1995–96 Cleveland Cavaliers season

The 1995–96 NBA season was the 26th season for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the National Basketball Association.^[1] This was the first season since 1985–86 that Mark Price was not on the opening day roster. During the off-season, the Cavaliers acquired All-Star guard, and three-point specialist Dan Majerle from the Phoenix Suns,^[2][3][4] and acquired 2-time Slam Dunk champion Harold Miner from the Miami Heat.^[5][6][7]

1995–96 Cleveland Cavaliers season
Head coach	Mike Fratello
Arena	Gund Arena
Results
Record	47–35 (.573)
Place	Division: 3rd (Central) Conference: 4th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	First round (lost to Knicks 0–3)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television	SportsChannel Ohio · WUAB
Radio	WWWE
< 1994–95 1996–97 >

After the first two games of the regular season, Tyrone Hill was seriously injured in a car accident and missed 38 games, as the Cavaliers struggled losing their first seven games of the season;^[8][9][10] however, Hill returned in the second half of the season playing off the bench, being replaced by Michael Cage as the team's starting center. The Cavaliers played above .500 basketball for the remainder of the season, holding a 26–20 record at the All-Star break,^[11] and posting a 10–2 record in February. The team finished in third place in the Central Division with a 47–35 record, earned the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, and qualified for the NBA playoffs for the fifth consecutive year.^[12]

Terrell Brandon continued to show improvement, leading the team with 19.3 points, 6.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game, and was selected for the 1996 NBA All-Star Game in San Antonio, Texas,^[13][14][15] while Chris Mills averaged 15.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, and Bobby Phills provided the team with 14.6 points and 1.4 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. In addition, Danny Ferry became the team's starting power forward, and contributed 13.3 points per game and 143 three-point field goals, while Majerle played a sixth man role off the bench, averaging 10.6 points per game, and leading the Cavaliers with 146 three-point field goals, Cage contributed 6.0 points and led the team with 8.9 rebounds per game, and Hill provided with 7.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game off the bench.^[16]

Brandon finished tied in sixteenth place in Most Valuable Player voting,^[17] and also tied in third place along with Ferry in Most Improved Player voting, while Phills finished tied in eighth place,^[18][17] and head coach Mike Fratello finished in second place in Coach of the Year voting.^[19][17]

However, in the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1996 NBA playoffs, the Cavs were swept by the 5th-seeded New York Knicks in three straight games.^[20][21][22] Following the season, Majerle signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat after only one season with the Cavaliers,^[23][24][25] while Cage signed with the Philadelphia 76ers,^[26][27] and Miner retired after four seasons in the NBA due to injuries, only playing just 19 games with the Cavaliers this season due to a knee injury.^[28][29]

After missing the previous two seasons due to a back injury, former All-Star center Brad Daugherty also retired, ending his eight-year career in the NBA with the Cavaliers.^[30][31][32]

Key Dates:

Offseason

Free agents

Trades

Draft picks

Main article: 1995 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	17	Bob Sura	Guard	United States	Florida State
2	39	Donny Marshall	Forward	United States	UConn

Roster

1995–96 Cleveland Cavaliers roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From C 13 John Amaechi 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 270 lb (122 kg) 1970–11–26 Penn State G 1 Terrell Brandon 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1970–05–20 Oregon C 44 Michael Cage 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 244 lb (111 kg) 1962–01–28 San Diego State G 11 John Crotty 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1969–07–15 Virginia C 43 Brad Daugherty (IN) 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1965–10–19 North Carolina F 35 Danny Ferry 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1966–10–17 Duke F 32 Tyrone Hill 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1968–03–19 Xavier G 30 Darryl Johnson 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1965–10–26 Michigan State F 21 Antonio Lang 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1972–05–15 Duke G 9 Dan Majerle 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 222 lb (101 kg) 1965–09–09 Central Michigan F 33 Donny Marshall 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1972–07–17 Connecticut F 24 Chris Mills 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1970–01–25 Arizona G 4 Harold Miner 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1971–05–05 USC G 14 Bobby Phills 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1969–12–20 Southern G 3 Bob Sura 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1973–03–25 Florida State

Head coach Mike Fratello Assistant(s) Jim Boylan Sidney Lowe Ron Rothstein Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended (IN) Inactive Injured Roster Updated: March 5, 1996

Roster Notes

• Center Brad Daugherty was on the injured reserve list due to a back injury, and missed the entire regular season.

