and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals , losing again to the Chicago Bulls , 4–2. Soon after, the Cavaliers entered into a period of decline. With the retirements and departures of Nance, Daugherty, and Price, the team lost much of its dominance and were no longer able to contest strongly during
28917-502: The series after trailing, 3–1. The Cavaliers have 23 playoff appearances and have won seven Central Division titles, five Eastern Conference titles and one NBA title. The Cavaliers began play in the 1970–71 season as an expansion team. They set losing records in each of their first five seasons before winning their first division title in 1976 . The 1976 team was led by Austin Carr , Bobby "Bingo" Smith , Jim Chones , Dick Snyder , Nate Thurmond and head coach Bill Fitch . It
29106-453: The series at 2–2. Home court advantage went to Cleveland. The game was evenly matched, until Cleveland managed to score on a drive and raise the lead by one, with three seconds left. Chicago called for a time-out. The ball was inbounded to Michael Jordan , who went for a jump shot. Cleveland's Craig Ehlo jumped in front to block it, but Jordan seemed to stay in the air until Ehlo landed. " The Shot " went in as time ran out, with Chicago winning
29295-489: The shares to minority owner Joe Zingale . In 1980, after just a few months, Zingale sold the team to Nationwide Advertising magnate Ted Stepien on April 12, 1980. Early on in his tenure, Stepien proposed to rename the team the "Ohio Cavaliers", part of a plan that included playing their home games not just in the Cleveland area but in Cincinnati and in non-Ohio markets such as Buffalo and Pittsburgh . He also made changes to
29484-407: The shorts. The wine Icon uniform features "Cleveland" in gold lettering on the chest, gold names and numbers, and the "Cavs C" logo in wine with a gold outline on the left leg of the shorts. The black Statement uniform – a nod to the black uniforms worn during the team's 2016 NBA championship run – displays a wine "Cavs C" logo outlined in gold on the front of the jersey, gold names and numbers, and
29673-485: The six games. The Cavaliers enter the 2015–16 season seeking redemption following a disappointing, injury-riddled exit from the NBA Finals. While the Cavaliers kept just five players in 2015, they had a returning cast of 11 players heading into the 2015–16 season. Love silenced many a doubter with his decision to sign a five-year deal to stay in Cleveland, spurning bigger markets and roles in the process. Smith, Shumpert and Dellavedova agreed to new contracts as well. During
29862-515: The stripes above "Cleveland" and below the uniform number, the only time the city name was featured in both home and away jerseys. The original logo was that of a swashbuckling cavalier looking right with a sword pointing, surrounded by the team name and a basketball. A modernized swashbuckling cavalier logo was later used by the Cavaliers' NBA Development League affiliate, the Canton Charge . The gold checkerboard uniforms were used as throwbacks in
30051-426: The team the rest of the way, which saw the Cavaliers finish one game short of the playoffs. During the seven-season period, the Cavaliers had nine head coaches: Stan Albeck , Bill Musselman , Don Delaney , Bob Kloppenburg , Chuck Daly , Bill Musselman (again), Tom Nissalke , George Karl , and Gene Littles . The only playoff appearance earned during this stretch was during the 1984–85 season under Karl, losing to
30240-412: The team's playoff appearance in the 1997–98 season, however, the Cavs had six consecutive losing seasons with no playoff action. Cleveland was awarded with the top overall pick in the 2003 draft , and they selected LeBron James . Behind James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas , the Cavaliers again became a regular playoff contender by 2005. They made their first appearance in the NBA Finals in 2007 after winning
30429-457: The team's practice facility and team headquarters, is located in suburban Independence . The 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m ) building opened in 2007 and includes two full-size basketball courts, a weight room, a team room, offices, medical facilities, and kitchen and dining facilities. Naming rights are held by the Cleveland Clinic , which is the team's official healthcare partner. Prior to
30618-399: The team, instead signing with the Lakers. In the following two seasons, the team recorded only 19 wins and failed to make the playoffs. In the first three seasons since James left the second time, the Cavaliers won a total of 60 games, missed the playoffs each season and have had four different head coaches: Tyronn Lue , Larry Drew , John Beilein and by this time, J.B. Bickerstaff , who
30807-535: The team, under the direction of head coach Lenny Wilkens , that led the Cavaliers to eight playoff seasons in the next nine years, including three seasons of 50 or more wins. In 1989, the Cavaliers were paired against the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs . In the fourth game of the best-of-five-series, Cleveland managed to beat the Bulls in overtime 108–105 to level
30996-591: The team. The Cavaliers qualified the 2024 NBA Playoffs as the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference, defeating the Orlando Magic 4–3 in the first round, but losing to the Boston Celtics 4–1 in the Conference semifinals. On November 6th, 2024 the Cavaliers beat their all-time franchise "season start" win-streak, beating the New Orleans Pelicans 131-122 for a season record of 9-0. After a 128-114 win against
