About this item
Foreword by Nate ThurmondThree years before Brian Sipe began his magic with the Cleveland Browns, Bill Fitch and his band of Cavaliers brought a buzz to Northeast Ohio basketball that fans had never seen before. Despite a rough start to their 1975-76 season, the Cavaliers rode the shoulders of Akron native Nate Thurmond to the Central Division title. Under his leadership, they qualified for the playoffs. Then in April the Cavs provided fans with a remarkable string of games against the Washington Bullets, winning in incredible fashion three times twice at The Coliseum in Richfield en route to a 4-3 series victory in the Eastern Conference Semifinal.An emotionally charged experience, this was the Cavs first time in the playoffs. To further the excitement, three of their four victories weren't clinched until the final buzzer.