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With a very talented team coming into the 2014-2015 NBA season, the Cleveland Cavaliers have released their 2000s All-Decade Team. The team features the best Cavs players to have ever played for Cleveland and the lineup stars with the Cavs point guard.
#5. All-Decade Team PG – Andre Miller
Miller achieved one thing that many of the great Cavaliers Point guards have not: setting the single season assist record with 882 total assists. That’s a 10.9 assist/game average! Both of these franchise records are still held by Andre Miller. In his career with Cleveland he was good enough to make 7th on the franchise’s all-time assists list (2,015). Andre Miller is also the only Cav’s player to ever average double-digits assists for an entire season.
#4. All-Decade Team SG – Eric Snow
Eric Snow’s application isn’t a list of accolades that earned him a spot on the 2000s All-Decade team. Snow made his impact on Cavaliers basketball with passion. He brings a different level of energy on the defensive end of the court. Snow was the guy who always guarded the biggest offensive threats, establishing an aggressive defensive mentality that helped the Cavs make the finals.
#3. All-Decade Team SF – LeBron James
LeBron James is the best player in Cavaliers’ franchise history. Ever. He was Rookie of the Year in 2003-2004, the same year he was drafted #1 overall. With Cleveland, James earned 2 MVP awards and led the team to the Cav’s only Finals appearance. He also holds onto many of the Cleveland Cavalier’s all-time franchise leader records. These records include points scores (15,251), scoring average (27.8), field goals made (5,415),free throws made (3,650), steals (955), and minutes played (22,119). He is also close to being tops in three-pointers made, assists, defensive rebounds, blocks, total rebounds, and games played.
#2. All-Decade Team PF – Anderson Varejao
Anderson Varejao was nicknamed “the Wild Thing” for a reason. He has a certain style of play and hustle that anyone can respect. Varejao is a long time Cavalier and has made Cleveland his international home. He has always worked to improve, his loyalty to Cleveland has always stayed strong, and he is a defensive presence that cannot be replaced. Varejao was names to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2009-2010. He also received votes for Sixth Man of the Year as well as Defensive Player of the Year that same season. Varejao is tied for the most playoff games in team history at 71 with LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilgaskas. Andy is approaching some franchise all-time reconds in offensive rebounds (1,398), defensive rebounds (2,775), total rebounds (4,173), steals (499), blocks (376) and games played (534).
#1. All-Decade Team C – Zydrunas Ilgauskas
With his No. 11 jersey retired, Z’s name will forever hang in the rafters of the Q, Zydrunas has left this decade with all the things he brought into it for the Cavaliers. He brought dedication, hard work, and height. He left with these things, as well as injuries, memories, and pride. Big Z had two All-Star appearances in 2003 and 2005. Ilgauskas is the all-time leader in games played (771), offensive rebounds (2,336), total rebounds (5,904), and blocked shots (1,269) for the Cavaliers. He is also one of just four Cavaliers players in the history of the franchise to top 10,000 points.
All decade 6th man and honorable mentions on the next page!
All-Decade Team 6th man – Daniel Gibson
Daniel Gibson was one of Cleveland’s biggest helpers during this decade. He helped the Cleveland Cavaliers in more ways than one. Gibson played in nearly 400 regular season games as well as 50 playoff games. Boobie is ranked third on the Cavaliers all-time list for three-point field goals made, 578, and attempted 1,419. Gibson always added extra fire power from behind the three-point line, a proclaimed sharp shooter, and ended up 5th on the all-time list for career three-point percentage 40.7 percent.
Honorable Mentions
G- Mo Williams
Williams averaged 16.2 points per game and was a part of the 2008-2009 NBA All-Star team. He was always a competitor and was trying to take the wine and gold as far as he could get them.
G- Larry Hughes
In Hughes’ three years with the franchise he was never below 12.3 points per game. He was a part of the Cavaliers success during their run to the NBA Finals.
F – Drew Gooden
Drew Gooden was Carlos Boozer’s replacement who average double-figures in each of his four seasons with the Cavaliers. During three of those four seasons Gooden was also the leader in rebounds.