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div	GP
z–Chicago Bulls	72	10	.878	–	39‍–‍2	33‍–‍8	24–4	82
x–Indiana Pacers	52	30	.634	20.0	32‍–‍9	20‍–‍21	19–9	82
x–Cleveland Cavaliers	47	35	.573	25.0	26‍–‍15	21‍–‍20	13–15	82
x–Atlanta Hawks	46	36	.561	26.0	26‍–‍15	20‍–‍21	15–13	82
x–Detroit Pistons	46	36	.561	26.0	30‍–‍11	16‍–‍25	15–13	82
Charlotte Hornets	41	41	.500	31.0	25‍–‍16	16‍–‍25	13–15	82
Milwaukee Bucks	25	57	.305	47.0	14‍–‍27	11‍–‍30	8–20	82
Toronto Raptors	21	61	.256	51.0	15‍–‍26	6‍–‍35	5–23	82

Eastern Conference
#	Team	W	L	PCT	GB	GP
1	z–Chicago Bulls	72	10	.878	–	82
2	y–Orlando Magic	60	22	.732	12.0	82
3	x–Indiana Pacers	52	30	.634	20.0	82
4	x–Cleveland Cavaliers	47	35	.573	25.0	82
5	x–New York Knicks	47	35	.573	25.0	82
6	x–Atlanta Hawks	46	36	.561	26.0	82
7	x–Detroit Pistons	46	36	.561	26.0	82
8	x–Miami Heat	42	40	.512	30.0	82
9	Charlotte Hornets	41	41	.500	31.0	82
10	Washington Bullets	39	43	.476	33.0	82
11	Boston Celtics	33	49	.402	39.0	82
12	New Jersey Nets	30	52	.366	42.0	82
13	Milwaukee Bucks	25	57	.305	47.0	82
14	Toronto Raptors	21	61	.256	51.0	82
15	Philadelphia 76ers	18	64	.220	54.0	82

