Cavaliers Key Dates In The 2011-12 Season December 26 – The Cavaliers opened a shortened 66 game January 29 – In the first game of a home-and-home series with the 2011-12 season at Quicken Loans Arena against the Toronto Boston Celtics, the Cavaliers pulled off one of their most dramatic Raptors. Anderson Varejao recorded his first double-double of victories of the season. Trailing by 11 points with 4:25 left in the the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds, including seven fourth in Boston, the Cavs went on a 12-0 run to close out the offensive rebounds, in 33 minutes. Ramon Sessions led all game. Down one point in the final seconds, rookie Kyrie Irving scorers with 18 points in 22 minutes off the bench on 6-12 (.500) drove right, split two defenders and scored the game-winning shooting. Sessions also had six assists. The 2011 NBA Draft’s #1 layup with 2.6 seconds remaining. Irving finished with a overall pick Kyrie Irving and the 2011 NBA Draft’s #4 overall pick game-high 23 points and six assists, while Anderson Varejao put Tristan Thompson both made their NBA debuts. Irving finished up 18 points, to go along with nine rebounds. with six points, seven assists and only one turnover in 26 minutes. Thompson scored 12 points and pulled down five January 31 – In the second game of a home-and home series with rebounds in 17 minutes of action off the bench. Boston, Anderson Varejao had one of the finest games of his career, setting a season high in points and career highs in January 1 – Cleveland dominated the second half versus the New offensive rebounds and total rebounds with 20 points and 20 Jersey Nets which resulted in a 98-82 win at The Q on New rebounds, 10 of which were offensive. Varejao became the first Year’s Day. The Cavs shot 16-26 (.615) on three-point field goals. Cavalier to record at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in a game It marked the first time in franchise history that the Cavs made at since Carlos Boozer on March 30, 2004 when he had 23 points least 16 three-point shots and shot at least .615 on three’s in a and 20 rebounds versus the Dallas Mavericks. At the time, he single game (Elias), and tied a team record for the most three’s also became just the fifth player to record at least 20 points and made in a game at The Q. Four different Cavaliers made at least 20 rebounds in a game this season (Howard, Love, Bynum, three three-pointers. Daniel Gibson led the team with 5-7 (.714) Aldridge). Varejao also became the first Cavalier to record at and finished with 19 points in 27 minutes off the bench. least 20 points and 20 rebounds with 10 offensive rebounds in a game since Kenny Carr had 27 points and 20 rebounds (11 January 6 – The Minnesota Timberwolves fell to the Cavaliers offensive rebounds) against the New York Knicks on February 98-87 at the Target Center. In that game, Anderson Varejao 12, 1981. scored 13 points to go along with 12 rebounds (5 offensive), five assists, four steals and two blocks in 34 minutes. Varejao was the February 1 – Kyrie Irving was named as the NBA’s Eastern first Cavalier to record at least those numbers since LeBron Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in the months James put up 31 points, 19 rebounds, eight assists, four steals of December and January. Irving averaged 18.1 points on .511 and three blocks against Charlotte on Jan. 11, 2008 and was the shooting, 3.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 28.8 minutes per game. first person in the league to have at least those numbers since During the month, he ranked 1st in scoring, field goal percentage, Paul Millsap against New Orleans on April 9, 2010. three-point percentage, free throw percentage and assists among Eastern Conference rookies. Irving scored 20 or more January 17 – Cavs center Anderson Varejao grabbed 13 rebounds points in 10 of 20 games and shot at least .500 from the field 12 (four offensive) to go along with 10 points in a 105-95 loss to times in games played in December and January. Golden State. The performance marked the 11th time in 13 games in which Varejao led the team in rebounds, and was his February 4 – The Cavaliers first home game of the month of eighth consecutive games with at least 10 rebounds. The last February featured a furious comeback against an extremely Cavalier to pull down double-digit rebounds in eight consecutive difficult opponent. The