The 2009–10 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 40th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Cavaliers finished with the best record in the NBA at 61–21, earning them first place in the East. The season saw LeBron James win the MVP Award for the second straight year. The Cavaliers had the fifth best team offensive rating in the NBA.
After defeating the Derrick Rose-led Chicago Bulls in the first round in five games, the Cavs faced the 4th-seeded Boston Celtics in the Semifinals where the Cavaliers were favored to beat them, but were upset in six games despite being up 2–1, marking their second straight upset loss in the playoffs after finishing with the best record in the NBA. The Celtics would advance to the NBA Finals and lose to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Following the season, Danny Ferry stepped down as general manager, head coach Mike Brown was fired, James signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat, Shaquille O'Neal signed as a free agent for his final season with the Boston Celtics, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas left to play his final season with the Heat.
After LeBron's departure, the Cavaliers struggled greatly without him for four seasons, and entered a state of rebuilding. The Cavaliers did not make the playoffs again until 2015, when LeBron returned to the Cavaliers, who drafted All-Star Kyrie Irving and traded for All-Star Kevin Love.
Until 2025, this was the last time that the Cavaliers had won 60 or more games. This was also the last time that LeBron did not appear in the NBA Finals until 2019, and the last time his team would be eliminated before the Finals until 2021, when the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Phoenix Suns in six games in the first round, which was also the first time in James' career that he exited in the first round.
Key dates
June 25 – The 2009 NBA draft took place in New York City. The Cavs also acquire Shaquille O'Neal, in a trade with the Phoenix Suns. July 8 – The free agency period started. July 13 – The Cavs sign with Anthony Parker. July 19 – Jamario Moon signs with the Cleveland Cavaliers. August 12 – The Cavaliers sign with Leon Powe. October 6 – The Cavs open the Pre-Season, with a victory over the Charlotte Bobcats, in The Q. October 21 – The Cavs close the Pre-Season, losing to the Boston Celtics, in the Value City Arena. October 27 – The Cleveland Cavaliers open the Regular Season, and are defeated by the Boston Celtics, in Quicken Loans Arena. February 17 – The Cavs acquire Antawn Jamison and Sebastian Telfair, in a three-team trade, with the Washington Wizards and the Los Angeles Clippers. March 17 – The Cavaliers clinched the Central Division title for the second straight year, and the third time in franchise history. March 23 – The Cavs waive Darnell Jackson and sign with Žydrūnas Ilgauskas. April 2 – The Cavaliers clinched best record in the Eastern Conference for the second straight year, and the second time in franchise history. April 4 – The Cavaliers clinched the best record in the league, and thus home court advantage throughout the playoffs for the second straight year, and the second time in franchise history. April 14 – The Cavs close the Regular Season, with a loss against the Atlanta Hawks and a 61–21 record. April 17 – The Cleveland Cavaliers open the First Round of the Playoffs, with a 96–83 victory, over the Chicago Bulls, in The Q. April 27 – The Cavaliers close the First Round Series at 4–1, with a 96–94 victory over the Bulls, in The Q. May 1 – The Cavs open the Eastern Conference semifinals, with a 101–93 victory, over the Celtics, in the Quicken Loans Arena. May 13- The Cavaliers lose in the Eastern Conference semifinals, at 4–2 to the underdog Boston Celtics. May 24 – Head Coach Mike Brown was fired.
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College/Club Team 1 30 Christian Eyenga G/F DR Congo CB Prat 2 46 Danny Green G/F North Carolina
Roster
Pre-season
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 || October 6 || Charlotte Bobcats || 87 – 92 || || || || Quicken Loans Arena20,403 || 1-0 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 || October 10 || @Charlotte Bobcats || 102 – 96 || || || || North Charleston Coliseum11,489 ||2-0 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 || October 12 || Olympiacos Piraeus (Greece) || 94 – 111 || || || || Quicken Loans Arena19,791 ||3-0 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 4 || October 14 || Washington Wizards || 109 – 104 || || || || Quicken Loans Arena19,672 || 3-1 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 5 || October 16 || @San Antonio Spurs || 98 – 105 || || || || AT&T Center17,186 || 3-2 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 6 || October 17 || @Dallas Mavericks || 82 – 93 || || || || American Airlines Center18,525 || 3-3 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 || October 20 || Dallas Mavericks || 66 – 96 || || || || Petersen Events Center10,011 || 4-3 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 8 || October 21 || Boston Celtics || 96 – 82 || || || ||Value City Arena18,021 || 4-4 recap
Regular season
Standings
Game log
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | October 27 | Boston | | LeBron James (38) | Shaquille O'Neal (10) | LeBron James (8) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | October 28 | @ Toronto | | LeBron James (23) | LeBron James (11) | LeBron James (12) | Air Canada Centre20,152 | 0–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | October 30 | @ Minnesota | | LeBron James (24) | Anderson Varejão (11) | LeBron James, Mo Williams (6) | Target Center19,356 | 1–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | October 31 | Charlotte | | Mo Williams (24) | Anderson Varejão (8) | LeBron James (9) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 2–2
