1994–95 Cleveland Cavaliers season
The 1994–95 NBA season was the 25th season of the National Basketball Association for the franchise based in Cleveland, Ohio. This was also the team's first season playing at the Gund Arena. During the off-season, the Cavaliers signed free agents Michael Cage, and Tony Campbell. Despite losing both Brad Daugherty with a back injury, and Gerald Wilkins with a ruptured Achilles tendon for the entire season, the Cavaliers posted an 11-game winning streak in December, which led them to a 20–8 start, and held a 28–19 record at the All-Star break. However, they played below .500 for the remainder of the season as Mark Price missed 34 games with a broken wrist. Price would soon return, as the Cavaliers finished 4th in the Central Division with a 43–39 record.
| 1994–95 Cleveland Cavaliers season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Mike Fratello |
| Arena | Gund Arena |
| Results | |
| Record | 43–39 (.524) |
| Place | Division: 4th (Central) Conference: 6th (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | First round (lost to Knicks 1–3) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Local media | |
| Television | SportsChannel Ohio · WUAB |
| Radio | WWWE |
Price led the team with 15.8 points and 7.0 assists per game, while Tyrone Hill averaged 13.8 points and led the team with 10.9 rebounds per game, and was selected for the 1995 NBA All-Star Game, and backup point guard Terrell Brandon, who stepped up in Price's absence, provided the team with 13.3 points, 5.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game. In addition, second-year forward Chris Mills became the team's starting small forward, averaging 12.3 points per game, while Hot Rod Williams provided with 12.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, Bobby Phills contributed 11.0 points and 1.4 steals per game, Cage provided with 5.0 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, and Danny Ferry contributed 7.5 points per game off the bench.
However, without Brandon, who suffered a leg injury during the final month of the regular season, the Cavaliers would lose to the New York Knicks, 3–1 in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs. Following the season, Price was traded to the Washington Bullets after nine seasons in Cleveland, while Williams was dealt to the Phoenix Suns, Wilkins was left unprotected in the 1995 NBA Expansion Draft, where he was selected by the newly expansion Vancouver Grizzlies, Campbell was released to free agency, and John Battle retired.
For the season, the Cavaliers changed their primary logo, which showed a basketball going into a net on a black square, and changed their uniforms adding black and light blue to their color scheme. Their logo would remain in use until 2003, while the uniforms were slightly redesigned in 1997.
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