1992–93 Cleveland Cavaliers season

The 1992–93 NBA season was the 23rd season for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Cavaliers signed free agent Gerald Wilkins, and then traded Steve Kerr to the Orlando Magic in exchange for a second-round draft pick, during the first month of the regular season.

The Cavaliers struggled with an 8–11 start to the season, but then went on a 7-game winning streak afterwards in December. The Cavs also had a 12–1 record in February, held a 34–19 record at the All-Star break, then posted a ten-game winning streak in April, finishing in second place in the Central Division with a 54–28 record, and earning the #3 seed in the Eastern Conference; the team also posted a very successful 35–6 home record at the Coliseum at Richfield during the regular season.

Brad Daugherty led the team with 20.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, while Mark Price averaged 18.2 points and 8.0 assists per game, led the Cavaliers with 122 three-point field goals, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and Larry Nance averaged 16.5 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. In addition, Craig Ehlo provided the team with 11.6 points per game, while Wilkins contributed 11.1 points per game, and sixth man Hot Rod Williams provided with 11.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game off the bench. Meanwhile, starting small forward Mike Sanders contributed 8.6 points per game, while also off the bench, second-year guard Terrell Brandon contributed 8.8 points and 3.7 assists per game, and Danny Ferry averaged 7.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah, Daugherty, Price and Nance were all selected for the 1993 NBA All-Star Game, and Price won the NBA Three-Point Shootout. Price also finished tied in eighth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Daugherty finished tied in tenth place, and head coach Lenny Wilkens finished in eighth place in Coach of the Year voting.

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1993 NBA playoffs, the Cavaliers defeated the New Jersey Nets in five games, but were swept in four straight games by the 2-time defending champion Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals. The Bulls would go on to defeat the Phoenix Suns in six games in the 1993 NBA Finals, winning their third consecutive championship. Following the season, Wilkens resigned and took a coaching job with the Atlanta Hawks, while Ehlo signed as a free agent with the Hawks, and Sanders retired.

A forgotten highlight of the regular season was a game between the Cavaliers, and the Indiana Pacers at Market Square Arena on January 15, 1993; after trailing to the Pacers at halftime, 64–49, the Cavaliers rallied and set a franchise record by scoring 83 points in the second half to win the game, 132–120.

Until 2024, this was the last time the Cavaliers won a playoff series without future All-Star LeBron James, who was selected by the team as the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft.