Cavs playoff history without LeBron James: How Cleveland has fared in postseasons without legend

LeBron James played a total of 11 seasons over two stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In all but two of them, he led his team to the playoffs — including plenty of deep runs.

In many ways, the history of the Cavaliers' franchise cannot be told without James. He's the best player to ever wear a Cleveland uniform and a legend who, in 2016, brought the team its first and only championship.

But for the most part, the non-James years in Cavaliers history haven't brought much success. While players like World B. Free, Mark Price and Larry Nance made Cleveland competitive prior to James, and Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have made a few playoff runs post-James, the Cavaliers haven't quite reached as elite as they were with their megastar.

Here's a full breakdown of the Cavaliers' history in the playoffs without James.

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Cavs playoff history without LeBron 

James began his NBA career with the Cavaliers in 2003. A total of 33 seasons had already been played in Cleveland by the time he showed up, dating back to 1970 — and in 13 of them, the Cavs made the playoffs.

Pre-James, the deepest playoff run that the Cavaliers had ever made was to the Eastern Conference Finals, which came in 1976 and 1992. 

Here's a look at the 13 postseason appearances from Cleveland made before James was drafted in 2003:

Additionally, in the post-James years, the Cavaliers have made the playoffs three times prior to their 2026 run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Cleveland failed to make the playoffs from 2010-14 after James left for the Heat, but after he left the second time for Los Angeles, the Cavaliers were back in the playoffs by 2023.

Here's a look at the three completed post-James playoff runs in Cleveland:

Cavs playoff record with LeBron James

• 97-55 (.638)

Cleveland made nine playoff runs with James over his two stints. The first came in 2005-06, when they lost to the Pistons in the conference finals, then followed it up with a Finals appearance in 2007.

James' nine playoff runs in Cleveland amounted to 97 wins in the postseason, including three losses in the second round, one loss in the conference finals, four losses in the Finals and one championship. 

Cavs playoff record without LeBron James

• 39-64 (.379) 

Meanwhile, in years that the Cavaliers made the playoffs before and after James was around, they have struggled.

Not only is the deepest Cleveland playoff run without James to the Eastern Conference Finals, but they've posted a .379 winning percentage in the postseason without him, including 11 first-round exits.

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Last time Cavs made NBA Finals

The last time the Cavaliers made the NBA Finals, thanks to James, was in 2018.

That was Cleveland's fourth-straight Finals appearance with James, who brought the team a championship in 2016, but fell to the Warriors in the other three attempts. In 2018, the Stephen Curry-Kevin Durant-led Warriors bested the Cavs in a sweep.

Cavs playoff history

Here is a look at Cleveland's full playoff history since joining the NBA.

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