| Team: | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| End Year: | 1981 |
| Wins: | 28 |
| Losses: | 54 |
| Division: | Central |
| Division Place: | 5 |
| Conf Place: | 9 |
| Coach: |
|
| Gm: | Don Delaney |
| Owner: | Ted Stepien |
| Arena: | Coliseum at Richfield |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
| Bbr Team: | CLE |
| Television: | WUAB |
| Radio: | WWWE |
The 1980-81 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 11th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
See main article: 1980 NBA draft.
Notes
| 1980-81 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–4 | |
| Boston | 4–2 | — | 5–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | |
| Chicago | 4–2 | 1–5 | — | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | |
| Cleveland | 5–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 0–5 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | |
| Dallas | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | |
| Denver | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | — | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | |
| Detroit | 2–4 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | |
| Golden State | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | — | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 | |
| Houston | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | — | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | |
| Indiana | 5–1 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | |
| Kansas City | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 4–2 | 0–2 | — | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 | |
| Los Angeles | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 5–0 | — | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | |
| Milwaukee | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | |
| New Jersey | 2–3 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | — | 0–6 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | |
| New York | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 6–0 | — | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | |
| Philadelphia | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | |
| Phoenix | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 3–3 | 3–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 | |
| Portland | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | — | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | — | 4–1 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | |
| San Diego | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 2–4 | 1–4 | — | 5–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–5 | — | 4–1 | 1–1 | |
| Utah | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | — | 0–2 | |
| Washington | 4–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | |
|-style="background:#cfc;"| 19 || November 13, 1980 || Atlanta| W 114–111|||| Coliseum at Richfield
3,987| 5–14|-style="background:#cfc;"| 43 || January 9, 1981 || @ Atlanta| W 108–107 (OT)|||| The Omni
9,398| 16–27|-style="background:#cfc;"| 51 || January 23, 1981 || @ Atlanta| W 106–98|||| The Omni
9,820| 20–31|- align="center"|colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break|-style="background:#fcc;"| 64 || February 21, 1981 || Atlanta| L 105–118|||| Coliseum at Richfield
8,231| 25–39|-style="background:#cfc;"| 73 || March 14, 1981 || @ Atlanta| W 112–110 (OT)|||| The Omni
7,368| 26–47|-style="background:#cfc;"| 75 || March 17, 1981 || Atlanta| W 122–107|||| Coliseum at Richfield
4,288| 28–47
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Mitchell | 82 | 39.0 | 47.6 | 44.4 | 78.4 | 6.1 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 24.5 | ||
| Kenny Carr | 81 | 32.3 | 51.1 | 0.0 | 71.4 | 10.3 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 15.2 | ||
| Randy Smith | 82 | 26.8 | 46.6 | 3.6 | 81.5 | 2.4 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 14.6 | ||
| Roger Phegley | 82 | 27.7 | 49.1 | 28.6 | 83.9 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 14.4 | ||
| Mike Bratz | 80 | 32.4 | 39.0 | 33.7 | 81.1 | 2.5 | 5.7 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 10.0 | ||
| Richard Washington | 69 | 21.8 | 45.9 | 50.0 | 75.0 | 5.3 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 9.9 | ||
| Bill Laimbeer | 81 | 30.4 | 50.3 | 0.0 | 76.5 | 8.6 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 9.8 | ||
| Dave Robisch | 11 | 33.8 | 37.8 | 0.0 | 80.6 | 7.7 | 4.0 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 9.4 | ||
| Robert Smith | 1 | 20.0 | 40.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.0 | ||
| Geoff Huston | 25 | 21.7 | 49.7 | 0.0 | 81.5 | 1.6 | 4.7 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 7.0 | ||
| Bill Robinzine | 8 | 10.5 | 43.8 | 0.0 | 62.5 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 4.1 | ||
| Don Ford | 64 | 15.6 | 44.6 | 0.0 | 91.7 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 3.5 | ||
| Chad Kinch | 29 | 8.5 | 39.6 | 0.0 | 80.0 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 2.8 | ||
| Mack Calvin | 21 | 6.1 | 33.3 | 20.0 | 71.4 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 2.5 | ||
| Walter Jordan | 30 | 6.9 | 38.7 | 0.0 | 58.8 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 2.3 | ||
| John Lambert | 3 | 2.7 | 60.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | ||
| Jerome Whitehead | 3 | 2.7 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
Player Statistics Citation:[1]