defending NBA Champion Dallas games was Tyrone Hill (10 straight) from February 1, 1997 to Mavericks held a 15 point lead in the third quarter, but the Cavs February 23, 1997. came back to trail only by three in the final minutes. The Cavs scored six straight points to take a three point lead with under a January 27 – Against the New Jersey Nets, Kyrie Irving scored a minute left and Kyrie Irving then made a reverse layup with 15.8 career-high 32 points while shooting 12-20 (.600), to go along seconds left to seal the win. Irving finished with a team-high 20 with six rebounds (a career-high four offensive) and two assists points on 9-17 (.529) shooting, with seven assists in 36 minutes. in 31 minutes of action. Irving scored 21 points in the fourth Anderson Varejao recorded his 12th double-double of the season quarter, including 17 in the last 2:58, becoming the first rookie to with 17 points and a game-high 17 rebounds (seven offensive). score at least 21 points in the fourth quarter of a game since Marcus Williams of the Nets on November 24, 2006. The last February 8 – In a game that kicked off the longest home stand in rookie to score at least 21 points in any quarter was Roddy team history and tied for the third longest in NBA history, the Beaubois (21 in the 2nd) of the Dallas Mavericks against the Cavaliers defeated the Pacific Division leading Los Angeles Golden State Warriors on March 27, 2010. (Elias) Clippers 99-92. Antawn Jamison led all scorers with 27 points and eight rebounds. Ramon Sessions filled in for an injured Kyrie Irving was also the first player in the NBA to score 17 or more Irving and recorded 24 points and a game-high 13 assists. The points in the final three minutes of the game since Vince Carter last team to have a home stand of nine or more games was the who scored 18 points in the last three minutes for the Nets Vancouver Grizzlies in the 1999-00 season. against Chicago on April 11, 2006. (Elias). 67 Cavaliers Key Dates In The 2011-12 Season February 10 – Against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Cavs recorded a March 9 – The Cavs defeated Oklahoma City 96-90, handing the season-high 33 assists, led by Ramon Sessions’ 16 assists. The Thunder only their second home loss of the season. With the last Cavalier to tally at least 16 assists in a game was Andre Miller Thunder up three points with 3:14 left in the game, the Cavs went (16) against the Atlanta Hawks on April 13, 2002. Antawn on a 12-0 run to go up nine points with under a minute left, Jamison also notched a Cavalier season-high tying 34 points, in eventually holding on for the win. Antawn Jamison scored a addition to 11 rebounds. This game also marked the first game of team-high 21 points to go along with a game-high tying eight a home back-to-back for the Cavaliers (Feb. 11 vs. Philadelphia). rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes, while Kyrie Irving The last time the Cavs hosted a home back-to-back was April 1, finished with nine points, a career-high 12 assists and six 2000 against the Boston Celtics and April 2, 2000 against the rebounds in 31 minutes. Chicago Bulls. March 11 – The Cavaliers completed their first three-game winning February 19 – The Cavaliers edged the Kings 93-92 in Cleveland. streak since November 5-9, 2010 when they defeated Houston Omri Casspi grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds, to go along with 118-107 at The Q. The Cavaliers scored a season-high 118 six points in 27 minutes against his former team, while Tristan points and shot 11-20 (.550) from beyond the three-point line. Thompson came off the bench to record his first career Antawn Jamison poured in a team-high 28 points on 8-16 (.500) double-double by hauling in a game-high tying 12 rebounds, shooting in 29 minutes, while Kyrie Irving scored 21 points, including seven offensive boards, and adding 15 points in 30 including 16 points and 9-9 shooting from the foul line in the minutes. Kyrie Irving notched a game-high tying 23 points, three game’s final 4:14, to go along with a team-high six rebounds and rebounds and two blocks in 39 minutes. With the Cavs trailing by five assists in 29 minutes. Irving became the only player this one with 2.9 seconds remaining, Irving drove to the basket and season and the first rookie since Chris Paul went 9-9 from the got fouled. Irving sunk both free throws to give the Cavs the win.