The 1973–74 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the fourth season of NBA basketball in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers finished the season with a 29–53 record, finishing last in the Central Division and 7th Eastern Conference. Austin Carr was named an All-Star and set the team record for points per game. The Cavaliers played, and won, their last game in Cleveland Arena.
Offseason
Trades
April 24: Cavaliers trade center Rick Roberson and forward John Johnson and switch positions in the first round of the 1973 NBA draft with the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for the Trail Blazers' first round choice and four other draft choices. The Cavaliers select forward Jim Brewer with Portland's first pick.
Draft picks
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Game log
|-style="background:#fcc;" | 1 || October 12, 1973 || Houston | L 106–99 | Austin Carr (24) | Brewer, Wilkens (7) | Lenny Wilkens (7) | Cleveland Arena3,624 | 0–1 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 2 || October 14, 1973 || Detroit | L 95–83 | Dwight Davis (18) | Dwight Davis (13) | Lenny Wilkens (8) | Cleveland Arena2,855 | 0–2 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 3 || October 19, 1973 || New York | L 92–90 | Austin Carr (28) | Jim Brewer (13) | Lenny Wilkens (10) | Cleveland Arena5,102 | 0–3 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 4 || October 20, 1973 || @ Milwaukee | L 88–101 | Austin Carr (24) | Dwight Davis (12) | Carr, Rule (4) | Milwaukee Arena8,837 | 0–4 |-style="background:#ccffcc;" | 5 || October 23, 1973 || Portland | W 96–103 | Lenny Wilkens (30) | Bingo Smith (15) | Austin Carr (7) | Cleveland Arena2,437 | 1–4 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 6 || October 26, 1973 || N Buffalo | L 97–104 | Dwight Davis (19) | Dwight Davis (14) | Lenny Wilkens (7) | Maple Leaf Gardens7,187 | 1–5 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 7 || October 27, 1973 || Buffalo | L 111–101 | Austin Carr (27) | Bob Rule (6) | Austin Carr (7) | Cleveland Arena4,313 | 1–6 |-style="background:#ccffcc;" | 8 || October 28, 1973 || Boston | W 99–102 | Austin Carr (31) | Bob Rule (13) | Lenny Wilkens (6) | Cleveland Arena2,808 | 2–6 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 9 || October 31, 1973 || @ Boston | L 110–128 | Austin Carr (26) | Bob Rule (7) | Lenny Wilkens (7) | Boston Garden4,509 | 2–7