Cleveland Cavaliers · Franchise era 4 of 7
LeBron's first ascent: the Cleveland Cavaliers story
Franchise era
2003–04—2009–10
LeBron's first ascent
Cleveland Cavaliers
The story in one sentence
James took Cleveland from the lottery to the 2007 Finals and consecutive 60-win seasons, though a championship remained out of reach.
01
A hometown star creates a contender
02
LeBron James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejão gave the era its recognizable core.
03
Its ending created the conditions for between lebron eras.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 2003–04
What came before
Cleveland remained respectable for a time before injuries and roster turnover pushed the franchise toward the 2003 lottery.
2007
Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons
2009
Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Orlando Magic
After 2009–10
What came next
Four rebuilding seasons supplied the young talent and flexibility that would support an unprecedented reunion.
The core