31185-509: The three-team trade involving Cleveland, Seattle and Milwaukee) and guard Wesley Person from the Phoenix Suns . Later on, players like Kemp and Žydrūnas Ilgauskas added quality to the team, but without further post-season success. The Cavaliers did have five All-Stars/All-Rookies in 1998 with Kemp a starting All-Star for the East, Brevin Knight and Ilgauskas on the All-Rookie First Team, and Cedric Henderson and Derek Anderson on
31374-467: The top three picks in the second round. For the third straight year, the Cavaliers had two picks in the first round of the NBA draft . The Cavaliers made somewhat of a surprise pick when they drafted forward Anthony Bennett of UNLV . This made Bennett the first Canadian born player in history to be the number one pick. With the 19th pick, the Cavaliers selected swingman Sergey Karasev out of Russia. The Cavaliers signed free agent forward Earl Clark to
31563-425: The uniform numbers are in blue with black lines, while the away jerseys featured the city name and the uniform numbers in white with blue lines; these jerseys were used until the 2002–03 season. The logo used in this period was of a basketball on its way down a net, surrounded by a black square and the word "CAVS" in blue with black line below. The 1994–1996 black uniforms were revived for the 2019–20 season as part of
31752-852: The universities, and the Petersen Events Center . The Strip District to the west along the Allegheny River is an open-air marketplace by day and a clubbing destination by night. Bloomfield is Pittsburgh's Little Italy and is known for its Italian restaurants and grocers. Lawrenceville is a revitalizing rowhouse neighborhood popular with artists and designers. The Hill District was home to photographer Charles Harris as well as various African-American jazz clubs. Other East End neighborhoods include Point Breeze , Regent Square , Highland Park , Homewood , Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar , Larimer , East Hills , East Liberty , Polish Hill , Hazelwood , Garfield, Morningside, and Stanton Heights. The West End includes Mt. Washington , with its famous view of
31941-552: The value of homes in the South Side had increased in value by about 10% annually for the 10 years leading up to 2014. East Carson Street has developed as one of the most vibrant areas of the city, packed with diverse shopping, ethnic eateries, vibrant nightlife, and live music venues. In 1993, the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh purchased the South Side Works steel mill property. It collaborated with
32130-446: The wake of Jordan's first retirement. The Bulls proved that it was not just the "Jordan Curse", and would prevail yet again by sweeping the Cavaliers 3–0 in the first-round encounter. In 1994, the Cavaliers moved back to downtown Cleveland with the opening of the 20,562-seat Gund Arena . Known by locals as "the Gund", the venue served as the site of the 1997 NBA All-Star Game . The arena and
32319-400: The war effort. This resulted in the highest levels of air pollution in the city's almost century of industry. The city's reputation as the "arsenal of democracy" was being overshadowed by James Parton 's 1868 observation of Pittsburgh being "hell with the lid off." Following World War II, the city launched a clean air and civic revitalization project known as the "Renaissance," cleaning up
32508-604: The year in Pittsburgh is July, with a 24-hour average of 73.2 °F (22.9 °C). Conditions are often humid, and combined with highs reaching 90 °F (32 °C) on an average 9.5 days a year, a considerable heat index arises. The coolest month is January, when the 24-hour average is 28.8 °F (−1.8 °C), and lows of 0 °F (−18 °C) or below can be expected on an average 2.6 nights per year. Officially, record temperatures range from −22 °F (−30 °C), on January 19, 1994 to 103 °F (39 °C), which occurred three times, most recently on July 16, 1988;
32697-543: Was also the first time since 1998 that the team entered the playoffs without LeBron James. They wound up losing their first round playoff series to the New York Knicks four games to one. On October 25, 2023, it was announced that defensive end Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns had purchased a minority ownership stake in the Cavaliers. Along with his ownership stake, Garrett would serve as an ambassador for
32886-486: Was federally recognized as "Pittsburg", though use of the final h was retained during this period by the city government and other local organizations. After a public campaign, the federal decision to drop the h was reversed. The Pittsburg Press continued spelling the city without an h until 1921. [REDACTED] Kingdom of France 1690s–1763 [REDACTED] Great Britain 1681–1781 [REDACTED] United States 1776–present The area of
33075-528: Was incorporated as a borough on April 22, 1794, with the following Act: "Be it enacted by the Pennsylvania State Senate and Pennsylvania House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ... by the authority of the same, that the said town of Pittsburgh shall be ... erected into a borough, which shall be called the borough of Pittsburgh for ever." From 1891 to 1911, the city's name
33264-468: Was later granted, sending him to the Boston Celtics. Midseason saw a massive overhaul of the Cavaliers roster, such as trading Dwyane Wade to the Miami Heat, Isaiah Thomas to the Los Angeles Lakers for Larry Nance Jr . and Jordan Clarkson , and Derrick Rose and Jae Crowder were shipped to the Utah Jazz in exchange for George Hill . This new roster made the Cavaliers play better. They made it to
