Logo of basketball’s Cleveland Cavaliers, used from their inaugural season in the National Basketball Association in 1970 until 1983. The Cavaliers had the worst record in the NBA in their first season, but had success relatively early, reaching the playoffs in 1975 under coach Bill Fitch and defeating the perennial powerhouse Washington Bullets in a playoff series. Notable players from the Cavs’ early years include Jim Chones, Bingo Smith, Austin Carr, Nate Thurmond, Jim Cleamons and Dick Snyder. The club survived an era in the 1980s when they were owned by a clown, Ted Stepien, who made dubious trades and almost drove the franchise into the ground. Now they have to regroup from losing star LeBron James, but early this season karma stepped in, as James’ new superteam, the Miami Heat, was throttled and held to 80 points in their opening game against Boston. A night later, the supposedly undermanned Cavs opened their season by defeating the Celtics.