a little long but I felt it was worth posting. Let's see if Cleveland can replicate another small market team that turned everything around after a three year draft run...
Cleveland just got the #1 pick for the second year in a row. I wanted to show the younger posters how huge that has been before in NBA history. A perfect example is the San Antonio Spurs. Most people on SBR know the Spurs as perennial winners. Well until a fortuitous three year years in the draft that was not the case. In 1986 the Spurs were awful and got the 1987 # 1 pick. lucky for the spurs the #1 pick david Robinson had one more year in the US navy so he didn't report . Therefore they stunk again and got a top ten pick in 1988 and the #3 pick in 1989. So three high picks in a row and they went from Averaging over 55 losses a year to immediately averaging over 55 wins a year!!!! They IMMEDIATELY AND PERMANENTLY TURNED THE CORNER. DESPITE BEING SMALL MARKET THEY HAVE BEEN A POWER EVER SINCE .
Season City W - L % Division Standing
2013-14 San Antonio 62 - 20 .756 1st
2012-13 San Antonio 58 - 24 .707 1st lost in nba finals
2011-12 * San Antonio 50 - 16 .758 1st
2010-11 San Antonio 61 - 21 .744 1st
2009-10 San Antonio 50 - 32 .610 2nd
2008-09 San Antonio 54 - 28 .659 1st
2007-08 San Antonio 56 - 26 .683 2nd
2006-07 San Antonio 58 - 24 .707 2nd Won NBA Title
2005-06 San Antonio 63 - 19 .768 1st
2004-05 San Antonio 59 - 23 .720 1st Won NBA Title
2003-04 San Antonio 57 - 25 .695 1st
2002-03 San Antonio 60 - 22 .732 1st Won NBA Title
2001-02 San Antonio 58 - 24 .707 1st
2000-01 San Antonio 58 - 24 .707 1st
1999-00 San Antonio 53 - 29 .646 2nd
1998-99 * San Antonio 37 - 13 .740 1st Won NBA Title
1997-98 San Antonio 56 - 26 .683 1st
1996-97 San Antonio 20 - 62 .244 6th
1995-96 San Antonio 59 - 23 .720 1st
1994-95 San Antonio 62 - 20 .756 1st
1993-94 San Antonio 55 - 27 .671 2nd
1992-93 San Antonio 49 - 33 .598 2nd
1991-92 San Antonio 47 - 35 .573 2nd
1990-91 San Antonio 55 - 27 .671 1st
1989-90 San Antonio 56 - 26 .683 1st
1988-89 San Antonio 21 - 61 .256 5th
1987-88 San Antonio 31 - 51 .378 5th
1986-87 San Antonio 28 - 54 .341 6th got #1 pick after this season
1985-86 San Antonio 35 - 47 .427 6th
1984-85 San Antonio 41 - 41 .500 5th
1983-84 San Antonio 37 - 45 .451 5th
Cleveland just got the #1 pick for the second year in a row. I wanted to show the younger posters how huge that has been before in NBA history. A perfect example is the San Antonio Spurs. Most people on SBR know the Spurs as perennial winners. Well until a fortuitous three year years in the draft that was not the case. In 1986 the Spurs were awful and got the 1987 # 1 pick. lucky for the spurs the #1 pick david Robinson had one more year in the US navy so he didn't report . Therefore they stunk again and got a top ten pick in 1988 and the #3 pick in 1989. So three high picks in a row and they went from Averaging over 55 losses a year to immediately averaging over 55 wins a year!!!! They IMMEDIATELY AND PERMANENTLY TURNED THE CORNER. DESPITE BEING SMALL MARKET THEY HAVE BEEN A POWER EVER SINCE .
Season City W - L % Division Standing
2013-14 San Antonio 62 - 20 .756 1st
2012-13 San Antonio 58 - 24 .707 1st lost in nba finals
2011-12 * San Antonio 50 - 16 .758 1st
2010-11 San Antonio 61 - 21 .744 1st
2009-10 San Antonio 50 - 32 .610 2nd
2008-09 San Antonio 54 - 28 .659 1st
2007-08 San Antonio 56 - 26 .683 2nd
2006-07 San Antonio 58 - 24 .707 2nd Won NBA Title
2005-06 San Antonio 63 - 19 .768 1st
2004-05 San Antonio 59 - 23 .720 1st Won NBA Title
2003-04 San Antonio 57 - 25 .695 1st
2002-03 San Antonio 60 - 22 .732 1st Won NBA Title
2001-02 San Antonio 58 - 24 .707 1st
2000-01 San Antonio 58 - 24 .707 1st
1999-00 San Antonio 53 - 29 .646 2nd
1998-99 * San Antonio 37 - 13 .740 1st Won NBA Title
1997-98 San Antonio 56 - 26 .683 1st
1996-97 San Antonio 20 - 62 .244 6th
1995-96 San Antonio 59 - 23 .720 1st
1994-95 San Antonio 62 - 20 .756 1st
1993-94 San Antonio 55 - 27 .671 2nd
1992-93 San Antonio 49 - 33 .598 2nd
1991-92 San Antonio 47 - 35 .573 2nd
1990-91 San Antonio 55 - 27 .671 1st
1989-90 San Antonio 56 - 26 .683 1st
1988-89 San Antonio 21 - 61 .256 5th
1987-88 San Antonio 31 - 51 .378 5th
1986-87 San Antonio 28 - 54 .341 6th got #1 pick after this season
1985-86 San Antonio 35 - 47 .427 6th
1984-85 San Antonio 41 - 41 .500 5th
1983-84 San Antonio 37 - 45 .451 5th