The 1992âÂÂ93 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 23rd season for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Cavaliers signed free agent Gerald Wilkins, and later on traded Steve Kerr to the Orlando Magic in exchange for a second-round draft pick, during the first month of the regular season.
With the addition of Wilkins, the Cavaliers struggled playing below .500 in winning percentage with an 8âÂÂ11 start to the regular season. However, the team soon recovered by posting a seven-game winning streak in December afterwards, and later on held a 34âÂÂ19 record at the All-Star break. The Cavaliers posted a 12âÂÂ1 record in February, which included another seven-game winning streak, and then posted a ten-game winning streak in April, finishing in second place in the Central Division with a 54âÂÂ28 record, and earning the third seed in the Eastern Conference; the team also posted a very successful 35âÂÂ6 home record at the Coliseum at Richfield during the regular season.
Brad Daugherty averaged 20.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game, while Mark Price averaged 18.2 points and 8.0 assists per game, led the Cavaliers with 122 three-point field goals, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and Larry Nance provided the team with 16.5 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. In addition, Craig Ehlo provided with 11.6 points and 1.3 steals per game, while Wilkins contributed 11.1 points per game, and sixth man Hot Rod Williams averaged 11.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game off the bench. Meanwhile, starting small forward Mike Sanders contributed 8.6 points per game, while also off the bench, second-year guard Terrell Brandon provided with 8.8 points and 3.7 assists per game, and Danny Ferry averaged 7.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, Daugherty, Price and Nance were all selected for the 1993 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Eastern Conference All-Star team; it was the fifth and final All-Star appearance for Daugherty, and the third and final appearance for Nance. In addition, Price also won the NBA Three-Point Shootout. Price also finished tied in eighth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Daugherty finished tied in tenth place, and head coach Lenny Wilkens finished in eighth place in Coach of the Year voting.
In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1993 NBA playoffs, and for the second consecutive year, the Cavaliers faced off against the 6thâÂÂseeded New Jersey Nets, a team that featured Draà ¾en PetroviÃÂ, Derrick Coleman and Chris Morris. The Nets were without second-year star Kenny Anderson, who was out due to a season-ending wrist injury. The Cavaliers took a 2âÂÂ1 series lead, before losing Game 4 to the Nets on the road, 96âÂÂ79 at the Brendan Byrne Arena. With the series tied at 2âÂÂ2, the Cavaliers won Game 5 over the Nets at home, 99âÂÂ89 at the Coliseum at Richfield to win in a hard-fought five-game series.
In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, and also for the second consecutive year, the team faced off against the 2ndâÂÂseeded, and 2-time defending NBA champion Chicago Bulls, who won the Central Division title, and were led by the trio of All-Star guard Michael Jordan, All-Star forward Scottie Pippen, and Horace Grant. The Cavaliers lost the first two games to the Bulls on the road at the Chicago Stadium, and then lost their next two home games. In Game 4 at the Coliseum at Richfield, Jordan hit another game-winning buzzer-beater against the Cavaliers; the Bulls won the game, 103âÂÂ101, as the Cavaliers lost the series in a four-game sweep. The Bulls would go on to defeat the Phoenix Suns in six games in the 1993 NBA Finals, winning their third consecutive NBA championship.
The Cavaliers finished eighth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 751,465 at the Coliseum at Richfield during the regular season. Following the season, Wilkens resigned and took a coaching job with the Atlanta Hawks, while Ehlo signed as a free agent with the Hawks, and Sanders retired. A forgotten highlight of the regular season was a game between the Cavaliers, and the Indiana Pacers at the Market Square Arena on January 15, 1993; after trailing to the Pacers at halftime, 64âÂÂ49, the Cavaliers rallied and set a franchise record by scoring 83 points in the second half to win the game, 132âÂÂ120.
Until 2024, this was the last time the Cavaliers won a playoff series without future All-Star LeBron James, who was selected by the team as the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft.
The Cavaliers did not have any draft picks in 1992.
