Cleveland Cavaliers
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The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Central Division in the Eastern Conference. The team began play as an expansion team in 1970, along with the Portland Trail Blazers and Buffalo Braves.
History[edit | edit source]
Early years (1970–1980)[edit | edit source]
The Cavaliers were founded in 1970 by Nick Mileti. The team struggled in its early years, finishing last in the league during their inaugural season. However, the team saw improvement with the acquisition of players like Austin Carr and Bingo Smith.
The Miracle of Richfield (1975–1976)[edit | edit source]
The 1975–76 season is often remembered for the "Miracle of Richfield," where the Cavaliers won their first division title and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. The team was led by head coach Bill Fitch and players such as Jim Chones and Nate Thurmond.
The LeBron James Era (2003–2010, 2014–2018)[edit | edit source]
The Cavaliers' fortunes changed dramatically with the drafting of LeBron James in 2003. James led the team to its first NBA Finals appearance in 2007. After a brief departure to the Miami Heat, James returned to the Cavaliers in 2014 and led the team to its first NBA Championship in 2016, overcoming a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors.
Post-LeBron Era (2018–present)[edit | edit source]
Following LeBron James' second departure in 2018, the Cavaliers entered a rebuilding phase. The team has focused on developing young talent, including players like Collin Sexton and Darius Garland.
Home Arena[edit | edit source]
The Cavaliers play their home games at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, located in downtown Cleveland. The arena, originally known as Gund Arena, has been the team's home since 1994.
Mascot[edit | edit source]
The team's mascot is Moondog, named after Cleveland's musical history, and Sir C.C., a swashbuckler character.
Notable Players[edit | edit source]
Retired Numbers[edit | edit source]
The Cavaliers have retired several jersey numbers in honor of their former players:
- 7 - Bingo Smith
- 11 - Zydrunas Ilgauskas
- 22 - Larry Nance
- 25 - Mark Price
- 34 - Austin Carr
- 42 - Nate Thurmond
- 43 - Brad Daugherty
Related Pages[edit | edit source]
- National Basketball Association
- LeBron James
- Golden State Warriors
- Miami Heat
- Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Categories[edit | edit source]
Template:Cleveland Cavaliers roster Template:NBA
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Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
