1995-96_Cleveland_Cavaliers_season

1995–96 Cleveland Cavaliers season

1995–96 Cleveland Cavaliers season

NBA professional basketball team season

The 1995–96 NBA season was the 26th season of the National Basketball Association in Cleveland, Ohio.[1] During the off-season, the Cavaliers acquired All-Star guard, and three-point specialist Dan Majerle from the Phoenix Suns,[2][3][4][5] and acquired 2-time Slam Dunk champion Harold Miner from the Miami Heat.[6][7][8] After the first two games, Tyrone Hill was seriously injured in a car accident and missed 38 games, as the Cavs struggled losing their first seven games of the season.[9][10][11][12] However, Hill returned in the second half of the season playing off the bench, being replaced by Michael Cage as the team's starting center. The Cavaliers played above .500 for the remainder of the season, holding a 26–20 record at the All-Star break,[13] posting a 10–2 record in February, and finishing 3rd in the Central Division with a 47–35 record.[14]

Quick Facts Cleveland Cavaliers season, Head coach ...

Terrell Brandon continued to show improvement, leading the team with 19.3 points, 6.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game, and was selected for the 1996 NBA All-Star Game.[15][16][17][18] In addition, Chris Mills had a stellar season averaging 15.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, while Bobby Phills provided the team with 14.6 points and 1.4 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Danny Ferry became the team's starting power forward, and contributed 13.3 points per game, while Majerle played a sixth man role, averaging 10.6 points per game off the bench, Cage contributed 6.0 points and led the team with 8.9 rebounds per game, and Hill provided with 7.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game off the bench.[19] Head coach Mike Fratello finished in second place in Coach of the Year voting,[20][21] while Brandon and Ferry both finished tied in third place in Most Improved Player voting.[22][23]

However, in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Cavs were swept by the 5th-seeded New York Knicks in three straight games.[24][25][26][27] Following the season, Majerle signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat after only playing just one season with the Cavaliers,[28][29][30][31] while Cage signed with the Philadelphia 76ers,[32][33] and Miner retired after just four seasons in the NBA due to injuries, only playing just 19 games with the Cavaliers this season due to a knee injury.[34][35]

After missing the previous two seasons with a back injury, former All-Star center Brad Daugherty also retired, ending his eight-year career in the NBA with the Cavaliers.[36][37][38][39]

Key Dates:

Offseason

Free agents

Trades

Draft picks

Main article: 1995 NBA draft
More information Round, Pick ...

Roster

More information Players, Coaches ...

Roster Notes

Regular season

Season standings

More information Central Division, W ...
More information Eastern Conference, # ...

Record vs. opponents

More information Team, ATL ...

Game log

More information 1995–96 game log Total: 47–35 (home: 26–15; road: 21–20), Game ...

Playoffs

More information 1996 playoff game log, Game ...

Player stats

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Regular season

More information Player, GP ...

Playoffs

More information Player, GP ...

Player Statistics Citation:[19]

Awards and records

Awards

Records

Milestones

All-Star

Transactions

Trades

Free agents

Development League

References

  1. [1]
    1995-96 Cleveland Cavaliers
  2. [2]
    "Suns Trade Majerle to Cavs". The New York Times. Associated Press. October 8, 1995. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  3. [3]
    "Suns Trade Majerle for 'Hot Rod' Williams: Pro Basketball: The Cavaliers Also Get Lang and a First-Round Draft Pick from Phoenix". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. October 8, 1995. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  4. [4]
    "Trade of Majerle Makes Barkley Unhappy: Pro Basketball: Popular Player Sent to Cleveland for Center John 'Hot Rod' Williams". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. October 8, 1995. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  5. [5]
    "Suns Deal Majerle, Lang, No. 1 Pick for Cavs' Hot Rod". Deseret News. Associated Press. October 8, 1995. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  6. [6]
    "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Cavaliers Acquire Miner from Heat". The New York Times. June 16, 1995. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  7. [7]
    "Heat's Miner Gets New Life with Cavaliers". Los Angeles Times. Staff and Wire Reports. June 16, 1995. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  8. [8]
    Patton, Robes (June 16, 1995). "Heat Give Up on Miner, Trade Guard to Cavaliers". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  9. [9]
    "Cavs' Hill to Miss Two Weeks". United Press International. November 10, 1995. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  10. [10]
    "2 Cavaliers in Minor Accidents". The Washington Post. November 13, 1995. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
  11. [11]
    Berger, Ken (December 22, 1996). "Cleveland's Hill Returns to Top Form After Accident". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  12. [12]
    Robbins, Liz (March 7, 1997). "Rebound of a Lifetime for the Cavaliers' Hill". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  13. [13]
    "NBA Games Played on February 8, 1996". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  14. [14]
    "1995–96 Cleveland Cavaliers Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  15. [15]
    Bembry, Jerry (January 31, 1996). "NBA Coaches Recognize Howard's Star Quality; Bullets' 2nd-Year Player Named Eastern Reserve". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  16. [16]
    Heisler, Mark (February 11, 1996). "NBA Has All-Stars in Its Eyes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  17. [17]
    "1996 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com. NBA.com Staff. September 13, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  18. [18]
    "1996 NBA All-Star Game: East 129, West 118". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  19. [19]
    "1995–96 Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  20. [20]
    "Bulls' Jackson NBA Coach of Year". United Press International. May 7, 1996. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  21. [21]
    Isaacson, Melissa (May 8, 1996). "Better Late Than Never: Jackson Selected Coach of the Year". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  22. [22]
    "Muresan Is NBA's Most Improved Player". United Press International. May 2, 1996. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  23. [23]
    "1995–96 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  24. [24]
    Schabner, Dean (May 1, 1996). "Knicks 81, Cavaliers 76". United Press International. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  25. [25]
    Wise, Mike (May 2, 1996). "NBA PLAYOFFS; A Chance to Shoot Down Bulls Is as Easy as 1-2-3". The New York Times. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  26. [26]
    "Knicks Sweep Cavs". The Oklahoman. May 2, 1996. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  27. [27]
    "1996 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Knicks vs. Cavaliers". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  28. [28]
    "Majerle Seems Headed to the Heat". The New York Times. Associated Press. August 14, 1996. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  29. [29]
    "Majerle to Sign with Heat". The Spokesman-Review. Wire Services. August 22, 1996. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  30. [30]
    "Once More, Majerle to Miami". Tampa Bay Times. August 22, 1996. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  31. [31]
    Heeren, Dave (August 23, 1996). "Majerle Makes It Official with Heat". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  32. [32]
    "Philadelphia Signs Cage". The New York Times. August 23, 1996. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  33. [33]
    Long, Ernie (August 23, 1996). "Cage Brings Solid Work Ethic to 76ers; Veteran Free Agent Hopes to Shore Up Philly's Inside Game". The Morning Call. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  34. [34]
    "Daily Sports Capsule". South Coast Today. Standard Times. March 5, 1996. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  35. [35]
    "Cavs Say Goodbye to Majerle, Miner". The Baltimore Sun. August 9, 1996. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  36. [36]
    "Injured Cleveland Cavaliers Center Brad Daugherty Considers Retiring". Associated Press. June 6, 1996. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  37. [37]
    "Injured Cleveland Cavaliers Center Brad Daugherty Retires". Associated Press. June 6, 1996. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  38. [38]
    "Daugherty Says He's Retired, But It's News to the Cavaliers". Los Angeles Times. Staff and Wire Reports. June 7, 1996. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  39. [39]
    "First Pride, Now Fall: Celtics' Tickets Available". The Washington Post. August 9, 1996. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
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