The Best Cleveland Cavaliers Team in History
When the Cavaliers joined the NBA in 1970, the team was led by head coach Bill Fitch. Tthough they had their early struggles, they slowly started climbing up the standings till they made the playoffs in the 1975-76 season. They posted a 49-33 record and won their first Central Division title. Bill Fitch won the Coach of the Year award and with the core of Nate Thurmond, Austin Carr, Bingo Smith and Jim Chones, the team made the playoffs and beat the Washington Bullets in the first round. They would lose to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Finals In the following years, Cleveland wouldn’t be able to duplicate their achievements as they’d make the playoffs but lose consecutive years in the first round until Bill Fitch resigned in 1979.