33453-422: Was made in hopes of bringing another scorer to aid James. In the next season , the Cavaliers made progress. They finished with a record of 66–16, the best regular-season record in franchise history. The year marked other notable franchise records, including a 13-game winning streak, and road and home winning records. The Cavaliers entered the playoffs as the #1 seed in the NBA with home court advantage throughout
33642-409: Was marred by injuries and unexpected losses for the Cavaliers. LeBron James described it as one of the "strangest" years of his career, and felt the Cavs' roster was too "top heavy" after falling to 30–14 following a three-game losing streak in late January. The team had fickle chemistry and camaraderie out on the floor due to the constant changing of line-ups. The Cavaliers finished the regular season as
33831-506: Was once the site of railyards and associated dense, inexpensive housing for mill and railroad workers. Starting in the late 20th century, the city undertook a Main Street program in cooperation with the National Trust for Historic Preservation , encouraging design and landscape improvements on East Carson Street, and supporting new retail. The area has become a local Pittsburgher destination, and
34020-442: Was orange with black lines, while the numbers are in black with white lines; "CLEVELAND" on the road uniforms was also orange with black lines, while the numbers are in white with a black line. From 1997 to 1999, the numbers and lettering were slightly tweaked: The word "CAVS" and the numbers on the home uniforms were black with orange lines, while the word "CLEVELAND" and the numbers on the road uniforms were white with orange lines. In
34209-530: Was producing significant quantities of iron, brass, tin, and glass. On March 18, 1816, the 46-year-old local government became a city. It was served by numerous river steamboats that increased trading traffic on the rivers. In the 1830s, many Welsh people from the Merthyr steelworks immigrated to the city following the aftermath of the Merthyr Rising . By the 1840s, Pittsburgh was one of the largest cities west of
34398-400: Was promoted to head coach for the 2020–21 season after he had been an assistant on Belien's staff the previous season. In the 2021–22 season , the Cavs finished 44–38 and eighth in the Eastern Conference, and qualified for the NBA play-in tournament , marking the first time the team played in the event. This also marks the team's first postseason basketball since 2017–18 and the first time
34587-428: Was promoted to replace Ferry. On July 1, the Cavaliers hired former Los Angeles Lakers guard and former New Jersey Nets and New Orleans Hornets head coach Byron Scott as the 18th head coach in franchise history. The Cavaliers spent the rest of the 2010 off-season rebuilding their team after James' departure. They signed 2009 first-round pick Christian Eyenga and acquired Ramon Sessions and Ryan Hollins from
34776-421: Was relegated as a secondary color, and blue was used instead as the primary for the away and home uniforms; minor changes in the 1989–90 season include the city name on the blue away uniforms. The drop shadows were also removed. The orange version of the uniform was used again in the 2006–07 and 2016–17 seasons, as part of the respective 20th and 30th anniversaries of the 1986–87 team. The blue versions were worn in
34965-495: Was remembered for the " Miracle at Richfield ", in which the Cavaliers defeated the Washington Bullets , 4–3, in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. They won Game 7, 87–85, on a shot by Snyder with four seconds to go. The Cavaliers moved on to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time, but were without Chones after he broke his toe before the series opener. As a result, the Cavaliers went on to lose, 4–2, to
35154-432: Was retired, and an updated "V-net" logo, merging the styles of the 1983–1994 and 1994–2003 logos with the current typeface, was also unveiled. With the new logo, the team also introduced three coinciding new uniforms. The white Association uniform features a wine-colored "V-net" logo trimmed in gold across the front, wine names and numbers trimmed in gold, and a wine primary "Cavs C" logo (outlined in gold) on left leg of
35343-521: Was the nation's eighth-largest city , accounting for between one-third and one-half of national steel output. The Pittsburgh Agreement was subscribed in May 1918 between the Czech and Slovak nationalities, as envisioned by T. G. Masaryk , concerning the future foundation of Czechoslovakia . The city suffered severe flooding in March 1936. The city's population swelled to more than a half million, attracting numerous European immigrants to its industrial jobs. By 1940, non-Hispanic whites were 90.6% of
35532-403: Was the first constable, and William Troop was the first clerk. Following the American Revolution , the village of Pittsburgh continued to grow. One of its earliest industries was boat building for settlers of the Ohio Country . In 1784, Thomas Vickroy completed a town plan which was approved by the Penn family attorney. Pittsburgh became a possession of Pennsylvania in 1785. The following year,
35721-427: Was to remain competitive with Collin Sexton and Cedi Osman developing together and led by Love, but, unfortunately, injuries to Love and Tristan Thompson derailed the Cavs season with few bright spots, such as Osman performing in the Rising Stars Challenge . Tyronn Lue would be fired after starting the '18-'19 season 0–6, replaced by interim coach Larry Drew . The Cavs would miss the 2019 NBA playoffs and receive
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