1985–86 Cleveland Cavaliers season

The 1985–86 NBA season was the Cavaliers' 16th season in the NBA.

1985–86 Cleveland Cavaliers season
Head coach	George Karl (fired) Gene Littles (interim)
General manager	Harry Weltman
Owners	Gordon Gund George Gund III
Arena	Coliseum at Richfield
Results
Record	29–53 (.354)
Place	Division: 5th (Central) Conference: 9th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	WUAB
Radio	WWWE
< 1984–85 1986–87 >

The season saw the team draft Charles Oakley and John "Hot Rod" Williams with the 9th and 45th picks in the 1985 NBA draft, respectively. Oakley's draft rights were traded to the Chicago Bulls. Williams played in the United States Basketball League during the 1986 season, as he was unable to play in the NBA due to a trial in which he was charged for sports bribery and conspiracy.^[1] However, Williams would later spend nine seasons with the Cavaliers franchise starting in the 1986–87 season.^[2]

The Cavaliers finished the season with a 29–53 record, missing the playoffs.

NBA draft

Main article: 1985 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	9	Charles Oakley	PF/C	United States	Virginia Union
2	30	Calvin Duncan		United States	Virginia Commonwealth
2	45	Hot Rod Williams	PF/C	United States	Tulane
3	55	Herb Johnson	PF/C	United States	Tulsa
4	79	Mark Davis	F	United States	Old Dominion
5	101	Gunther Behnke		Germany
6	125	Ricky Johnson		United States	Illinois State
7	147	Buzz Peterson		United States	North Carolina

Roster

1985–86 Cleveland Cavaliers roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From PG 5 Bagley, John 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1960-04-23 Boston College SG 10 Brewer, Ron 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1955-07-16 Arkansas SG 21 Free, World B. 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1953-12-09 Guilford SF 32 Hinson, Roy 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1961-05-02 Rutgers SF 35 Hubbard, Phil 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1956-12-13 Michigan SG 3 Johnson, Jr., Eddie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1955-02-24 Auburn PF 44 Jones, Edgar 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1956-06-17 Nevada PF 24 Lee, Keith 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1962-12-28 Memphis SF 33 McDonald, Ben 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1962-07-20 UC Irvine PG 14 Minniefield, Dirk 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1961-01-17 Kentucky PF 50 Poquette, Ben 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1955-05-07 Central Michigan PF 8 Shelton, Lonnie 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1955-10-19 Oregon State C 54 Turpin, Melvin 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1960-12-28 Kentucky C 41 West, Mark 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1960-11-05 Old Dominion

Head coach George Karl (fired) Gene Littles (interim) Assistant coach(es) Herman Kull Morris McHone Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Last transaction: March 16, 1986

Regular season

Central Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Milwaukee Bucks	57	25	.695	–	33–8	24–17	21–9
x-Atlanta Hawks	50	32	.610	7	34–7	16–25	21–9
x-Detroit Pistons	46	36	.561	11	31–10	15–26	18–12
x-Chicago Bulls	30	52	.366	27	22–19	8–33	10–20
Cleveland Cavaliers	29	53	.354	28	16–25	13–28	10–19
Indiana Pacers	26	56	.317	31	19–22	7–34	9–20

#	Eastern Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Boston Celtics	67	15	.817	–
2	y-Milwaukee Bucks	57	25	.695	10
3	x-Philadelphia 76ers	54	28	.659	13
4	x-Atlanta Hawks	50	32	.610	17
5	x-Detroit Pistons	46	36	.561	21
6	x-Washington Bullets	39	43	.476	28
7	x-New Jersey Nets	39	43	.476	28
8	x-Chicago Bulls	30	52	.366	37
9	Cleveland Cavaliers	29	53	.354	38
10	Indiana Pacers	26	56	.317	41
11	New York Knicks	23	59	.280	44