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 | November 3 | Washington | | LeBron James (27) | Anderson Varejão (10) | LeBron James, Mo Williams (6) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 3–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | November 5 | Chicago | | LeBron James (25) | Anderson Varejão (13) | LeBron James, Mo Williams (6) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 3–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 | November 6 | @ New York | | LeBron James (33) | Anderson Varejão (14) | LeBron James (9) | Madison Square Garden19,763 | 4–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 8 | November 11 | @ Orlando | | LeBron James (36) | LeBron James (8) | Mo Williams (6) | Amway Arena17,461 | 5–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 9 | November 12 | @ Miami | | LeBron James (34) | Jamario Moon (6) | LeBron James (7) | American Airlines Arena19,600 | 6–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 10 | November 14 | Utah | | LeBron James, Mo Williams (21) | LeBron James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas (6) | LeBron James (9) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 7–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 | November 17 | Golden State | | LeBron James (31) | J.J. Hickson (9) | LeBron James (12) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 8–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | November 18 | @ Washington | | LeBron James (34) | Zydrunas Ilgauskas (9) | LeBron James (8) | Verizon Center20,173 | 8–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 13 | November 20 | @ Indiana | | LeBron James (40) | Zydrunas Ilgauskas (11) | LeBron James (7) | Conseco Fieldhouse18,165 | 9–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 14 | November 21 | Philadelphia | | LeBron James (32) | Zydrunas Ilgauskas (8) | LeBron James (9) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 10–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | November 25 | @ Detroit | | LeBron James (34) | LeBron James, Anderson Varejão (8) | Mo Williams (8) | The Palace of Auburn Hills22,076 | 11–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 | November 27 | @ Charlotte | | LeBron James (25) | Anderson Varejão (11) | Mo Williams (6) | Time Warner Cable Arena 19,168 | 11–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 | November 28 | Dallas | | LeBron James, Mo Williams (25) | Jamario Moon, Anderson Varejão (9) | LeBron James (12) | Quicken Loans Arena 20,562 | 12–5
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | December 2 | Phoenix | | Zydrunas Ilgauskas (14) | Shaquille O'Neal (9) | LeBron James (10) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 13–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 | December 4 | Chicago | | LeBron James (23) | Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Shaquille O'Neal (7) | LeBron James (11) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 14–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 20 | December 6 | @ Milwaukee | | Delonte West (21) | Anderson Varejão (12) | LeBron James (10) | Bradley Center16,625 | 15–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 | December 8 | @ Memphis | | LeBron James (43) | LeBron James (13) | Mo Williams (8) | FedEx Forum16,325 | 15–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 9 | @ Houston | | LeBron James (27) | Shaquille O'Neal, J. J. Hickson (10) | LeBron James (7) | Toyota Center18,200 | 15–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | December 11 | Portland | | LeBron James (33) | Shaquille O'Neal (11) | Mo Williams (10) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 16–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 24 | December 13 | @ Oklahoma City | | LeBron James (44) | Anderson Varejão (10) | LeBron James (6) | Ford Center18,203 | 17–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | December 15 | New Jersey | | LeBron James (23) | Mo Williams, Jamario Moon (8) | LeBron James (7) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 18–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 26 | December 16 | @ Philadelphia | | LeBron James (36) | Shaquille O'Neal (9) | LeBron James (7) | Wachovia Center19,517 | 19–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 27 | December 18 | Milwaukee | | LeBron James (26) | LeBron James (10) | LeBron James (8) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 20–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 28 | December 20 | @ Dallas | | LeBron James (25) | Anderson Varejão, Shaquille O'Neal (8) | LeBron James (6) | American Airlines Center20,346 | 20–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 | December 21 | @ Phoenix | | LeBron James (29) | Mo Williams, LeBron James, J.J. Hickson (6) | Delonte West (6) | US Airways Center18,221 | 21–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | December 23 | @ Sacramento | | LeBron James (34) | LeBron James (16) | LeBron James (10) | ARCO Arena16,407 | 22–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 | December 25 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Mo Williams (28) | Anderson Varejão, Zydrunas Ilgauskas (9) | LeBron James (9) | Staples Center18,997 | 23–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 32 | December 27 | Houston | | LeBron James (29) | Shaquille O'Neal (11) | LeBron James (6) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 24–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 33 | December 29 | @ Atlanta | | Mo Williams (20) | LeBron James, Anderson Varejão, Shaquille O'Neal (8) | LeBron James (10) | Philips Arena20,150 | 25–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 34 | December 30 | Atlanta | | LeBron James (48) | LeBron James (10) | Mo Williams (10) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 26–8
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 35 | January 2 | @ New Jersey | | LeBron James (28) | Anderson Varejão (12) | LeBron James (7) | Izod Center17,569 | 27–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 | January 3 | Charlotte | | LeBron James (29) | LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal (7) | LeBron James, Mo Williams (6) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 27–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 37 | January 6 | Washington | | LeBron James (23) | Anderson Varejão, Zydrunas Ilgauskas (8) | LeBron James (8) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 28–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 | January 8 | @ Denver | | LeBron James (35) | Anderson Varejão (15) | LeBron James (7) | Pepsi Center19,996 | 28–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 39 | January 10 | @ Portland | | LeBron James (41) | Shaquille O'Neal (11) | LeBron James (8) | Rose Garden Arena20,614 | 29–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 | January 11 | @ Golden State | | LeBron James (37) | Anderson Varejão, Zydrunas Ilgauskas (9) | LeBron James (11)