Cleveland Cavaliers
Best and Worst Seasons / Playoff History /Last Games / Comparison / Head to Head
Cleveland Cavaliers Playoff History: Series by Year
This is a timeline with all the NBA postseason series played by the Cleveland Cavaliers. It also includes data about how the team arrived to the Playoffs that year and the result of each series, since their first season in 1971 to the present.
In their 55 seasons in the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers made the postseason 24 times. On those years they have played a total of 49 playoff series, of which they won 26 and lost 23, for a 53.1 winning percentge.
So far, they have reached the NBA Finals 5 times and have won 1 Championship.
Cleveland Cavaliers Playoffs Timeline
2025 Playoffs
Teams for these Playoffs are still to be determined.
2024 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers qualified for the NBA Playoffs as the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference (48-34 season record).
Playoff Series:
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* The Celtics ended up winning the Championship.
2023 Playoffs
2022 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (44-38 season record, 9th in the Eastern Conference). They lost to the Nets and lost to the Hawks in the Eastern Conference Play-In.
2021 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (22-50 season record, 13th in the Eastern Conference).
2020 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (19-46 season record, 15th in the Eastern Conference).
2019 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (19-63 season record, 14th in the Eastern Conference).
2018 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers qualified for the NBA Playoffs as the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference (50-32 season record).
Playoff Series:
2017 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers qualified for the NBA Playoffs as the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference (51-31 season record).
Playoff Series:
2016 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers qualified for the NBA Playoffs as the 1st seed in the Eastern Conference (57-25 season record).
Playoff Series:
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- -
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The Cavaliers won the Championship in 2016, it was the 1st NBA title in franchise history.
2015 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers qualified for the NBA Playoffs as the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference (53-29 season record).
Playoff Series:
2014 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (33-49 season record, 10th in the Eastern Conference).
2013 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (24-58 season record, 13th in the Eastern Conference).
2012 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (21-45 season record, 13th in the Eastern Conference).
2011 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (19-63 season record, 15th in the Eastern Conference).
2010 Playoffs
2009 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers qualified for the NBA Playoffs as the 1st seed in the Eastern Conference (66-16 season record).
Playoff Series:
2008 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers qualified for the NBA Playoffs as the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference (45-37 season record).
Playoff Series:
- -
- -
* The Celtics ended up winning the Championship.
2007 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers qualified for the NBA Playoffs as the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference (50-32 season record).
Playoff Series:
2006 Playoffs
2005 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (42-40 season record, 9th in the Eastern Conference).
2004 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (35-47 season record, 9th in the Eastern Conference).
2003 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (17-65 season record, 15th in the Eastern Conference).
2002 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (29-53 season record, 14th in the Eastern Conference).
2001 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (30-52 season record, 11th in the Eastern Conference).
2000 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (32-50 season record, 11th in the Eastern Conference).
1999 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (22-28 season record, 11th in the Eastern Conference).
1998 Playoffs
1997 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (42-40 season record, 9th in the Eastern Conference).
1996 Playoffs
1995 Playoffs
1994 Playoffs
1993 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers qualified for the NBA Playoffs as the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference (54-28 season record).
Playoff Series:
- -
- -
* The Bulls ended up winning the Championship.
1992 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers qualified for the NBA Playoffs as the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference (57-25 season record).
Playoff Series:
- -
- -
- -
* The Bulls ended up winning the Championship.
1991 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (33-49 season record, 9th in the Eastern Conference).
1990 Playoffs
1989 Playoffs
1988 Playoffs
1987 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (31-51 season record, 9th in the Eastern Conference).
1986 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (29-53 season record, 9th in the Eastern Conference).
1985 Playoffs
1984 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (28-54 season record, 9th in the Eastern Conference).
1983 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (23-59 season record, 10th in the Eastern Conference).
1982 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (15-67 season record, 11th in the Eastern Conference).
1981 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (28-54 season record, 9th in the Eastern Conference).
1980 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (37-45 season record, 9th in the Eastern Conference).
1979 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (30-52 season record, 9th in the Eastern Conference).
1978 Playoffs
1977 Playoffs
1976 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers qualified for the NBA Playoffs as the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference (49-33 season record).
Playoff Series:
- -
- -
* The Celtics ended up winning the Championship.
1975 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (40-42 season record, 6th in the Eastern Conference).
1974 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (29-53 season record, 7th in the Eastern Conference).
1973 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (32-50 season record, 6th in the Eastern Conference).
1972 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (23-59 season record, 7th in the Eastern Conference).
1971 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't qualify for the Playoffs (15-67 season record, 8th in the Eastern Conference).
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