Eastern powerhouse? This is how the Cavs have performed in NBA conference semifinals in their history
The Cavaliers will kick off round 2 of the NBA playoffs against the Pacers tonight as the team with the best offensive series in playoff history.
The Cleveland Cavaliers dismantled the Miami Heat’s elite defense in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, soaring to a 4-0 sweep in the series. The Cavs’ offense has delivered a historic performance - their best in playoff history - with an average of 136.2 points per 100 possessions, breaking the previous postseason record held by the 2021 Brooklyn Nets (128).
According to NBA dot com data, the Cleveland Cavaliers just had the most efficient offense in a playoff series ever recorded, and it's not even remotely close pic.twitter.com/f0t7G6shCC
— Lev Akabas (@LevAkabas) April 29, 2025
The Cavs’ attack has been powered by stars like Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley, but role players like Max Strus have also contributed to the offensive dominance thanks to his off-ball movement and playmaking. Seven members of the team averaged more than 10 points per game with a true shooting percentage of 60% or more. Coach Kenny Atkinson’s offense is creating constant pressure on defenses, targeting weaker players and elevating the play to another level.
Now, the Cavaliers are moving on to the Eastern Conference semifinals to take on the Indiana Pacers, who will be a more challenging team to exploit.
Cleveland Cavaliers’ history in the Eastern Conference semifinals
It’s been a while since the Cavs made it past the Eastern Conference semifinals. The last time they did was in the 2017-18 season, when they advanced all the way to the NBA Finals, but lost to the Golden State Warriors.
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Last season, the Cavaliers made it back to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time since the 2017 season, but lost to the Boston Celtics. Here is how they’ve fared in the playoffs since the 2014 season.
Cleveland Cavaliers’ postseason history
| Season | First Round | Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | NBA Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | Won vs Celtics (4-0) | Won vs Bulls (4-2) | Won vs Hawks (4-0) | Lost vs Warriors (5-2 |
| 2015-16 | Won vs Pistons (4-0) | Won vs Hawks (4-0) | Won vs Raptors (4-2) | Won vs Warriors (4-3) |
| 2016-17 | Won vs Pacers (4–0) | Won vs Raptors (4-0) | Won vs Celtics (4-1) | Lost vs Warriors (4-1) |
| 2017-18 | Won vs Pacers (4–3) | Won vs Raptors (4-0) | Won vs Celtics (4-3) | Lost vs Warriors (4-0) |
| 2018-19 | ||||
| 2019-20 | ||||
| 2020-21 | ||||
| 2021-22 | ||||
| 2022-23 | Lost vs Knicks (4–1) | |||
| 2023-24 | Won vs Magic (4–3) | Lost vs Celtics (4-1) |
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