Counting Down the Cavs: Breaking Down the History of No. 28 In Cleveland

28 days until the Cavs Regular Season tips off. Once again, only one man has donned the 28 jersey in the team’s history, but what does 28 mean to the Cavs?

Alfonzo McKinnie - 2020

Mckinnie played one season in Cleveland and was the only guy to ever wear the number. Similar to my Day 29 story yesterday, a player who didn’t play a full year for the Cavs but will be remembered as the one guy in his number.

He played just 40 games for the team, he averaged 4.4 points a game. An NBA and basketball journeyman, he played for five NBA teams in five seasons.

I did not find any particular reason as to why he chose that number, but he wore it on every team he played for except for the Toronto Raptors where he was in the 34.

Alfonzo was not just an NBA guy however. After 11 years of professional basketball, he played in the US/Canada (NBA), Italy, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, and also played in Luxembourg for his first pro basketball team.

In Luxembourg, the team was called the East Side Pirates and they were the worst team in the worst division of basketball in the country, he said he almost quit basketball during that period.

His first look at the NBA came from the G-League. Just $175 was all it took for him to get a tryout with the Windy City Bulls where he made the team in 2016 and his NBA dreams were still alive.

28 is not as unlucky of a number for the team as 29 is, with much more positive stories involving the number.

Timofey Mozgov Finals Performance

In their first NBA Finals performance since 2007, LeBron James and the Cavs were up against the Golden State Warriors. Injuries struck the team late in the playoffs when Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving both were dealing with injuries. Mozgov stepped up in Game 4.

LeBron went down with an injury in that game as well which is what led to the 28 point performance from Mozgov. Coach David Blatt at the time said the team was tired as they were blown out 103-82.

Either Top 4 or Out Completely

Since 1998, in the 28 seasons since then, Cleveland has either been a top four seed or been out of the playoffs entirely. They have never been a 5,6,7, or 8 seed in the playoffs since then.

To continue that streak into this season will be a tough task as the Eastern Conference teams competing with them made some major moves. It will take everybody at their best to even be in the top six teams.

How Many Winning Seasons?

The Cleveland Cavaliers first season was in 1971. Across 56 years they have 28 above .500 seasons. As long as things go according to plan for the team this year they can avoid the 28th losing season as well.

Not once have they finished a season with an even record.

Add us as a preferred source on Google