Notes

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1985-86 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MIL	NJN	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	–	0–6	5–1	4–2	1–1	1–1	4–2	1–1	1–1	5–1	2–0	1–1	3–3	4–2	5–1	4–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–4
Boston	6–0	–	5–1	5–1	1–1	1–1	4–1	2–0	2–0	5–1	2–0	2–0	5–0	4–2	5–1	4–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	5–1
Chicago	1–5	1–5	–	3–3	0–2	2–0	2–4	2–0	1–1	3–3	1–1	0–2	1–5	2–3	4–2	1–5	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–4
Cleveland	2–4	1–5	3–3	–	1–1	1–1	1–5	0–2	0–2	3–2	1–1	1–1	1–5	3–3	4–1	0–6	2–0	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–5
Dallas	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	–	3–3	0–2	4–1	1–5	2–0	2–3	1–4	0–2	2–0	1–1	0–2	5–0	2–3	3–3	4–2	3–2	5–1	1–1
Denver	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–3	–	1–1	3–2	3–3	2–0	4–1	3–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–1	3–2	3–3	3–3	2–3	3–3	2–0
Detroit	2–4	1–4	4–2	5–1	2–0	1–1	–	1–1	1–1	5–1	2–0	1–1	2–4	4–2	4–1	2–4	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	4–2
Golden State	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–4	2–3	1–1	–	0–5	1–1	5–1	2–4	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–4	1–5	2–3	2–3	2–4	2–3	1–1
Houston	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	5–1	3–3	1–1	5–0	–	2–0	3–2	1–4	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	3–2	3–2	4–2	5–1	3–2	3–3	2–0
Indiana	1–5	1–5	3–3	2–3	0–2	0–2	1–5	1–1	0–2	–	2–0	0–2	2–4	2–3	2–4	0–6	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	5–1
L.A. Clippers	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–2	1–4	0–2	1–5	2–3	0–2	–	2–4	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	2–4	2–4	5–0	1–4	3–3	3–2	0–2
L.A. Lakers	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	4–1	2–3	1–1	4–2	4–1	2–0	4–2	–	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	5–1	6–0	5–0	4–1	4–2	5–0	2–0
Milwaukee	3–3	0–5	5–1	5–1	2–0	0–2	4–2	2–0	2–0	4–2	1–1	0–2	–	4–2	6–0	4–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	4–2
New Jersey	2–4	2–4	3–2	3–3	0–2	1–1	2–4	1–1	1–1	3–2	0–2	1–1	2–4	–	5–1	2–4	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–4
New York	1–5	1–5	2–4	1–4	1–1	1–1	1–4	1–1	0–2	4–2	0–2	1–1	0–6	1–5	–	0–6	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	3–3
Philadelphia	1–4	2–4	5–1	6–0	2–0	1–1	4–2	1–1	1–1	6–0	2–0	0–2	1–4	4–2	6–0	–	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–3
Phoenix	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–5	1–4	2–0	4–2	2–3	1–1	4–2	1–5	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	–	2–4	2–3	3–2	5–1	1–4	1–1
Portland	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–2	2–3	1–1	5–1	2–3	2–0	4–2	0–6	0–2	0–2	2–0	0–2	4–2	–	3–2	1–4	5–1	2–3	0–2
Sacramento	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	3–3	3–3	2–0	3–2	2–4	2–0	0–5	0–5	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	3–2	2–3	–	5–1	5–0	2–4	1–1
San Antonio	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–4	3–3	1–1	3–2	1–5	1–1	4–1	1–4	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–3	4–1	1–5	–	2–3	2–4	2–0
Seattle	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–3	3–2	0–2	4–2	2–3	0–2	3–3	2–4	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–5	1–5	0–5	3–2	–	2–3	1–1
Utah	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–5	3–3	1–1	3–2	3–3	2–0	2–3	0–5	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	4–1	3–2	4–2	4–2	3–2	–	1–1
Washington	4–1	1–5	4–1	5–1	1–1	0–2	2–4	1–1	0–2	1–5	2–0	0–2	2–4	4–2	3–3	3–3	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	—

