NBA professional basketball team season
The 1971–72 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the second season of NBA basketball in Cleveland, Ohio . The Cavaliers finished the season with a 23–59 record, finishing last in the Central Division and 7th in the Eastern Conference. Rookie top pick Austin Carr was named to the All-Rookie team and John Johnson and Butch Beard were named All-Stars .
Offseason [ ]
Trades [ ]
August 13: Forward Greg Howard obtained from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for undisclosed future draft choices and an undisclosed amount of cash.
Draft picks [ ]
Note: This table only lists players drafted through the second round.
Roster [ ]
1971–72 Cleveland Cavaliers roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB (YYYY-MM-DD)
From
G
21
Beard, Butch
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
May 4, 1947
Louisville
G
22
Carr, Austin
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
Mar. 10, 1948
Notre Dame
G
18
Davis, Charlie
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
160 lb (73 kg)
Sep. 7, 1949
Wake Forest
F
40
Howard, Greg
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
Jan. 8, 1948
New Mexico
F
32
Johnson, John
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
Oct. 18, 1947
Iowa
C
50
Patterson, Steve
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
Jun. 24, 1948
UCLA
G
23
Ridgle, Jackie
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Feb. 13, 1948
California
F/C
30
Roberson, Rick
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
231 lb (105 kg)
Jul. 7, 1947
Cincinnati
G/F
7
Smith, Bingo
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Feb. 26, 1946
Tulsa
F
15
Sorenson, Dave
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
Jul. 8, 1948
Ohio State
G
11
Warren, John
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
Jul. 7, 1947
St. John's
G
17
Washington, Bobby
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Jul. 11, 1947
Eastern Kentucky
C
44
Wesley, Walt
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Jan. 25, 1945
Kansas
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(C) Team captain(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Regular season [ ]
Season standings [ ]
Record vs. opponents [ ]
1971–72 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BAL
BOS
BUF
CHI
CIN
CLE
DET
GSW
HOU
LAL
MIL
NYK
PHI
PHO
POR
SEA
Atlanta
–
2–4
0–4
4–2
0–5
3–3
4–2
3–2
3–2
1–4
0–5
2–3
3–1
3–3
3–2
4–0
1–4
Baltimore
4–2
–
2–2
3–3
1–4
4–2
1–5
3–2
1–4
3–2
1–4
0–5
2–4
4–0
4–1
3–1
2–3
Boston
4–0
2–2
–
6–0
3–2
4–2
5–1
5–0
2–3
5–0
1–4
2–3
3–3
6–0
2–3
4–0
2–3
Buffalo
2–4
3–3
0–6
–
1–3
3–3
4–2
2–4
1–3
0–4
0–4
0–4
1–5
3–3
0–4
2–4
0–4
Chicago
5–0
4–1
2–3
3–1
–
3–1
4–0
5–1
3–3
5–1
1–3
2–4
3–2
4–1
5–1
6–0
2–3
Cincinnati
3–3
2–4
2–4
3–3
1–3
–
6–2
2–3
2–3
0–4
1–4
0–5
2–2
2–2
2–3
2–2
0–5
Cleveland
2–4
5–1
1–5
2–4
0–4
2–6
–
1–3
0–4
2–2
1–3
0–4
1–5
2–4
0–4
4–2
0–4
Detroit
2–3
2–3
0–5
4–2
1–5
3–2
3–1
–
0–5
3–3
1–4
1–5
1–4
1–4
2–4
2–2
0–4
Golden State
2–3
4–1
3–2
3–1
3–3
3–2
4–0
5–0
–
5–1
1–5
2–2
2–3
4–1
2–3
4–2
4–2
Houston
4–1
2–3
0–5
4–0
1–5
4–0
2–2
3–3
1–5
–
1–5
0–5
0–5
4–1
1–3
4–2
3–3
Los Angeles
5–0
4–1
4–1
4–0
3–1
4–1
3–1
4–1
5–1
5–1
–
4–1
4–1
5–0
4–2
6–0
5–1
Milwaukee
3–2
5–0
3–2
4–0
4–2
5–0
4–0
5–1
2–2
5–0
1–4
–
2–3
4–1
4–2
6–0
6–0
New York
1–3
4–2
3–3
5–1
2–3
2–2
5–1
4–1
3–2
5–0
1–4
3–2
–
3–3
1–4
3–1
3–2
Philadelphia
3–3
0–4
0–6
3–3
1–4
2–2
4–2
4–1
1–4
1–4
0–5
1–4
3–3
–
1–4
2–2
4–1
Phoenix
2–3
1–4
3–2
4–0
1–5
3–2
4–0
4–2
3–2
3–1
2–4
2–4
4–1
4–1
–
6–0
3–2
Portland
0–4
1–3
0–4
4–2
0–6
2–2
2–4
2–2
2–4
2–4
0–6
0–6
1–3
2–2
0–6
–
0–6
Seattle
4–1
3–2
3–2
4–0
3–2
5–0
4–0
4–0
2–4
3–3
1–5
0–6
2–3
1–4
2–3
6–0
—
Game log [ ]
October [ ]
Record: 2–8 ; Home: 0–6 ; Road: 1–2 ; Neutral: 1–0
November [ ]
Record: 6–6 ; Home: 4–2 ; Road: 2–4
December [ ]
Record: 7–10 ; Home: 5–4 ; Road: 1–6 ; Neutral: 1–0
January [ ]
Record: 1–13 ; Home: 0–5 ; Road: 1–6 ; Neutral: 0–2
February [ ]
Record: 4–12 ; Home: 3–6 ; Road: 1–6
March [ ]
Record: 3–10 ; Home: 1–5 ; Road: 2–4 ; Neutral: 0–1
1971–72 game log Total: 23–59 (Home: 13–28; Road: 8–30; Neutral: 2–1)
October: 2–8 (Home: 0–6; Road: 2–2)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
9
October 29, 1971
Atlanta
L 97–98
Cleveland Arena 3,442
2–7
November: 6–6 (Home: 4–2; Road: 2–4)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
21
November 27, 1971
@ Atlanta
W 103–95
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 5,101
7–14
December: 7–10 (Home: 5–4; Road: 2–6)
January: 1–13 (Home: 0–5; Road: 1–8)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
February: 4–12 (Home: 3–6; Road: 1–6)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
57
February 5, 1972
@ Atlanta
L 117–120
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 6,281
17–40
March: 3–10 (Home: 1–5; Road: 2–5)
1971–72 schedule
Awards and honors [ ]
References [ ]
1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s