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | November 6, 1992<br>8:00p.m. EST | Chicago | L 96âÂÂ101 | Nance (24) | Daugherty (12) | Price (8) | Richfield Coliseum<br>20,273 | 0âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | November 8, 1992 | Charlotte | W 127âÂÂ107 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 1âÂÂ1 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 3 || November 10, 1992 || Washington |-style="background:#cfc;" | 4 || November 12, 1992 || @ Golden State |-style="background:#fcc;" | 5 || November 13, 1992 || @ Portland |-style="background:#fcc;" | 6 || November 15, 1992 || @ Sacramento |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 | November 17, 1992 | @ San Antonio | L 95âÂÂ106 | | | | HemisFair Arena | 3âÂÂ4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 | November 19, 1992 | @ Houston | L 92âÂÂ99 | | | | The Summit | 3âÂÂ5 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 9 || November 21, 1992 || @ Dallas |-style="background:#cfc;" | 10 || November 24, 1992 || Milwaukee |-style="background:#fcc;" | 11 || November 25, 1992 || @ Milwaukee |-style="background:#cfc;" | 12 || November 27, 1992<br>7:30 pm EST || Atlanta | W 122âÂÂ101 | Price,<br>Wilkins (20) | Nance (14) | Price (7) | Richfield Coliseum<br>20,273 | 6âÂÂ6 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 13 || November 28, 1992 || @ Orlando
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 14 || December 1, 1992 || Boston |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | December 3, 1992 | New York | W 100âÂÂ90 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 8âÂÂ7 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 16 || December 5, 1992 || Portland |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | December 8, 1992 | L.A. Clippers | L 106âÂÂ115 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 8âÂÂ9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 18 | December 9, 1992<br>8:30p.m. EST | @ Chicago | L 91âÂÂ108 | Ferry (16) | Daugherty (8) | Brandon,<br>Wilkins (4) | Chicago Stadium<br>18,142 | 8âÂÂ10 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 19 || December 11, 1992 || @ Detroit |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 20 | December 12, 1992 | Seattle | W 97âÂÂ93 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 10âÂÂ10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 21 | December 15, 1992 | Houston | W 124âÂÂ97 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 11âÂÂ10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 22 || December 16, 1992 || @ Philadelphia |-style="background:#cfc;" | 23 || December 18, 1992 || Sacramento |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 24 | December 19, 1992 | Utah | W 121âÂÂ104 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 14âÂÂ10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 25 || December 21, 1992 || @ Washington |-style="background:#cfc;" | 26 || December 23, 1992 || Indiana |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 | December 26, 1992 | New Jersey | L 114âÂÂ119 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 15âÂÂ12 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 28 || December 28, 1992 || Detroit |-style="background:#cfc;" | 29 || December 29, 1992<br>7:30 pm EST || @ Atlanta | W 114âÂÂ96 | Daugherty<br>,Nance (22) | Daugherty (13) | Price (7) | The Omni<br>10,703 | 17âÂÂ12
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | January 2, 1993 | L.A. Lakers | W 106âÂÂ91 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 18âÂÂ12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 31 | January 5, 1993 | @ New York | L 91âÂÂ95 | | | | Madison Square Garden | 18âÂÂ13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 32 | January 6, 1993<br>7:30p.m. EST | Chicago | W 117âÂÂ95 | Price (30) | Daugherty (12) | Price (13) | Richfield Coliseum<br>20,273 | 19âÂÂ13 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 33 || January 9, 1993 || Minnesota |-style="background:#fcc;" | 34 || January 12, 1993 || Boston |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 35 | January 13, 1993 | @ New Jersey | L 98âÂÂ104 | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 20âÂÂ15 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 36 || January 15, 1993 || @ Indiana |-style="background:#cfc;" | 37 || January 16, 1993<br>7:30 pm EST || Atlanta | W 127âÂÂ99 | Nance (20) | Nance (14) | Brandon (9) | Richfield Coliseum<br>20,273 | 22âÂÂ15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 38 | January 20, 1993<br>7:30p.m. EST | Phoenix | W 123âÂÂ119 | Price (26) | Daugherty (17) | Daugherty (7) | Richfield Coliseum<br>20,273 | 23âÂÂ15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 39 | January 22, 1993 | @ L.A. Clippers | W 100âÂÂ92 | | | | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 24âÂÂ15 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 40 || January 23, 1993 || @ Denver |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 41 | January 26, 1993 | @ Utah | L 96âÂÂ113 | | | | Delta Center | 24âÂÂ17 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 42 || January 28, 1993 || Orlando |-style="background:#fcc;" | 43 || January 30, 1993 || @ Miami
