[17][18] However, the team posted a ten-game winning streak between November and December,[19] and later on held a 27–20 record at the All-Star break.
[20] The Cavaliers played above .500 for the remainder of the season, finishing in fifth place in the Central Division with a 47–35 record, and qualifying for the playoffs after a one-year absence.
[32][33][34][35] Both Ilgauskas and Knight were named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, while Anderson and Henderson were both selected the NBA All-Rookie Second Team; Knight also finished tied in eleventh place in Defensive Player of the Year voting,[36][37] and head coach Mike Fratello finished in third place in Coach of the Year voting.
[38][39][40][36][37] However, in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Cavaliers would lose in four games to the Indiana Pacers,[41][42][43][44] and they would not make it back to the postseason until 2006.
[45][46] Until 2023, this was the last time the Cavaliers made the playoffs without future All-Star LeBron James, who was selected by the team as the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft.