2011–12 Cleveland Cavaliers season

The 2011–12 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 42nd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Key dates

• May 17 – The 2011 NBA Draft Lottery took place, and the Cavaliers got the first pick.
• June 23 – The 2011 NBA draft took place in Newark, New Jersey, at the Prudential Center. The Cavaliers picked Kyrie Irving (#1), Tristan Thompson (#4), Milan Mačvan (#54). They also drafted Justin Harper (#32), but immediately traded him to the Orlando Magic for two future second-round picks (2013 and 2014).
• June 29 – The Cavs exercise the third-year option on Christian Eyenga, keeping him under contract until the 2012–13 season.
• June 30 – J.J. Hickson is sent to the Sacramento Kings, for Omri Casspi and a protected future first round pick.
• July 7 – The Cavaliers set an NBA D-League team in Canton, Ohio. The Cavs announced that they will own and control all the operations of the former Albuquerque/New Mexico Thunderbirds. On October 13, the new name, logo, colors and court design are unveiled, the Canton Charge.
• December 9 – Training Camp begins. The Cavs also signed with rookies Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson. They also waived Joey Graham.
• December 12 – Anthony Parker re-signed with the Cavaliers.
• December 14 – The Cavs decided to waive Baron Davis.
• December 16 – The Cavaliers opened their pre-season with a victory over the Detroit Pistons in The Palace of Auburn Hills.
• December 20 – The Cavs closed their pre-season with a loss against the Pistons in Quicken Loans Arena, with a 1–1 record.
• December 22 – Manny Harris is waived by the Cavs.
• December 26 – The Cavaliers opened their season with a loss against the Toronto Raptors in the Quicken Loans Arena.
• January 4 – Christian Eyenga is assigned to the Canton Charge.
• January 23 – The Cavs recall Christian Eyenga.
• February 10 – The Cavaliers sign a 10-day contract with Ben Uzoh, of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
• February 21 – Manny Harris sign a 10-day contract with the Cavs.

Draft picks

Roster

Pre-season

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | December 16 | @ Detroit Pistons | | Kyrie Irving (20) | Alonzo Gee (8) | Ramon Sessions (6) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br />7,927 | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | December 20 | Detroit Pistons | | Omri Casspi (18) | Anderson Varejão (10) | Ramon Sessions (8) | Quicken Loans Arena<br />9,853 | 1-1

The original 2011 NBA Pre-season was canceled due to the 2011 NBA Lockout. After the lockout, the NBA created a new two game Pre-Season.

Regular season

Standings

Game log

|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | December 26 | Toronto | | Ramon Sessions (18) | Anderson Varejão (10) | Kyrie Irving (7) | Quicken Loans Arena <br /> 20,562 | 0–1 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | December 28 | @ Detroit | | Samardo Samuels (17) | Anderson Varejão, Ramon Sessions (7) | Kyrie Irving (7) | The Palace of Auburn Hills <br /> 22,076 | 1–1 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | December 30 | @ Indiana | | Kyrie Irving (20) | Anderson Varejão (13) | Kyrie Irving, Alonzo Gee (4) | Bankers Life Fieldhouse <br /> 13,004 | 1–2

|- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | January 1 | New Jersey | | Antawn Jamison (23) | Anderson Varejão (11) | Ramon Sessions (8) | Quicken Loans Arena <br /> 15,084 | 2–2 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 | January 3 | Charlotte | | Kyrie Irving (20) | Tristan Thompson (9) | Ramon Sessions (9) | Quicken Loans Arena <br /> 14,173 | 3–2 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | January 4 | @ Toronto | | Antawn Jamison (19) | Anderson Varejão (13) | Kyrie Irving (4) | Air Canada Centre<br>14,468 | 3–3 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 7 | January 6 | @ Minnesota | | Antawn Jamison (22) | Anderson Varejão (12) | Ramon Sessions (6) | Target Center<br>16,943 | 4–3 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 8 | January 8 | @ Portland | | Kyrie Irving (21) | Antawn Jamison (11) | Kyrie Irving (4) | Rose Garden<br>20,292 | 4–4 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 9 | January 10 | @ Utah | | Antawn Jamison (22) | Anderson Varejão (11) | Kyrie Irving (5) | EnergySolutions Arena <br> 17,879 | 4–5 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 10 | January 12 | @ Phoenix | | Kyrie Irving (26) | Anderson Varejão (17) | Kyrie Irving (6) | US Airways Center <br> 14,636 | 5–5 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 11 | January 13 | @ L. A. Lakers | | Kyrie Irving (21) | Anderson Varejão (14) | Anthony Parker (5) | Staples Center <br> 18,997 | 5–6 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 12 | January 16 | @ Charlotte | | Kyrie Irving (25) | Anderson Varejão (12) | Ramon Sessions (9) | Time Warner Cable Arena <br> 14,988 | 6–6 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 13 | January 17 | Golden State | | Antawn Jamison (19) | Anderson Varejão (13) | Kyrie Irving (5) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>13,056 | 6–7 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 14 | January 20 | Chicago | | Anderson Varejão (14) | Antawn Jamison (8) | Anthony Parker, Kyrie Irving, Ramon Sessions (3) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>17,871 | 6–8 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 15 | January 21, 2012 | @ Atlanta | | Kyrie Irving (18) | Anderson Varejão (8) | Ramon Sessions (4) | Philips Arena<br>15,922 | 6–9 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 16 | January 24 | @ Miami | | Kyrie Irving (17) | Anderson Varejão (11) | Kyrie Irving, Antawn Jamison (4) | American Airlines Arena<br>19,600 | 6–10 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 17 | January 25 | New York | | Antawn Jamison (15) | Anderson Varejão (16) | Kyrie Irving (7) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>16,760 | 7–10 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 18 | January 27 | New Jersey | | Kyrie Irving (32) | Anderson Varejão (9) | Daniel Gibson (4) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>13,121 | 7–11 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 19 | January 29 | @ Boston | | Kyrie Irving (23) | Anderson Varejão (9) | Kyrie Irving (6) | TD Garden<br>18,624 | 8–11 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 20 | January 31 | Boston | | Kyrie Irving (21) | Anderson Varejão (20) | Ramon Sessions (10) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>14,798 | 8–12

|- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 21 | February 3 | @ Orlando | | Alonzo Gee (20) | Anderson Varejão (15) | Ramon Sessions (8) | Amway Center<br>18,933 | 8–13 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 22 | February 4 | Dallas | | Kyrie Irving (20) | Anderson Varejão (17) | Ramon Sessions (8) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>17,433 | 9–13 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 23 | February 7 | @ Miami | | Antawn Jamison (25) | Anderson Varejão (11) | Kyrie Irving (6) | American Airlines Arena20,078 | 9–14 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 24 | February 8 | L. A. Clippers | | Antawn Jamison (27) | Anderson Varejão (11) | Ramon Sessions (13) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>17,100 | 10–14 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 25 | February 10 | Milwaukee | | Antawn Jamison (34) | Tristan Thompson (13) | Ramon Sessions (16) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>15,195 | 10–15 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 26 | February 11 | Philadelphia | | Antawn Jamison (20) | Antawn Jamison (8) | Ramon Sessions (8) | Quicken Loans Arena | 10–16 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 27 | February 15 | Indiana | | Kyrie Irving (22) | David West (10) | Kyrie Irving (5) | Quicken Loans Arena | 11–16 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 28 | February 17 | Miami | | LeBron James (28) | Chris Bosh (12) | LeBron James (5) | Quicken Loans Arena | 11–17 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 29 | February 19 | Sacramento | | Kyrie Irving (23) | Omri Casspi (12) | Isaiah Thomas (11) | Quicken Loans Arena | 12–17 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 30 | February 21 | Detroit | | Antawn Jamison (32) | Alonzo Gee (11) | Kyrie Irving (8) | Quicken Loans Arena | 13–17 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 31 | February 22 | New Orleans | | Antawn Jamison (22) | Gustavo Ayon (17) | Kyrie Irving (11) | Quicken Loans Arena | 13–18 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 32 | February 28 | Boston | | Kyrie Irving (24) | Chris Wilcox (11) | Rajon Rondo (11 | Quicken Loans Arena | 13–19 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 33 | February 29 | @ New York | | Antawn Jamison (23) | Tyson Chandler (15) | Jeremy Lin (13) | Madison Square Garden | 13–20

|- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 34 | March 2 | Chicago | | Luol Deng (24) | Carlos Boozer (11) | Derrick Rose (9) | Quicken Loans Arena | 13–21 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 35 | March 3 | @ Washington | | Jordan Crawford (31) | JaVale McGee (12) | Kyrie Irving (6) | Verizon Center | 13–22 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 36 | March 5 | Utah | | Antawn Jamison, Kyrie Irving (22) | Five players (4) | Antawn Jamison (6) | Quicken Loans Arena<br />13,190 | 13–23 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 37 | March 7 | @ Denver | | Antawn Jamison (33) | Antawn Jamison (9) | Kyrie Irving (8) | Power Balance Pavilion<br />15,816 | 14–23 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 38 | March 9 | @ Oklahoma City | | Antawn Jamison (21) | Three players (8) | Kyrie Irving (12) | Chesapeake Energy Arena<br>18,203 | 15–23 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 39 | March 11 | Houston | | Antawn Jamison (28) | Kyrie Irving (6) | Ramon Sessions (7) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>17,662 | 16–23 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 40 | March 13 | Toronto | | Antawn Jamison (20) | Kyrie Irving (7) | Kyrie Irving (7) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>14,203 | 16–24 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 41 | March 14 | @ Milwaukee | | Kyrie Irving (28) | Alonzo Gee<br>Antawn Jamison (5) | Ramon Sessions (6) | Bradley Center<br>15,319 | 16–25 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 42 | March 18 | Atlanta | | Alonzo Gee (20) | Alonzo Gee (9) | Kyrie Irving (10) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>15,645 | 16–26 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 43 | March 19 | @ New Jersey | | Tristan Thompson (27) | Antawn Jamison (13) | Kyrie Irving (7) | Prudential Center<br>11,254 | 17–26 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 44 | March 21 | @ Atlanta | | Kyrie Irving (29) | Alonzo Gee (13) | Kyrie Irving (9) | Philips Arena<br>12,331 | 17–27 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 45 | March 23 | @ Orlando | | Antawn Jamison (16) | Tristan Thompson (11) | Kyrie Irving (6) | Amway Center<br>18,846 | 17–28 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 46 | March 25 | Phoenix | | Kyrie Irving (16) | Manny Harris (9) | Kyrie Irving<br>Donald Sloan (4) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>17,307 | 17–29 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 47 | March 27 | @ Philadelphia | | Anthony Parker (14) | Alonzo Gee (9) | Kyrie Irving (7) | Wells Fargo Center<br>17,832 | 17–30 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 48 | March 28 | Detroit | | Kyrie Irving (22) | Tristan Thompson (11) | Kyrie Irving (6) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>14,486 | 17–31 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 49 | March 30 | Milwaukee | | Kyrie Irving (29) | Tristan Thompson (11) | Kyrie Irving (5) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>16,099 | 17–32 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 50 | March 31 | @ New York | | Antawn Jamison (13) | Antawn Jamison<br>Donald Sloan (7) | Donald Sloan (4) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 17–33

|- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 51 | April 3 | San Antonio | | Antawn Jamison (15) | Alonzo Gee (5) | Kyrie Irving<br>Luke Walton (5) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>14,759 | 17–34 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 52 | April 4 | @ Milwaukee | | Anthony Parker (27) | Tristan Thompson (9) | Donald Sloan (8) | Bradley Center<br>11,849 | 17–35 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 53 | April 6 | @ Toronto | | Antawn Jamison (25) | Antawn Jamison (8) | Lester Hudson (7) | Air Canada Centre<br>16,565 | 18–35 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 54 | April 8 | @ New Jersey | | Antawn Jamison (34) | Tristan Thompson (15) | Donald Sloan (14) | Prudential Center<br>11,341 | 18–36 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 55 | April 10 | Charlotte | | Lester Hudson (25) | Lester Hudson (8) | Lester Hudson (6) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>13,576 | 19–36 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 56 | April 11 | Indiana | | Antawn Jamison (21) | Antawn Jamison<br>Tristan Thompson (8) | Donald Sloan (6) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>14,307 | 19–37 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 57 | April 13 | @ Indiana | | Omri Casspi (14) | Samardo Samuels (10) | Donald Sloan (5) | Bankers Life Fieldhouse<br>13,356 | 19–38 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 58 | April 14 | @ Washington | | Luke Harangody (16) | Luke Harangody (10) | Anthony Parker (5) | Verizon Center<br>17,200 | 20–38 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 59 | April 15 | Orlando | | Antawn Jamison (21) | Alonzo Gee<br>Tristan Thompson (8) | Antawn Jamison (6) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>16,305 | 20–39 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 60 | April 17 | @ Detroit | | Manny Harris (18) | Tristan Thompson (13) | Donald Sloan (4) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br>11,595 | 20–40 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 61 | April 18 | Philadelphia | | Samardo Samuels<br>Lester Hudson (15) | Samardo Samuels<br>Tristan Thompson (5) | Donald Sloan (7) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>14,678 | 20–41 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 62 | April 20 | New York | | Kyrie Irving (21) | Manny Harris (12) | Antawn Jamison (5) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>19,349 | 21–41 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 63 | April 22 | @ San Antonio | | Antawn Jamison (21) | Tristan Thompson (9) | Anthony Parker (4) | AT&T Center<br>18,581 | 21–42 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 64 | April 23 | @ Memphis | | Kyrie Irving (25) | Antawn Jamison<br>Tristan Thompson (9) | Kyrie Irving (4) | FedExForum<br>15,504 | 21–43 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 65 | April 25 | Washington | | D.J. Kennedy (12) | Samardo Samuels (9) | Donald Sloan (7) | Quicken Loans Arena<br>18,086 | 21–44 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc | 66 | April 26 | @ Chicago | | Tristan Thompson (13) | Tristan Thompson (12) | Donald Sloan<br>Luke Walton (2) | United Center<br>22,563 | 21–45

All the games through December 24 were canceled due to the 2011 NBA Lockout. A new schedule was created starting in December 25.

Player statistics

Regular season

Awards, records and milestones

Awards

• Kyrie Irving was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month three times (December – January, February and March) and won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.
• Rookies Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson were selected to participate in the 2012 Rising Stars challenge.

Milestones

• On March 31 Antawn Jamison scored his 19,000th career point in a 75–91 loss to the New York Knicks.
• On January 31 Kyrie Irving made his first game-winning basket against the Boston Celtics.

Injuries, surgeries and absences

• Semih Erden had a fracture in his right thumb and missed the first seven games of the regular season. In April, he sprained his right ankle and missed the remainder of the season.
• Kyrie Irving suffered a concussion during a game against the Miami Heat on February 7 and missed the following 3 games.
• Anderson Varejão broke his wrist on February 10 during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks and missed the remainder of the season.

Transactions

Free agents

Additions

Subtractions

Trades

References

External links