Record vs. opponents

1995-96 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHA	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MIA	MIL	MIN	NJN	NYK	ORL	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	TOR	UTA	VAN	WAS
Atlanta	–	4–0	3–1	0–4	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–0	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	4–0	2–1	2–2	2–1	0–2	2–0	2–0	0–2	0–2	4–0	1–1	2–0	1–3
Boston	0–4	–	2–2	0–3	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–1	0–2	1–1	0–4	2–0	0–2	3–1	3–1	2–0	2–2	0–4	1–3	4–0	1–1	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	3–1	0–2	1–1	2–2
Charlotte	1–3	2–2	–	1–3	3–1	2–0	2–0	1–3	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	0–3	3–0	0–4	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	2–0	3–1
Chicago	4–0	3–0	3–1	–	4–0	2–0	1–1	4–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	2–0	2–0	3–1	4–0	2–0	3–0	3–1	3–1	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	2–0	4–0
Cleveland	1–3	3–1	1–3	0–4	–	2–0	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–1	2–2	2–0	2–0	1–3	4–0	2–0	1–2	3–1	1–2	4–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	3–1	0–2	2–0	3–1
Dallas	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	0–2	–	2–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	0–2	2–2	0–4	0–2	1–1	0–4	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	0–4	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–3	4–0	0–2
Denver	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–2	–	1–1	2–2	1–3	0–2	1–3	2–2	0–2	1–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–1	0–4	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–0	3–1	3–1	1–1
Detroit	2–2	1–2	3–1	0–4	2–2	2–0	1–1	–	2–0	1–1	2–2	2–0	0–2	1–3	2–2	1–1	4–0	0–4	1–3	4–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	4–0	0–2	2–0	1–2
Golden State	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–2	0–2	–	2–2	1–1	3–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	0–4	1–1	1–3	4–0	1–1
Houston	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–2	–	2–0	4–0	3–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–0	3–1	2–2	2–2	1–3	0–4	2–0	2–2	4–0	1–1
Indiana	3–1	4–0	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–0	2–0	2–2	1–1	0–2	–	2–0	1–1	3–0	3–1	1–1	1–3	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	4–0	0–2	2–0	3–0
L.A. Clippers	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	3–1	0–2	1–3	0–4	0–2	–	0–4	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–1	2–2	2–2	1–3	0–4	0–2	1–3	3–1	1–1
L.A. Lakers	2–0	2–0	0–2	0–2	0–2	4–0	2–2	2–0	3–1	1–3	1–1	4–0	–	2–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–0	2–2	4–0	1–1
Miami	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	3–1	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–1	2–0	0–3	1–1	0–2	–	3–0	1–1	5–0	1–3	1–3	3–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–1	0–2	1–1	2–2
Milwaukee	2–2	1–3	1–3	0–4	0–4	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–3	–	1–1	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–1	0–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–3
Minnesota	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	4–0	0–4	1–1	1–3	2–2	1–1	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–1	–	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–3	0–4	3–1	1–3	0–4	1–1	1–3	2–2	0–2
New Jersey	0–4	2–2	3–0	0–3	2–1	1–1	2–0	0–4	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	0–2	0–5	3–1	1–1	–	2–2	0–4	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	2–2
New York	1–2	4–0	0–3	1–3	1–3	2–0	1–1	4–0	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	2–0	2–2	–	1–3	3–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	4–0	1–1	1–1	3–1
Orlando	2–2	3–1	4–0	1–3	2–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	3–1	3–1	2–0	4–0	3–1	–	4–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–1	1–1	2–0	4–0
Philadelphia	1–2	0–4	1–3	0–4	0–4	2–0	0–2	0–4	0–2	0–2	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–2	1–1	2–2	1–3	0–4	–	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–3
Phoenix	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	3–1	1–3	0–2	3–1	1–3	1–1	1–3	1–3	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	2–0	–	2–2	2–2	1–3	0–4	2–0	1–3	4–0	2–0
Portland	0–2	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	4–0	4–0	0–2	3–1	2–2	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–0	0–2	4–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	–	1–3	1–3	1–3	2–0	1–3	2–2	0–2
Sacramento	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–2	4–0	1–1	3–1	2–2	2–0	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	1–3	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	–	1–3	0–4	2–0	0–4	2–2	0–2
San Antonio	2–0	2–0	2–0	0–2	2–0	2–2	4–0	0–2	3–1	3–1	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–1	3–1	3–1	–	2–2	2–0	3–1	4–0	1–1
Seattle	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	4–0	4–0	0–2	4–0	2–2	2–0	2–0	4–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–0	3–1	4–0	2–2	–	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–1
Toronto	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–4	1–1	0–2	0–4	2–0	0–2	1–2	2–2	1–1	2–2	0–4	1–2	1–3	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	–	0–2	1–1	3–1
Utah	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–1	1–3	2–0	3–1	2–2	2–0	3–1	2–2	2–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	3–1	4–0	1–3	1–3	2–0	–	4–0	1–1
Vancouver	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–3	0–2	0–4	0–4	0–2	1–3	0–4	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–4	2–2	2–2	0–4	1–3	1–1	0–4	–	0–2
Washington	3–1	2–2	1–3	0–4	1–3	2–0	1–1	2–1	1–1	1–1	0–3	1–1	1–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	2–2	1–3	0–4	3–1	0–2	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	2–0	—

