In 2003, the Cavaliers drew the first overall No. 1 pick, and in the end, they naturally selected that year's No. 1 pick, LeBron James, and now 21 years later, James has clearly lived up to his talent, not only becoming one of the greatest superstars in history, but also helping the city of Cleveland win the first professional sports championship.
And James has played for the Cavaliers for a total of 11 seasons, except for 2016, what is the team's performance in the other ten years? 15 years is just one step away from the championship.
2003-2004 season (9th in the East in the regular season)
In his first season in the NBA, James showed himself to be different, and although he didn't even play in college league at the time, he was still able to play back and forth with other players in the NBA. James averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game throughout his rookie season, and this was played in the early season with Ricky Davis competing for the ball, so he was ultimately selected as the Rookie of the Year.
Although James didn't help the Cavaliers make the playoffs this year, the improvement he brought to the team was obvious to all, with a 35-win record of 18 wins up from the previous year, and they are only one win away from the Celtics in eighth place in the East.
2004-2005 season (9th in the East in the regular season)
In the second season, James completely sat at the core of the team, and he personally adapted to the rhythm and intensity of the NBA game, so his personal data ushered in an explosion this year, playing 80 games in the regular season and scoring 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 2.2 steals.
In the end, after 7 years, the Cavaliers once again had a win rate of more than 50% in the regular season with a 42-40 performance, but due to a poor record against the Nets, they had no choice but to miss the playoffs again.
2005-2006 season
Fourth in the East during the regular season
The playoffs ended in the Eastern Conference semifinals
In order to better impact the playoffs, the Cavaliers changed their general manager and head coach in 2005, and also signed Larry Hughes, Marshall, and Damon Jones. In the end, the Cavaliers did not disappoint the team, they managed to improve their win to 50 wins, and entered the playoffs as the fourth in the East, as the star James can average 31.4 points, 7 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game in the regular season.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Cavaliers eliminated the Wizards 4-2, which was their first win in the playoff series since 1993, and in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Cavaliers narrowly lost to the Pistons with a score of 3-4, although the results were not satisfactory, but it can be seen that the Cavaliers are going uphill, and James's performance of averaging 30.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game in the playoffs also made the Cavaliers more assured.
2006-2007 season
Second in the East during the regular season
The playoffs are in the finals
In the 2006-2007 season, the Cavaliers still played the strength of the first echelon in the East, they ranked second in the East with a record of 50 wins, and met the Wizards again in the first round of the playoffs, this time the Cavaliers directly swept the opponent 4-0 to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals. In the second round against the Nets, the Cavaliers still defeated them 4-2 with a strong play, facing the Pistons in the Eastern Finals, James led the team to complete revenge, and he also staged a highlight moment of scoring 25 points in a row at a critical moment in the battle of Tianwang Mountain.
With the help of third-year rookie James, the Cavaliers won the Eastern Conference championship for the first time in history, but in the finals against the more experienced Spurs, the Cavaliers were powerless, and James's shortcomings were also shown in that series, and they ended the season with a score of 0-4.
2007-2008 season
Fourth in the East during the regular season
The playoffs ended in the Eastern Conference semifinals
Not long after the start of this season, everyone can basically see that except for the Celtics, the rest of the teams in the East are all accompanied, and under the leadership of the Big Three, the Celtics have played the only strength in the league. While the Cavaliers also made additions in the offseason, trading Big Ben, Joe Smith, Szczebiak and Drontiwest in a three-way trade, their record slipped in the regular season (45 wins).
In the second round of the playoffs, the Cavaliers were unlucky to meet the Celtics, but they were not as vulnerable as imagined, under the leadership of James, the Cavaliers and the opponent fought seven games, but unfortunately even though James bombarded 45 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals, the Cavaliers still lost the game by 5 points, and this also planted the seeds of leaving the team in James's heart.
2008-2009 season
First in the East during the regular season
The playoffs ended in the East Finals
After a regrettable loss in 2008, the Cavaliers have become stronger in the new season, James has averaged 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks per game, and under his leadership, the Cavaliers have the best record in team history with 66 wins and 16 losses, ranking first in the league, and with the blessing of the record, James also successfully won the first MVP trophy in his career.
