1972–73 Cleveland Cavaliers season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1972–73 Cleveland Cavaliers season
Head coachBill Fitch
ArenaCleveland Arena
Results
Record32–50 (.390)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Central)
Conference: 6th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid Not Qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWEWS-TV
RadioWERE
< 1971–72 1973–74 >

The 1972–73 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the third season of NBA basketball in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers finished the season with a 32–50 record, finishing last in the Central Division and 6th Eastern Conference. This was the 2nd consecutive year with a total win increase. Lenny Wilkens led the team in assists and was named an All-Star.

Offseason[]

Trades[]

August 23: Guard Lenny Wilkens and forward Barry Clemens obtained from the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for guard Butch Beard.

September 21: Cavaliers trade the rights to 1971 second-round draft choice Steve Hawes to the Houston Rockets in exchange for a future undisclosed draft choice.

Draft picks[]

Main article: 1972 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College/Club team
1 3 Dwight Davis PF  United States Houston
2 24 Steve Hawes C  United States Washington
  • Note: This table only lists players drafted through the second round.

Roster[]

1972–73 Cleveland Cavaliers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY-MM-DD) From
G 34 Carr, Austin 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Mar. 10, 1948 Notre Dame
G 5 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
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
F/C 35 Roberson, Rick 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 231 lb (105 kg) Jul. 7, 1947 Cincinnati
C 45 Rule, Bob 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Jun. 29, 1944 Colorado State
G/F 7 Smith, Bingo 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Feb. 26, 1946 Tulsa
F/C 15 Warner, Cornell 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Aug. 12, 1948 Jackson State
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
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season[]

Season standings[]

Central Division
W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
y-Baltimore Bullets 52 30 .634 – 24–9 21–17 7–4 17–5
x-Atlanta Hawks 46 36 .561 6 28–13 17–23 1–0 10–12
Houston Rockets 33 49 .402 19 14–14 10–28 9–7 9–13
Cleveland Cavaliers 32 50 .390 20 20–21 10–27 2–2 8–14
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT
1 z-Boston Celtics 68 14 .829
2 x-New York Knicks 57 25 .695
3 y-Baltimore Bullets 52 30 .634
4 x-Atlanta Hawks 46 36 .561
5 Houston Rockets 33 49 .402
6 Cleveland Cavaliers 32 50 .390
7 Buffalo Braves 21 61 .256
8 Philadelphia 76ers 9 73 .110

Record vs. opponents[]

1972–73 NBA records
Team ATL BAL BOS BUF CHI CLE DET GSW HOU KCO LAL MIL NYK PHI PHO POR SEA
Atlanta — 3–4 1–5 5–1 2–2 3–4 2–2 1–3 4–4 2–2 3–1 1–3 3–3 6–0 3–1 4–0 3–1
Baltimore 4–3 — 1–5 5–1 0–4 8–0 2–2 3–1 5–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 3–3 5–1 2–2 4–0 4–0
Boston 5–1 5–1 — 7–0 3–1 5–1 3–1 3–1 5–1 3–1 4–0 2–2 4–4 7–0 4–0 4–0 4–0
Buffalo 1–5 1–5 0–7 — 2–2 1–5 1–3 0–4 1–5 1–3 0–4 0–4 1–6 7–1 1–3 2–2 2–2
Chicago 2–2 4–0 1–3 2–2 — 3–1 3–4 3–3 4–0 5–2 1–5 2–4 3–1 4–0 4–2 5–1 5–1
Cleveland 4–3 0–8 1–5 5–1 1–3 — 1–3 1–3 4–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 0–6 6–0 1–3 1–3 3–1
Detroit 2–2 2–2 1–3 3–1 4–3 3–1 — 2–4 1–3 3–3 1–5 2–5 1–3 3–1 4–2 6–0 2–4
Golden State 3–1 1–3 1–3 4–0 3–3 3–1 4–2 — 3–1 4–2 3–4 1–5 2–2 4–0 2–4 5–1 4–3
Houston 4–4 2–5 1–5 5–1 0–4 3–4 3–1 1–3 — 0–4 1–3 1–3 1–5 5–1 2–2 2–2 2–2
Kansas City-Omaha 2–2 1–3 1–3 3–1 2–5 2–2 3–3 2–4 4–0 — 1–5 1–6 0–4 3–1 3–3 4–2 4–2
Los Angeles 1–3 3–1 0–4 4–0 5–1 3–1 5–1 4–3 3–1 5–1 — 3–3 2–2 4–0 6–1 6–0 6–0
Milwaukee 3–1 2–2 2–2 4–0 4–2 3–1 5–2 5–1 3–1 6–1 3–3 — 2–2 3–1 5–1 5–1 5–1
New York 3–3 3–3 4–4 6–1 1–3 6–0 3–1 2–2 5–1 4–0 2–2 2–2 — 6–1 3–1 3–1 4–0
Philadelphia 0–6 1–5 0–7 1–7 0–4 0–6 1–3 0–4 1–5 1–3 0–4 1–3 1–6 — 0–4 1–3 1–3
Phoenix 1–3 2–2 0–4 3–1 2–4 3–1 2–4 4–2 2–2 3–3 1–6 1–5 1–3 4–0 — 5–2 4–2
Portland 0–4 0–4 0–4 2–2 1–5 3–1 0–6 1–5 2–2 2–4 0–6 1–5 1–3 3–1 2–5 — 3–4
Seattle 1–3 0–4 0–4 2–2 1–5 1–3 4–2 3–4 2���2 2–4 0–6 1–5 0–4 3–1 2–4 4–3 —

Game log[]

1972–73 game log
Total: 32–50 (Home: 20–21; Road: 10–27; Neutral: 2–2)
October: 3–8 (Home: 2–5; Road: 1–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
November: 5–8 (Home: 3–2; Road: 2–6)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
20 November 19, 1972 Atlanta W 109–98 Cleveland Arena
5,265 		6–14
December: 2–12 (Home: 2–6; Road: 0–6)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
33 December 16, 1972 @ Atlanta L 94–100 The Omni
6,431 		9–24
36 December 26, 1972 Atlanta W 115–96 Cleveland Arena
5,593 		10–26
January: 9–5 (Home: 5–1; Road: 4–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
48 January 20, 1973 @ Atlanta L 84–96 The Omni
6,517 		17–31
February: 5–9 (Home: 3–5; Road: 2–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
56 February 8, 1973 @ Atlanta W 136–132 (OT) The Omni
4,535 		21–35
58 February 11, 1973 Atlanta L 107–115 Cleveland Arena
6,872 		21–37
March: 8–8 (Home: 5–2; Road: 3–6)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
72 March 13, 1973 Atlanta W 115–107 Cleveland Arena
4,427 		26–46
1972–73 schedule

Awards and records[]

References[]

Retrieved from ""