1991–92 Cleveland Cavaliers season

The 1991–92 NBA season was the 22nd season of the National Basketball Association in Cleveland, Ohio.[1] During the off-season, the Cavaliers signed free agent John Battle,[2][3] then later on re-signed former Cavs forward Mike Sanders in March after being released by the Indiana Pacers.[4][5] After two straight seasons of injuries, the Cavaliers would finally play the entire season without any significant loss of manpower. After a 13–9 start to the season, the team posted an 11-game winning streak, and held a 31–14 record at the All-Star break.[6] The Cavaliers finished the season 2nd in the Central Division with a 57–25 record,[7] and tying the franchise high set in the 1988–89 season. On December 17, 1991, the Cavaliers set an NBA record by winning with the second largest margin of victory of any game defeating the Miami Heat at home, 148–80 (68 points).[8][9][10]

Brad Daugherty led the team with 21.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, while Mark Price averaged 17.3 points and 7.4 assists per game, and Larry Nance averaged 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. In addition, Craig Ehlo contributed 12.3 points per game, and sixth man Hot Rod Williams provided the team with 11.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game off the bench.[11] Daugherty and Price were both named to the All-NBA Third Team, and selected for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game,[12][13] while Price finished in seventh place in Most Valuable Player voting,[14] Nance was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, and top draft pick Terrell Brandon made the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Cavaliers defeated the New Jersey Nets in four games.[15][16][17] In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, they trailed 2–1 to the 2nd-seeded Boston Celtics,[18][19] but managed to win in a full seven game series.[20][21][22][23] In the Eastern Conference finals, they faced against Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the defending champion Chicago Bulls, where they tied the series at one game a piece, with a 26-point road win in Game 2, 107–81.[24][25] However, the Bulls would defeat the Cavaliers in four games to two.[26][27][28][29] The Bulls would defeat the Portland Trail Blazers in six games in the NBA Finals, winning their second consecutive championship.[30][31][32][33][34]