In the playoffs, the Cavaliers faced little resistance in the first two rounds, sweeping the Pistons 4-0 in the first round and the Hawks 4-0 in the second round. Until the Eastern Conference Finals, facing the Magic led by Howard, who was also a high school champion, the Cavaliers were suddenly lost, and they originally regarded the Green Army as an imaginary enemy, and they didn't know how to deal with the Magic's offensive and defensive system, and in the end, even though James averaged 38.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 8 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks per game in that round of the series, the Cavaliers still failed to reach the Finals.
2009-2010 season
First in the East during the regular season
The playoffs ended in the Eastern Conference semifinals
This season, the Cavaliers have found the elderly "shark" O'Neal and Jamison for James as helpers, and when they locked the league's No. 1 record in advance in the regular season, the outside world thought that this would be the most promising year for James to win the championship, and at that time he also defended the MVP title with an average of 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1 block per game.
In the first round of the playoffs against the Bulls, the Cavaliers easily eliminated their opponents with a 4-1 record, and faced the Green Army Big Three again in the second round, but the Cavaliers played worse than in 08, and finally they lost to the Celtics for the second time with a score of 2-4. In that series, James was already doing his best, and he had to play with painkillers when he tore the ligament in his right elbow, but he was forced to make free throws with his left hand at one point.
2014-2015 season
Second in the East during the regular season
The playoffs are in the finals
James, who had already made a name for himself in 2014, still remembered the promise he made to his hometown, so he resolutely returned to Cleveland. After James' return, the Cavaliers jumped from a bad team to the favorite, but the Cavaliers' road to the championship that year was too bumpy, originally James because of a back injury, his performance that season was very average, and then in the playoffs, Love and Irving were reimbursed for consecutive seasons.
In the finals against the newly rising Warriors, James led the Cavaliers to fight until the end of the gas, and James averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, 8.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game in the entire series, and the Cavaliers once led the opponent 2-1. However, starting from G4, Kerr had a flash of inspiration and chose to change the formation to play five small, and that lineup also completely ran across the Cavaliers, and they couldn't keep up with the rhythm of the Warriors' five small at all, and in the end, James could only watch the opponent win the cup on his home court.
2016-2017 season
Second in the East during the regular season
The playoffs are in the finals
After winning the championship in 2016, the Cavaliers continued to paddle in the regular season in the new season, and they made the playoffs for the third consecutive year in the East as the second place in the East. However, when it came to the playoffs, when the Cavaliers were on fire, it was clear that no team in the East was their opponent, and after the first three series of games, the Cavaliers had only lost one game.
In the finals, facing the 73-win Warriors who signed Durant, the combat power of the two sides is not at the same level at all, and the Universe Warriors are also one of the best teams in history. Therefore, the Cavaliers did not make much resistance, and in the end they lost to the opponent with a score of 1-4, and Durant completed his revenge on James after 5 years.
2017-2018 season
Fourth in the East during the regular season
The playoffs are in the finals
After losing the Finals in 2017, Irving applied for a trade and left the team, and the impact of Thomas's injury in exchange for the Cavaliers was no longer at its peak, and civil unrest broke out in the team's locker room in the middle of the season, so the team could only choose to trade again, but the exchange for Nance Jr. and Clarkson were all "rookie eggs" with no playoff experience. However, at that time, the Cavaliers still ushered in a short "honeymoon period" after the trade, and finally they also entered the playoffs with the fourth record in the East.
This year, the Cavaliers' dominance in the East has declined visibly compared to the previous one, and even if they beat the Pacers in the first round, they can only force James to turn on the full force mode early. In the end, the Cavaliers were able to reach the Finals for four consecutive years, thanks to James's inexplicable state, but in the final round against the Warriors, it was useless to rely on James to break out, G1 He slashed 51 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists The Cavaliers failed to win, and the team was finally swept by the Warriors. After losing this series, James was already committed to the Cavaliers, and finally for a better future, he left here for the second time that year to join the Lakers and has been there ever since.