2003–04 Cleveland Cavaliers season

The 2003–04 NBA season was the 34th season of the National Basketball Association in Cleveland, Ohio.[1] In the years following their 1998 first-round playoff loss to the Indiana Pacers, the Cavaliers dropped to the bottom of the league and became a perennial entrant in the annual NBA Draft Lottery. The franchise's freefall bottomed out during the 2002–03 season, as the Cavs fell to a 17–65 record, tied with the Denver Nuggets for the league's worst.

2003–04 Cleveland Cavaliers season
Head coachPaul Silas
OwnersGordon Gund
ArenaGund Arena
Results
Record35–47 (.427)
PlaceDivision: 5th (Central)
Conference: 9th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionFox Sports Net Ohio · WUAB
RadioWTAM

However, the fortunes of the franchise shifted dramatically in May 2003, when the Cavs won the first overall pick in the draft lottery. The Cavaliers selected high school phenom LeBron James from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in nearby Akron, providing the team with a centerpiece player around which to build.[2]

The Cavs revised their look for the 2003–04 season, introducing a new logo and a variation on the wine and gold color scheme used by the club during the 1970s. Dark blue was also added as a trim color.

The team made major moves during the season, trading Ricky Davis, Chris Mihm, Michael Stewart and a second-round draft pick to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Eric Williams, Tony Battie, and Kedrick Brown. Later, Darius Miles was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for Jeff McInnis and Ruben Boumtje Boumtje.

The Cavaliers lost their first five games of the season, leading them to an awful 6–19 start. However, they played .500 basketball for the remainder of the season, finishing fifth in the Central Division with a 35–47 record. They fell just one game short of making the playoffs. James was named Rookie of The Year and selected to the All-Rookie First Team. Following the season, second-year forward Carlos Boozer signed as a free agent with the Utah Jazz.

Offseason

Despite James being with Cleveland for the first season, Cleveland still did not make the playoffs, still needing improvement.

Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 1 LeBron James Small Forward USA St. Vincent-St.Mary (Akron, OH)
2 31 Jason Kapono Forward USA UCLA

Roster
Roster listing
Cleveland Cavaliers roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
F/C 4 Battie, Tony 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Texas Tech
F 1 Boozer, Carlos 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 258 lb (117 kg) Duke
G 5 Brown, Kedrick 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Okaloosa-Walton CC
C 52 Diop, DeSagana 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 280 lb (127 kg) Oak Hill Academy (HS)
C 11 Ilgauskas, Zydrunas 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) 238 lb (108 kg) Lithuania
F 23 James, LeBron 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) St. Vincent-St. Mary (HS)
F 24 Kapono, Jason 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) UCLA
G 0 McInnis, Jeff 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 179 lb (81 kg) North Carolina
F 54 Nailon, Lee 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) TCU
F 14 Newble, Ira 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Miami (OH)
G 12 Ollie, Kevin 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Connecticut
G 2 Wagner, Dajuan 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Memphis
F 55 Williams, Eric  6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Providence
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster

Regular season
  • Facing the Sacramento Kings in his first NBA game, LeBron James recorded 25 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals and shooting 60% from the field.[3] After recording a season-high 41 points against the New Jersey Nets, James became the youngest player in league history to score 40 points in a game.[4] He averaged 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game for the season,[5] and was named Rookie of the Year; becoming the first Cavalier and youngest NBA player to ever receive the award. He joined Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan as the only three players in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game in their rookie season.[6] The Cavaliers improved by 18 wins and concluded the regular season with a 35–47 record, but failed to make the playoffs.[7]