Game log

1995–96 game log Total: 47–35 (home: 26–15; road: 21–20)
November: 6–8 (home: 3–4; road: 3–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
December : 9–4 (home: 7–2; road: 2–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
January : 8–8 (home: 3–2; road: 5–6) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
February : 10–2 (home: 7–1; road: 3–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
March : 8–9 (home: 3–4; road: 5–5) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
April : 6–4 (home: 3–2; road: 3–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
1995–96 schedule

Playoffs

1996 playoff game log
First round: 0–3 (home: 0–2; road: 0–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 25 New York L 83–106 Terrell Brandon (18) Michael Cage (8) Brandon, Majerle (5) Gund Arena 16,419 0–1 2 April 27 New York L 80–84 Terrell Brandon (21) Michael Cage (8) Terrell Brandon (12) Gund Arena 17,232 0–2 3 May 1 @ New York L 76–81 Terrell Brandon (19) Michael Cage (12) Terrell Brandon (7) Madison Square Garden 19,763 0–3
1996 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
Terrell Brandon	75	75	34.3	46.5	38.7	88.7	3.3	6.5	1.8	0.4	19.3
Chris Mills	80	80	38.3	46.8	37.6	82.9	5.5	2.4	0.9	0.7	15.1
Bobby Phills	72	69	35.1	46.7	44.1	77.5	3.6	3.8	1.4	0.4	14.6
Danny Ferry	82	79	32.7	45.9	39.4	76.9	3.8	2.3	0.7	0.5	13.3
Dan Majerle	82	15	28.9	40.5	35.3	71.0	3.7	2.6	1.0	0.4	10.6
Tyrone Hill	44	2	21.1	51.2	0.0	60.0	5.5	0.8	0.7	0.5	7.8
Michael Cage	82	80	32.1	55.6	0.0	54.3	8.9	0.6	1.1	1.0	6.0
Bob Sura	79	3	14.6	41.1	34.6	70.2	1.7	2.9	0.7	0.3	5.3
Harold Miner	19	0	7.2	44.2	20.0	100.0	0.6	0.4	0.0	0.0	3.2
John Crotty	58	4	10.6	44.7	29.6	86.1	0.9	1.8	0.4	0.1	3.0
John Amaechi	28	3	12.8	41.4	0.0	57.6	1.9	0.3	0.2	0.4	2.8
Antonio Lang	41	0	9.0	53.2	0.0	72.3	1.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	2.8
Donny Marshall	34	0	6.1	35.3	23.3	62.9	0.8	0.2	0.2	0.1	2.3
Joe Courtney	23	0	8.7	42.9	0.0	44.4	2.1	0.4	0.2	0.3	1.7
Darryl Johnson	11	0	2.5	41.7	0.0	100.0	0.2	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.1

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Terrell Brandon	3	3	41.7	44.7	33.3	86.7	3.0	8.0	1.3	0.3	19.3
Dan Majerle	3	0	30.3	44.4	43.5	88.9	4.0	3.0	1.3	0.7	16.7
Danny Ferry	3	3	39.0	34.1	6.3	0.0	5.0	3.0	1.0	0.7	9.7
Bobby Phills	3	3	32.0	37.1	20.0	25.0	4.7	2.0	0.7	0.3	9.7
Tyrone Hill	3	0	17.7	75.0	0.0	77.8	5.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	8.3
Chris Mills	3	3	35.0	33.3	0.0	100.0	5.3	1.7	0.7	0.7	7.7
Michael Cage	3	3	33.7	57.1	0.0	60.0	9.3	0.7	0.7	1.7	6.3
Bob Sura	3	0	6.0	66.7	0.0	0.0	0.3	1.0	0.3	0.0	1.3
John Crotty	2	0	4.5	0.0	0.0	100.0	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	1.0
John Amaechi	1	0	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Antonio Lang	1	0	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Donny Marshall	1	0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

Player Statistics Citation:^[16]

Awards and records

Awards

Records

Milestones

All-Star

Transactions

Trades

Free agents

Development League