Cleveland’s 12 Closest Championship Calls Since 1964

2009 Cavaliers

While the Cavs reached the finals for the first time in franchise history two years earlier, that team largely looked glad to just be there and were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. This group was supposed to be different. The Cavs won 66 games during the regular season as James hoisted his first MVP trophy and, in a scenario which was repeated in the first two rounds of this year’s playoffs, dispatched the Detroit Pistons and then the Atlanta Hawks in four straight. The Orlando Magic were perceived as little more than a speed bump on the road to a showdown with Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. But with Dwight Howard dominating inside and Rashard Lewis, Mickael Pietrus and Rafer Alston raining down three-pointers, the Magic ousted the Cavs in six games.

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