Standings
Central Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Indiana Pacers 6121.744–34–727–1420–8
x-Detroit Pistons 5428.659731–1023–1817–11
x-New Orleans Hornets 4141.5002025–1616–2514–14
x-Milwaukee Bucks 4141.5002027–1414–2715–13
Cleveland Cavaliers 3547.4272623–1812–2914–14
Toronto Raptors 3349.4022818–2315–2611–17
Atlanta Hawks 2854.3413318–2310–3110–18
Chicago Bulls 2359.2803814–279–3211–17
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Indiana Pacers6121.744–
2 y-New Jersey Nets4735.57314
3 x-Detroit Pistons5428.6597
4 x-Miami Heat4240.51219
5 x-New Orleans Hornets4141.50020
6 x-Milwaukee Bucks4141.50020
7 x-New York Knicks3943.47622
8 x-Boston Celtics3646.43925
9 Cleveland Cavaliers3547.42726
10 Toronto Raptors3349.40228
11 Philadelphia 76ers3349.40228
12 Atlanta Hawks2854.34133
13 Washington Wizards2557.30536
14 Chicago Bulls2359.28037
15 Orlando Magic2161.25639

Record vs. opponents
2003-04 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MEM MIA MIL MIN NJN NOH NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA WAS
Atlanta —3–13–11–32–02–01–30–20–20–40–21–10–21–32–21–11–32–20–31–31–21–10–20–21–11–11–30–22–2
Boston 1–3—1–23–11–12–00–32–01–11–30–20–21–12–21–31–12–20–41–33–13–11–10–21–10–21–13–11–13–1
Chicago 1–32–1—2–20–20–20–41–10–21–31–10–20–20–41–30–20–32–22–23–10–41–10–20–20–20–24–01–11–3
Cleveland 3–11–32–2—0–20–22–20–20–21–31–10–20–22–22–20–21–23–14–02–13–10–21–10–21–12–01–31–12–2
Dallas 0–21–12–02–0—2–21–13–13–10–22–22–22–21–11–12–22–02–02–02–01–13–13–13–13–13–11–12–21–1
Denver 0–20–22–02–02–2—0–23–12–20–22–21–32–21–12–01–30–21–11–11–12–04–04–02–21–32–20–23–12–0
Detroit 3–13–04–02–21–12–0—1–11–11–32–01–12–04–03–10–22–21–33–13–12–22–02–00–21–11–13–11–13–0
Golden State 2–00–21–12–01–31–31–1—2–20–22–21–31–31–11–12–20–20–22–01–11–12–22–22–22–23–11–12–21–1
Houston 2–01–12–02–01–32–21–12–2—1–14–02–21–31–12–02–21–12–02–02–02–01–33–10–40–41–31–12–22–0
Indiana 4–03–13–13–12–02–03–12–01–1—2–01–11–13–01–31–13–12–23–13–14–02–01–10–21–12–04–02–02–1
L.A. Clippers 2–02–01–11–12–22–20–22–20–40–2—1–30–40–22–00–40–21–11–12–01–13–12–20–41–30–41–11–30–2
L.A. Lakers 1–12–02–02–02–23–11–13–12–21–13–1—2–22–02–01–32–01–12–02–01–13–12–21–33–13–12–03–12–0
Memphis 2–01–12–02–02–22–20–23–13–11–14–02–2—1–11–11–32–01–11–12–02–02–22–22–23–11–32–01–32–0
Miami 3–12–24–02–21–11–10–41–11–10–32–00–21–1—1–20–23–23–11–34–01–31–10–21–10–22–02–11–14–0
Milwaukee 2–23–13–12–21–10–21–31–10–23–10–20–21–12–1—0–23–11–32–23–12–11–11–11–11–10–23–11–13–1
Minnesota 1–11–12–02–02–23–12–02–22–21–14–03–13–12–02–0—1–12–01–12–01–14–01–33–12–23–12–02–22–0
New Jersey 3–12–23–02–10–22–02–22–01–11–32–00–20–22–31–31–1—2–13–14–03–11–10–21–10–22–02–21–14–0
New Orleans 2–24–02–21–30–21–13–12–00–22–21–11–11–11–33–10–21–2—1–24–02–21–12–00–21–10–21–31–13–1
New York 3–03–12–20–40–21–11–30–20–21–31–10–21–13–12–21–11–32–1—3–13–11–11–11–10–21–13–10–24–0
Orlando 3–11–31–31–20–21–11–31–10–21–30–20–20–20–41–30–20–40–41–3—2–21–10–20–20–20–21–21–14–0
Philadelphia 2–11–34–01–31–10–22–21–10–20–41–11–10–23–11–21–11–32–21–32–2—1–11–10–22–01–11–30–22–2
Phoenix 1–11–11–12–01–30–40–22–23–10–21–31–32–21–11–10–41–11–11–11–11–1—2–21–30–42–20–21–31–1
Portland 2–02–02–01–11–30–40–22–21–31–12–22–22–22–01–13–12–00–21–12–01–12–2—3–10–42–21–12–21–1
Sacramento 2–01–12–02–01–32–22–02–24–02–04–03–12–21–11–11–31–12–01–12–02–03–11–3—2–23–12–03–11–1
San Antonio 1–12–02–01–11–33–11–12–24–01–13–11–31–32–01–12–22–01–12–02–00–24–04–02–2—4–02–04–02–0
Seattle 1–11–12–00–21–32–21–11–33–10–24–01–33–10–22–01–30–22–01–12–01–12–22–21–30–4—1–11–31–1
Toronto 3–11–30–43–11–12–01–31–11–10–41–10–20–21–21–30–22–23–11–32–13–12–01–10–20–21–1—1–11–3
Utah 2–01–11–11–12–21–31–12–22–20–23–11–33–11–11–12–21–11–12–01–12–03–12–21–30–43–11–1—1–1
Washington 2–21–33–12–21–10–20–31–10–21–22–00–20–20–41–30–20–41–30–40–42–21–11–11–10–21–13–11–1—

