Cavs playoff history without LeBron James: How Cleveland has fared in postseasons without legend originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
LeBron James played a total of 11 seasons over two stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In all but two of them, he led his team to the playoffs — including plenty of deep runs.
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In many ways, the history of the Cavaliers’ franchise cannot be told without James. He’s the best player to ever wear a Cleveland uniform and a legend who, in 2016, brought the team its first and only championship.
But for the most part, the non-James years in Cavaliers history haven’t brought much success. While players like World B. Free, Mark Price and Larry Nance made Cleveland competitive prior to James, and Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have made a few playoff runs post-James, the Cavaliers haven’t quite reached as elite as they were with their megastar.
Here’s a full breakdown of the Cavaliers’ history in the playoffs without James.
MORE:Full Cavaliers playoff history, last championship
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Cavs playoff history without LeBron
James began his NBA career with the Cavaliers in 2003. A total of 33 seasons had already been played in Cleveland by the time he showed up, dating back to 1970 — and in 13 of them, the Cavs made the playoffs.
Pre-James, the deepest playoff run that the Cavaliers had ever made was to the Eastern Conference Finals, which came in 1976 and 1992.
Here’s a look at the 13 postseason appearances from Cleveland made before James was drafted in 2003:
Season
Regular Season Record
Leading Scorer
Playoff Result
1975-76
49-33
Jim Chones (15.8 PPG)
Lost to Celtics in Eastern Conference Finals
1976-77
43-39
Campy Russell (16.5 PPG)
Lost to Bullets in first round
1977-78
43-39
Campy Russell (19.4 PPG)
Lost to Knicks in first round
1984-85
36-46
World B. Free (22.5 PPG)
Lost to Celtics in first round
1987-88
42-40
Brad Daugherty (18.7 PPG)
Lost to Bulls in first round
1988-89
57-25
Mark Price (18.9 PPG)
Lost to Bulls in first round
1989-90
42-40
Ron Harper (22.0 PPG)
Lost to 76ers in first round
1991-92
57-25
Brad Daugherty (21.5 PPG)
Lost to Bulls in Eastern Conference Finals
1992-93
54-28
Brad Daugherty (20.2 PPG)
Lost to Bulls in second round
1993-94
47-35
Brad Daugherty (17.0 PPG)
Lost to Bulls in first round
1994-95
43-39
Mark Price (15.8 PPG)
Lost to Knicks in first round
1995-96
47-35
Terrell Brandon (19.3 PPG)
Lost to Knicks in first round
1997-98
47-35
Shawn Kemp (18.0 PPG)
Lost to Pacers in first round
Additionally, in the post-James years, the Cavaliers have made the playoffs three times prior to their 2026 run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Cleveland failed to make the playoffs from 2010-14 after James left for the Heat, but after he left the second time for Los Angeles, the Cavaliers were back in the playoffs by 2023.
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Here’s a look at the three completed post-James playoff runs in Cleveland:
Season
Regular Season Record
Leading Scorer
Playoff Result
2022-23
51-31
Donovan Mitchell (28.3 PPG)
Lost to Pacers in second round
2023-24
48-34
Donovan Mitchell (26.6 PPG)
Lost to Celtics in second round
2024-25
64-18
Donovan Mitchell (24.0 PPG)
Lost to Knicks in first round
Cavs playoff record with LeBron James
Cleveland made nine playoff runs with James over his two stints. The first came in 2005-06, when they lost to the Pistons in the conference finals, then followed it up with a Finals appearance in 2007.
James’ nine playoff runs in Cleveland amounted to 97 wins in the postseason, including three losses in the second round, one loss in the conference finals, four losses in the Finals and one championship.
Cavs playoff record without LeBron James
Meanwhile, in years that the Cavaliers made the playoffs before and after James was around, they have struggled.
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Not only is the deepest Cleveland playoff run without James to the Eastern Conference Finals, but they’ve posted a .379 winning percentage in the postseason without him, including 11 first-round exits.
MORE: Revisiting LeBron James’ departure from Cleveland in 2010
Last time Cavs made NBA Finals
The last time the Cavaliers made the NBA Finals, thanks to James, was in 2018.
That was Cleveland’s fourth-straight Finals appearance with James, who brought the team a championship in 2016, but fell to the Warriors in the other three attempts. In 2018, the Stephen Curry-Kevin Durant-led Warriors bested the Cavs in a sweep.
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Cavs playoff history
Here is a look at Cleveland’s full playoff history since joining the NBA.
Year
Playoff result
2025-26
TBD
2024-25
Lost Eastern Conference Semifinals
2023-24
Lost Eastern Conference Semifinals
2022-23
Lost First Round
2017-18
Lost NBA Finals
2016-17
Lost NBA Finals
2015-16
Won NBA Finals
2014-15
Lost NBA Finals
2009-10
Lost Eastern Conference Semifinals
2008-09
Lost Eastern Conference Finals
2007-08
Lost Eastern Conference Semifinals
2006-07
Lost NBA Finals
2005-06
Lost Eastern Conference Semifinals
1997-98
Lost First Round
1995-96
Lost First Round
1994-95
Lost First Round
1993-94
Lost First Round
1992-93
Lost Eastern Conference Semifinals
1991-92
Lost Eastern Conference Finals
1989-90
Lost First Round
1988-89
Lost First Round
1987-88
Lost First Round
1984-85
Lost First Round
1977-78
Lost First Round
1976-77
Lost First Round
1975-76
Lost Eastern Conference Finals