1993–94 Cleveland Cavaliers season

{{short description|NBA professional basketball team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NBA season

| team = Cleveland Cavaliers

| end_year = 1994

| wins = 47

| losses = 35

| division = Central

| division_place = 4

| conf_place = 6

| coach = Mike Fratello

| arena = Richfield Coliseum

| television = SportsChannel Ohio{{·}} WOIO

| radio = WWWE

| playoffs = First round
(lost to Bulls 0–3)

| bbr_team = CLE

}}

The 1993–94 NBA season was the 24th season of the National Basketball Association franchise based in Cleveland, Ohio.{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/1994.html|title = 1993-94 Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats}} The Cavaliers had the 22nd overall pick in the 1993 NBA draft, and selected Chris Mills from the University of Arizona.{{cite news | last = Heisler | first = Mark | title = THE NBA DRAFT: Big Deal for Warriors: Webber for Hardaway: Basketball: Golden State Finally Gets Someone with Size. Orlando Gets Memphis State Guard to Complement O'Neal | work = Los Angeles Times | date = July 1, 1993 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-07-01-sp-8898-story.html | access-date = June 4, 2023}}{{cite news | title = NBA Draft at a Glance | work = Los Angeles Times | date = July 1, 1993 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-07-01-sp-8904-story.html | access-date = June 4, 2023}}{{cite news | last = Landman | first = Brian | title = Magic Picks Up a "Penny" | work = Tampa Bay Times | date = July 1, 1993 | url = https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1993/07/01/magic-picks-up-a-penny/ | access-date = June 4, 2023}}{{cite web | title = 1993 NBA Draft | work = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1993.html | access-date = June 4, 2023}} During the off-season, the team acquired Tyrone Hill from the Golden State Warriors,{{cite news | title = Warriors Send Tyrone Hill to Cavs | work = United Press International | date = July 15, 1993 | url = https://www.upi.com/amp/Archives/1993/07/15/Warriors-send-Tyrone-Hill-to-Cavs/1952742708800/ | access-date = October 13, 2021}}{{cite news | title = SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Warriors Trade Hill | work = The New York Times | date = July 16, 1993 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/16/sports/sports-people-basketball-warriors-trade-hill.html | access-date = July 23, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Rosser | first = Felecia | title = Warriors Trade Hill to Cavs for '94 Draft Pick | work = Tampa Bay Times | date = July 16, 1993 | url = https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1993/07/16/warriors-trade-hill-to-cavs-for-94-draft-pick/ | access-date = December 24, 2022}}{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Team-by-Team Look at the NBA for the 1993-94 Season | work = Los Angeles Times | date = October 31, 1993 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-10-31-sp-51656-story.html | access-date = June 22, 2023}} and signed free agent Rod Higgins in December.{{cite news | title = Transactions | work = The New York Times | date = December 24, 1993 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1993/12/24/sports/transactions-824993.html | access-date = September 26, 2022}} Under new head coach Mike Fratello,{{cite news | title = SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; A Serious Fratello Takes Cavaliers Job | work = The New York Times | date = June 18, 1993 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/18/sports/sports-people-basketball-a-serious-fratello-takes-cavaliers-job.html | access-date = December 31, 2021}}{{cite news | agency = Staff and Wire Reports | title = Fratello Leaving NBC to Coach Cavaliers | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 18, 1993 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-18-sp-4278-story.html | access-date = November 10, 2022}}{{cite news | last = | first = | title = Fratello Takes Over as Cavaliers Coach | work = Tampa Bay Times | date = June 18, 1993 | url = https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1993/06/18/fratello-takes-over-as-cavaliers-coach/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210804221511/https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1993/06/18/fratello-takes-over-as-cavaliers-coach/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = August 4, 2021 | access-date = May 2, 2023}} the Cavaliers struggled playing below .500 with a 7–14 start, but soon recovered and held a 24–23 record at the All-Star break.{{cite news | title = NBA Games Played on February 10, 1994 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/?month=2&day=10&year=1994 | access-date = July 22, 2022}}

The Cavs were bitten by the injury bug again as Brad Daugherty missed 32 games with a back injury,{{cite news | last = | first = | title = Cleveland's Brad Daugherty Sidelined with Herniated Disc | work = United Press International | date = February 28, 1994 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/1994/02/28/Clevelands-Brad-Daugherty-sidelined-with-herniated-disc/8601762411600/ | access-date = December 24, 2022}}{{cite news | last = | first = | title = Cavaliers Place Daugherty on Injured List | work = United Press International | date = March 6, 1994 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/1994/03/06/Cavaliers-place-Daugherty-on-injured-list/8093762930000/ | access-date = September 26, 2022}}{{cite news | title = Injured Cleveland Cavaliers Center Brad Daugherty Considers Retiring | work = Associated Press | date = June 6, 1996 | url = https://apnews.com/article/54b6964fb00fd9a444abe0970f613e27 | access-date = January 18, 2022}} while Larry Nance missed 49 games with a knee injury,{{cite news | title = Bad Knee Forces Nance to Quit | work = Los Angeles Times | date = September 28, 1994 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-09-28-sp-43844-story.html?_amp=true | access-date = July 25, 2017}}{{cite news | last = Winderman | first = Ira | title = Cavaliers Putting on a (Hospital) Clinic | work = Sun Sentinel | date = March 20, 1994 | url = https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1994-03-20-9403200024-story,amp.html | access-date = October 12, 2021}} and Hill missed 25 games due to thumb and knee injuries.{{cite news | last = Winderman | first = Ira | title = Cavaliers Putting on a (Hospital) Clinic | work = Sun Sentinel | date = March 20, 1994 | url = https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1994-03-20-9403200024-story,amp.html | access-date = October 12, 2021}}{{cite news | last = Bembry | first = Jerry | title = Bullets Exploit Ailing Cavs, 108-98 | work = The Baltimore Sun | date = April 9, 1994 | url = https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1994-04-09-1994099097-story.html | access-date = September 26, 2022}} However, Mark Price, Hot Rod Williams and Gerald Wilkins would all step up, as the Cavaliers posted an 11-game winning streak between February and March, finishing 4th in the Central Division with a 47–35 record.{{cite web|title=1993–94 Cleveland Cavaliers Schedule and Results|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/1994_games.html|access-date=June 23, 2021}}

Price led the team with 17.3 points, 7.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, and selected for the 1994 NBA All-Star Game,{{cite news | last = | first = | title = All-Stars Are Short on Magic | work = Orlando Sentinel | date = February 2, 1994 | url = https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1994/02/02/all-stars-are-short-on-magic/ | access-date = May 19, 2023}}{{cite news | last = | first = | title = All-Star Reserves Named | work = Tampa Bay Times | date = February 2, 1994 | url = https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1994/02/02/all-star-reserves-named/ | access-date = May 19, 2023}}{{cite news | last = Taylor | first = Phil | title = The NBA | work = Sports Illustrated Vault | date = February 14, 1994 | url = https://vault.si.com/vault/1994/02/14/the-nba | access-date = January 8, 2023}}{{cite news | agency = NBA.com Staff | title = 1994 NBA All-Star Recap | work = NBA.com | date = September 13, 2021 | url = https://www.nba.com/news/history-all-star-recap-1994 | access-date = May 19, 2023}}{{cite web | title = 1994 NBA All-Star Game: East 127, West 118 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_1994.html | access-date = November 28, 2021}} while Williams averaged 13.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, and Wilkins provided the team with 14.3 points per game. In addition, Daugherty averaged 17.0 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, while Nance provided with 11.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, and Hill contributed 10.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Mills averaged 9.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game off the bench, while Bobby Phills stepped into the lineup and contributed 8.3 points per game, and Terrell Brandon provided with 8.3 points and 3.8 assists per game off the bench.{{cite web|title=1993–94 Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/1994.html|access-date=June 23, 2021}}

However, during the final month of the regular season, Williams went down with a broken right thumb.{{cite news | last = | first = | title = SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; A Hole in the Middle | work = The New York Times | date = April 29, 1994 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/29/sports/sports-people-basketball-a-hole-in-the-middle.html | access-date = September 26, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Isaacson | first = Melissa | title = Bulls Refuse to Celebrate Injury to Cavs' Williams | work = Chicago Tribune | date = April 29, 1994 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-04-29-9404290326-story,amp.html | access-date = June 23, 2021 }} With the lack of big men on the team during the playoffs, the Cavaliers were swept by the Chicago Bulls in three straight games in the Eastern Conference First Round.{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Bulls Eliminate Cavs and Look Ahead | work = The New York Times | date = May 4, 1994 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/04/sports/pro-basketball-bulls-eliminate-cavs-and-look-ahead.html | access-date = July 22, 2022}}{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = NBA PLAYOFFS EASTERN CONFERENCE: Heat Closing In on a History-Making Feat | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 4, 1994 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-05-04-sp-53518-story.html | access-date = December 4, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Isaacson | first = Melissa | title = Goodbye Cavs, Richfield | work = Chicago Tribune | date = May 4, 1994 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-05-04-9405040114-story,amp.html | access-date = July 26, 2021}}{{cite news | title = 1994 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Cavaliers vs. Bulls | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1994-nba-eastern-conference-first-round-cavaliers-vs-bulls.html | access-date = February 9, 2023}}

This was also the Cavaliers final season playing at The Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio. Following the season, Nance retired,{{cite news | last = | first = | title = SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Cavaliers' Nance Retires After 13 Seasons | work = The New York Times | date = September 28, 1993 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/28/sports/sports-people-pro-basketball-cavaliers-nance-retires-after-13-seasons.html | access-date = November 10, 2022}}{{cite news | title = Bad Knee Forces Nance to Quit | work = Los Angeles Times | date = September 28, 1994 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-09-28-sp-43844-story.html?_amp=true | access-date = July 25, 2017}} and Higgins was released to free agency. This was also Daugherty's final season of his career, as he missed all of the next two seasons due to back injuries.{{cite news | title = Injured Cleveland Cavaliers Center Brad Daugherty Considers Retiring | work = Associated Press | date = June 6, 1996 | url = https://apnews.com/article/54b6964fb00fd9a444abe0970f613e27 | access-date = November 10, 2022}}{{cite news | title = Injured Cleveland Cavaliers Center Brad Daugherty Retires | work = Associated Press | date = June 6, 1996 | url = https://apnews.com/article/3fe937b0af1c169f36d1f10e1fcfe073 | access-date = January 18, 2022}}

{{TOC limit|2}}