Schedule and 2005-06 Results
Regular Season Records: Cleveland 50-32, Washington 42-40
Game 1 on Saturday, 22 April: Washington loses at Cleveland, 97-pts-86
Game 2 on Tuesday, 25 April: Washington wins at Cleveland, 89-pts-84
Game 3 on Friday, 28 April: Cleveland wins at Washington, 97-pts-96
Game 4 on Sunday, 01 May: Cleveland loses at Washington, 106-pts-96
Game 5 on Wednesday, 03 May: Washington loses at Cleveland, 121-pts-120 (OT)
Game 6 on Friday, 05 May: Cleveland wins at Washington, 114-pts-113 (OT)

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 6: The Cleveland Cavaliers visited and defeated the Washington Wizards 114-pts-113 in overtime to secure a 4-games-2 win in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 975. Cleveland thus improves its best-of-7 NBA playoff series record to 3-3, while that for Washington falls to 1-2. The win order for the victorious Cavaliers was WLWLWW: Series 975 thus becomes the second NBA Preliminary-round series, the 19th NBA series (all rounds), and the 34th MLB/NBA/NHL series (all rounds) to follow this win order. Series 975 Games 3, 5, and 6 were each decided by a single point. Series 975 thus becomes the first best-of-7 format NBA playoff series in which as many as three games were decided by a single point. Through 5 May 2006, nine best-of-7 NBA playoff series had had two games decided by a single point. Series 975 Game 6 was the 99th best-of-7 NBA playoff series game to be decided by a single point. For series 975, the sum of the victory margins was 29 points. For best-of-7 NBA playoff series taking six games to decide, the lowest-ever sum of victory margins was 28, set in series 170 by the Los Angeles Lakers and the second incarnation of the Baltimore Bullets (a precursor franchise to the current Washington Wizards) in the 1965 NBA Semifinals, and tied in series 520 by the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics in the 1988 NBA Semifinals.

After Game 5: The Cleveland Cavaliers hosted and defeated the Washington Wizards 121-pts-120 in overtime to take a 3-games-2 lead in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 975. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 3-games-2, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a series record of 2-0. When trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 3-games-2, the Washington Wizards have a series record of 0-0 (the Washington Bullets had a 2-2 series record upon facing a 3-games-2 deficit).

After Game 4: The Washington Wizards hosted and defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 106-pts-96 to even best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 975 at 2-games-all. When tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a 2-2 series record, and the Washington Wizards have a 1-0 series record. The precursor franchise to the Wizards -- the Washington Bullets -- had a 2-2 series record when tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series.

After Game 3: The Cleveland Cavaliers visited and defeated the Washington Wizards 97-pts-96 to take a 2-games-1 lead in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 975. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 2-games-1, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a series record of 1-0; when trailing 2-games-1, the Washington Wizards have a series record of 1-0, while the old Washington Bullets had a series record of 2-3, and the older Baltimore Bullets (second incarnation) had a series record of 1-2. Neither the short-lived Capital Bullets nor the first incarnation of the Baltimore Bullets suffered a 2-games-1 deficit in NBA best-of-7 series play.

After Game 2: The Washington Wizards visited and defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 89-pts-84, thereby tying best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 975 at 1-game-all. When tied 1-game-all in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a 2-1 series record. The Washington Wizards are tied 1-game-all in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series for the first time in series 975 as the "Washington Wizards;" in their previous incarnation as the Washington Bullets, their series record was 6-4 in the wake of a 1-game-all best-of-7 NBA playoff series tie.

After Game 1: The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Washington Wizards 97-pts-86 to take a 1-game-nil best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 975 lead. When leading an NBA best-of-7 playoff series 1-game-nil, Cleveland has a 1-0 series record. When trailing an NBA best-of-7 playoff series 1-game-nil, Washington as the Wizards has a 1-1 series record.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2005-06 regular season, Cleveland finished eight games ahead of Washington. Through the 2005 MLB Finals, when NBA teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by eight regular-season games, they have posted a 16-4 (.800) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 975 is the third best-of-7 NBA playoff series for Washington (as the "Wizards"), and the sixth for Cleveland (as the Cavaliers make their first best-of-7 NBA playoff series appearance since 1993). In best-of-7 NBA playoff series, Washington has a 1-1 series record, a 1-0 Prelim-round series record, and a 0-2 Game 1 record as the Wizards, while Cleveland has a 2-3 series record, a 0-0 Prelim-round record, and a 1-4 Game 1 record. Series 975 is the first NBA best-of-7 playoff meeting between Washington (as the Wizards) and Cleveland. In best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 315 (in the 1976 NBA Quarterfinals), Cleveland did defeat the Washington Bullets.