Game log
2003–04 game log
Total: 35–47 (Home: 23–18; Road: 12–29)
October: 0–2 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–2)
November : 4–11 (Home: 4–3; Road: 0–8)
December : 6–9 (Home: 4–5; Road: 2–4)
January : 7–7 (Home: 5–1; Road: 2–6)
February : 7–6 (Home: 3–4; Road: 4–2)
March : 8–7 (Home: 5–3; Road: 3–4)
April : 3–5 (Home: 2–2; Road: 1–3)
2003–04 schedule

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
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Tony Battie* 50119.5.427.125.7684.8.7.36.945.4
Carlos Boozer 757534.6.523.167.76811.42.0.99.7315.5
Kedrick Brown* 341616.5.465.388.6432.31.1.38.155.3
Mateen Cleaves 4223.0.304.000.5001.84.81.00.503.8
DeSagana Diop 56313.0.388.000.6003.6.6.46.912.3
Žydrūnas Ilgauskas 818131.3.483.286.7468.11.3.482.4815.3
LeBron James 797939.5.417.290.7545.55.91.65.7320.9
Jason Kapono 41310.4.403.477.8331.3.3.32.053.5
Jelani McCoy 206.0.000.000.0002.0.0.00.00.0
Jeff McInnis* 313135.4.417.388.8362.67.51.16.1311.7
Lee Nailon* 22418.0.451.000.8003.0.8.18.057.7
Ira Newble 642519.5.391.105.7832.41.1.39.304.0
Kevin Ollie 82717.1.370.444.8352.12.9.62.104.2
Dajuan Wagner 44416.1.366.360.6811.31.2.59.166.5
Eric Williams* 503627.5.366.253.7873.81.9.96.169.4

* Statistics include only games with the Cavaliers

Award winners

References
  1. 2003-04 Cleveland Cavaliers
  2. "Sports of The Times; Drafting A Savior? Be Careful". New York Times. June 27, 2003. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
  3. basketball-reference.com, James 2003-04 Game Log, accessed April 27, 2007.
  4. espn.com, James receives 78 of 118 first-place votes, accessed May 7, 2007.
  5. nba.com, LeBron James: Player Info Page Archived May 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, accessed April 27, 2007.
  6. nba.com, LeBron James: NBA Bio Archived May 5, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, accessed April 27, 2007.
  7. basketball-reference.com, 2003-04 Cleveland Cavaliers, accessed April 27, 2007.
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