Regular season

Game log

1985–86 game log Total: 29–53 (Home: 16–25; Road: 13–28)
October: 1–3 (home: 0–2; road: 1–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 October 25, 1985 @ Chicago 2 October 26, 1985 Boston
November: 6–7 (home: 2–3; road: 4–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 11 November 16, 1985 @ Chicago 12 November 19, 1985 Golden State 15 November 24, 1985 Atlanta W 98–90 Coliseum at Richfield 6,145 6–9 16 November 26, 1985 @ Detroit
December: 7–8 (home: 4–6; road: 3–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 20 December 7, 1985 Denver 21 December 10, 1985 Detroit 24 December 14, 1985 Boston 25 December 17, 1985 Houston 28 December 22, 1985 Dallas 30 December 27, 1985 @ Detroit 32 December 30, 1985 Chicago
January: 4–11 (home: 4–3; road: 0–8) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 36 January 8, 1986 @ Boston 39 January 16, 1986 @ Atlanta L 99–116 The Omni 4,961 16–23 42 January 22, 1986 Detroit 44 January 27, 1986 @ Denver 45 January 28, 1986 @ Houston 47 January 31, 1986 @ Dallas
February: 5–7 (home: 4–4; road: 1–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 48 February 4, 1986 Atlanta L 104–105 Coliseum at Richfield 6,702 18–30 55 February 20, 1986 Detroit 58 February 26, 1986 @ Atlanta L 109–129 The Omni 6,504 23–35 59 February 28, 1986 @ Chicago
March: 5–10 (home: 1–5; road: 4–5) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 63 March 8, 1986 @ Golden State 69 March 18, 1986 vs. Boston (at Hartford, CT) 71 March 22, 1986 Chicago 72 March 25, 1986 Atlanta L 91–97 Coliseum at Richfield 7,178 26–46 74 March 29, 1986 @ Atlanta W 123–105 The Omni 9,056 28–46
April: 1–7 (home: 1–2; road: 0–5) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 75 April 1, 1986 Boston 79 April 7, 1986 @ Detroit 81 April 11, 1986 @ Boston 82 April 13, 1986 Chicago
1985–86 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

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
World B. Free	75	75	33.8	45.5	42.0	78.0	2.9	4.2	1.2	0.3	23.4
Roy Hinson	82	82	34.6	53.2	0.0	71.9	7.8	1.2	0.8	1.4	19.6
Melvin Turpin	80	69	28.7	54.4	0.0	81.1	7.0	0.7	0.8	1.3	13.7
John Bagley	78	77	31.7	42.3	24.3	79.1	3.5	9.4	1.6	0.1	11.7
Phil Hubbard	23	21	27.8	47.0	0.0	67.9	5.2	1.3	0.9	0.1	11.4
Eddie Johnson	32	4	19.2	44.0	36.9	73.3	1.4	3.6	0.3	0.0	9.8
Edgar Jones	53	6	19.1	50.5	30.4	74.2	3.9	0.8	0.6	0.7	9.7
Keith Lee	58	38	20.6	46.6	22.2	78.1	6.1	1.2	0.5	0.6	7.4
Johnny Davis	39	0	15.7	43.0	18.2	84.8	0.9	2.7	0.6	0.1	7.0
Dirk Minniefield	76	2	14.9	48.1	27.0	78.5	1.7	3.5	0.9	0.0	5.5
Ron Brewer	40	3	13.8	38.6	29.4	89.2	1.3	1.0	0.4	0.2	5.1
Ron Anderson	17	3	12.2	50.0	0.0	75.0	1.5	0.5	0.1	0.0	5.1
Ben Poquette	81	3	18.5	47.7	20.0	72.0	4.6	1.0	0.4	0.4	5.0
Lonnie Shelton	44	1	15.5	48.9	0.0	87.5	3.3	1.4	0.5	0.1	4.5
Mark West	67	26	17.5	54.1	0.0	52.4	4.8	0.3	0.4	0.9	4.2
Ben McDonald	21	0	12.7	48.3	0.0	62.5	1.8	0.4	0.3	0.0	2.9
Ennis Whatley	8	0	8.3	47.4	0.0	57.1	0.9	1.6	0.6	0.0	2.8

Player Statistics Citation:^[3]

Transactions

Trades

June 18, 1985 (Draft day)	To Cleveland Cavaliers Draft rights to Keith Lee Ennis Whatley	To Chicago Bulls Draft rights to Charles Oakley Draft rights to Calvin Duncan
December 10, 1985	To Cleveland Cavaliers 1987 fourth-round pick	To Indiana Pacers Ron Anderson
February 10, 1986	To Cleveland Cavaliers Eddie Johnson	To Atlanta Hawks Johnny Davis
June 16, 1986	To Cleveland Cavaliers 1986 first-round pick	To Philadelphia 76ers Roy Hinson Cash considerations

Free agents

Additions
Player	Date signed	Former team
Derrick Rowland	September 5	N/A
Dirk Minniefield	September 11	Louisville Catbirds (CBA)
Ron Brewer	January 11	Chicago Bulls
Ben McDonald	March 4	Magia Huesca (Spain)

Subtractions
Player	Reason Left	New team
Mark Davis	Waived	Pensacola Tornados (CBA)
Kevin Williams	Waived	Tampa Bay Thrillers (CBA)
Derrick Rowland	Waived	Milwaukee Bucks
Ennis Whatley	Waived	Washington Bullets

References

1. Recent Scandals: BC, Tulane and Northwestern
2. Hot Rod Williams Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
3. "1985-86 Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.