Last Time The Cleveland Cavaliers Made The Playoffs Without LeBron James: 3 Players From Their Starting 5 Weren’t Even Born

The Cavaliers have made their first playoff appearance without LeBron James for the first time since 1998, when 3 current players weren't born yet.

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Credit: Fadeaway World

The Cleveland Cavaliers sealed their fate as a playoff team for the 2022-23 season after a win over the Houston Rockets last night.

Fans have been overjoyed at seeing the Cavs make the playoffs again, ending a 5-year draught from 2018 and a longer draught of 25 years of making the playoffs without LeBron James on the roster. Only Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen from the current Cavs starting 5 were actually alive the last time a non-LeBron Cavs team made the postseason. 

Evan Mobley and Isaac Okoro were born in 2001, while Darius Garland was born in 2000. Allen was born on April 21, 1998, with the 98 Playoffs tipping off on April 23, so he barely avoids being on this list. This goes to show how bereft the Cavs have been of non-LeBron success, as the fans are finally seeing a competent roster being built from the ground up.


The Cleveland Cavaliers Have A Bright Future

The Cleveland Cavaliers have managed to build one of the most exciting young teams in the NBA this season. Acquiring Donovan Mitchell in the summer gave them a bonafide playoff-tested scoring option to help catapult the team from their status as East bottom feeders. They lost in the play-in tournament last season but will surpass that altogether this year.

With the age of their current starting five and the potential players like Darius Garland and Evan Mobley have shown for the future, this Cavs team may be scary. Finding a better offensive option on the wing instead of Isaac Okoro is their only real problem in terms of the roster they’ve built. 

This group can grow together and be one of the scariest teams in the NBA in a matter of a few seasons, provided Mitchell extends his contract beyond the 2025-26 season that he’s going to be under his current deal.

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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