Cavaliers vs. Lakers Playoffs Comparison: Summary and Year by Year
Here you can compare, side by side, the all-time postseason performance of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers, and how far these two NBA teams advanced in Playoffs each year.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been present in the NBA Playoffs 25 times in 56 seasons while the Los Angeles Lakers did it 65 times in their 78 seasons. Between the two they total 18 of the 79 NBA championships (22.8%).
The Cavaliers and the Lakers have never met each other in the NBA Playoffs.
On this page, after a summary of their Playoff history (with championships won, playoff appearances and all-time records), you can see, side by side, how far the Cavaliers and the Lakers advanced in the postseason each year. Also, if they met that year, a note with details of the outcome of the series.
Summary of Their Playoff History | ||
Cleveland Cavaliers | Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Playoff Appearances: | 25 (45.5%) | 65 (84.4%) |
| Playoffs Missed: | 30 (54.5%) | 12 (15.6%) |
| NBA Titles: | 1  | 17 |
| Finals Lost: | 4 | 15 |
| All-time Playoff Record: | 136 wins 119 losses (.533) | 466 wins 321 losses (.592) |
| Total NBA Seasons: | 56 1970-71 to present | 78 1948-49 to present |
Head-to-Head in Playoffs | ||
Cleveland Cavaliers | Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Total Series | 0 Playoff Series | |
| Series Won | none | none |
Teams Comparison | ||
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2026 | TBD | TBD |
| 2025 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 2024 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 2023 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference Finals |
| 2022 | DNQ (lost Play-in) | DNQ |
| 2021 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 2020 | DNQ |  NBA Champions |
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2019 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 2018 | Lost NBA Finals | DNQ |
| 2017 | Lost NBA Finals | DNQ |
| 2016 | NBA Champions | DNQ |
| 2015 | Lost NBA Finals | DNQ |
| 2014 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 2013 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 2012 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 2011 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 2010 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | NBA Champions |
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2009 | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | NBA Champions |
| 2008 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost NBA Finals |
| 2007 | Lost NBA Finals | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 2006 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 2005 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 2004 | DNQ | Lost NBA Finals |
| 2003 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 2002 | DNQ | NBA Champions |
| 2001 | DNQ | NBA Champions |
| 2000 | DNQ | NBA Champions |
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1999 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 1998 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference Finals |
| 1997 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 1996 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 1995 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 1994 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | DNQ |
| 1993 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 1992 | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 1991 | DNQ | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1990 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1989 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1988 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | NBA Champions |
| 1987 | DNQ | NBA Champions |
| 1986 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference Finals |
| 1985 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | NBA Champions |
| 1984 | DNQ | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1983 | DNQ | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1982 | DNQ | NBA Champions |
| 1981 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 1980 | DNQ | NBA Champions |
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1979 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 1978 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 1977 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference Finals |
| 1976 | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | DNQ |
| 1975 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1974 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 1973 | DNQ | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1972 | DNQ | NBA Champions |
| 1971 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference Finals |
| 1970 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1969 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1968 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1967 | - | Lost Western Division Semis |
| 1966 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1965 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1964 | - | Lost Western Division Semis |
| 1963 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1962 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1961 | - | Lost Western Division Finals |
| 1960 | - | Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1959 | - | Lost NBA Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1958 | - | DNQ (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1957 | - | Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1956 | - | Lost Western Division Semis (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1955 | - | Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1954 | - | NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1953 | - | NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1952 | - | NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1951 | - | Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1950 | - | NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| Playoffs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1949 | - | NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1948 | - | - |
| 1947 | - | - |