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 44 || February 2, 1993 || Golden State |-style="background:#cfc;" | 45 || February 3, 1993 || @ Milwaukee |-style="background:#cfc;" | 46 || February 5, 1993 || Detroit |-style="background:#cfc;" | 47 || February 6, 1993<br>7:30 pm EST || @ Atlanta | W 120âÂÂ109 | Daugherty (28) | Nance (11) | Price (7) | The Omni<br>15,381 | 29âÂÂ18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 48 | February 9, 1993 | @ Charlotte | W 107âÂÂ103 | | | | Charlotte Coliseum | 30âÂÂ18 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 49 || February 10, 1993 || @ Orlando |-style="background:#cfc;" | 50 || February 12, 1993 || Milwaukee |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 51 | February 13, 1993<br>8:30p.m. EST | @ Chicago | W 116âÂÂ111 | Daugherty (25) | Daugherty (9) | Price (10) | Chicago Stadium<br>18,676 | 32âÂÂ19 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 52 || February 15, 1993 || Indiana |-style="background:#cfc;" | 53 || February 17, 1993 || Dallas |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- style="background:#cfc;" |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" |-style="background:#cfc;" | 54 || February 23, 1993 || Miami |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 55 | February 26, 1993 | @ L.A. Lakers | W 114âÂÂ102 | | | | Great Western Forum | 36âÂÂ19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 56 | February 28, 1993<br>3:30p.m. EST | @ Phoenix | W 101âÂÂ94 | Nance,<br>Price (21) | Nance (17) | Price (11) | America West Arena<br>19,023 | 37âÂÂ19
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 57 | March 2, 1993 | @ Seattle | L 105âÂÂ108 | | | | Seattle Center Coliseum | 37âÂÂ20 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 58 || March 4, 1993 || @ Minnesota |-style="background:#fcc;" | 59 || March 7, 1993 || @ Boston |-style="background:#cfc;" | 60 || March 8, 1993 || Denver |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 61 | March 11, 1993 | Charlotte | W 118âÂÂ99 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 40âÂÂ21 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 62 || March 15, 1993 || @ Washington |-style="background:#cfc;" | 63 || March 16, 1993 || Philadelphia |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 64 | March 18, 1993 | New York | L 95âÂÂ115 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 41âÂÂ23 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 65 || March 20, 1993 || @ Miami |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 66 | March 23, 1993 | San Antonio | L 95âÂÂ115 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 42âÂÂ24 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 67 || March 26, 1993 || @ Philadelphia |-style="background:#fcc;" | 68 || March 28, 1993 || @ Detroit
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 69 | April 1, 1993 | @ New York | L 83âÂÂ91 | | | | Madison Square Garden | 43âÂÂ26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 70 | April 2, 1993 | @ Charlotte | L 113âÂÂ114 | | | | Charlotte Coliseum | 43âÂÂ27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 71 | April 4, 1993 | New Jersey | W 105âÂÂ99 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 44âÂÂ27 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 72 || April 6, 1993 || Miami |-style="background:#cfc;" | 73 || April 9, 1993 || Washington |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 74 | April 10, 1993 | @ New Jersey | W 100âÂÂ99 | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 47âÂÂ27 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 75 || April 13, 1993<br>7:30 pm EDT || @ Atlanta | W 112âÂÂ109 (2 OT) | Price (24) | Daugherty (17) | Daugherty,<br>Price (7) | The Omni<br>9,450 | 48âÂÂ27 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 76 || April 15, 1993 || @ Milwaukee |-style="background:#cfc;" | 77 || April 16, 1993 || Orlando |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 78 | April 18, 1993<br>5:30p.m. EDT | Chicago | W 103âÂÂ94 | Nance (19) | Nance (12) | Price (8) | Richfield Coliseum<br>20,273 | 51âÂÂ27 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 79 || April 20, 1993 || Detroit |-style="background:#cfc;" | 80 || April 21, 1993 || @ Indiana |-style="background:#fcc;" | 81 || April 23, 1993 || @ Boston |-style="background:#cfc;" | 82 || April 25, 1993 || Philadelphia
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | April 29, 1993 | New Jersey | W 114âÂÂ98 | Ehlo (16) | Daugherty (14) | Price (7) | Richfield Coliseum<br>18,339 | 1âÂÂ0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | May 1, 1993 | New Jersey | L 99âÂÂ101 | Nance,<br>Price (17) | Nance (12) | Price (11) | Richfield Coliseum<br>20,273 | 1âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | May 5, 1993 | @ New Jersey | W 93âÂÂ84 | Nance (23) | Nance (17) | Price (4) | Brendan Byrne Arena<br>16,453 | 2âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | May 7, 1993 | @ New Jersey | L 79âÂÂ96 | Daugherty (29) | Daugherty,<br>Ferry,<br>Nance,<br>Williams (5) | Price (6) | Brendan Byrne Arena<br>15,238 | 2âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | May 9, 1993 | New Jersey | W 99âÂÂ89 | Daugherty (24) | Daugherty (20) | Daugherty (8) | Richfield Coliseum<br>17,388 | 3âÂÂ2 |-
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | May 11, 1993<br>8:00p.m. EDT | @ Chicago | L 84âÂÂ91 | wilkins (19) | Daugherty,<br>Nance (8) | Daugherty (6) | Chicago Stadium<br>18,676 | 0âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | May 13, 1993<br>8:00p.m. EDT | @ Chicago | L 85âÂÂ104 | Nance (16) | Daugherty,<br>Nance (7) | Price (8) | Chicago Stadium<br>18,676 | 0âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | May 15, 1993<br>2:30p.m. EDT | Chicago | L 90âÂÂ96 | Nance (24) | Daugherty (11) | Daugherty,<br>Ehol,<br>Price (6) | Richfield Coliseum<br>20,273 | 0âÂÂ3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | May 17, 1993<br>8:00p.m. EDT | Chicago | L 101âÂÂ103 | Daugherty (25) | Daugherty (13) | Price,<br>Wilkins (6) | Richfield Coliseum<br>20,274 | 0âÂÂ4 |-
Player statistics citation: