Remember how bad the Cavaliers were just a few months ago? No NBA champion was worse

The Cavaliers have been historically bad in the years preceding their run to the NBA Finals.

But even this season – once they had LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love – they got off to to a tumultuous start.

David Blatt ripped the team after an opening loss to the Knicks. As Cleveland continued to struggle, LeBron blamed others. He blamed himself. Blatt criticized LeBron. Outsiders criticized Blatt. The Cavs hit rock bottom. Questions emerged about Blatt’s job security.

It appeared unlikely Cleveland, which sunk to 19-20, could get on track quickly enough to do serious damage this season.

As late as Jan. 23, when they were 23-20, the Cavaliers had a worse record than any NBA champion through so many games.

Here’s how Cleveland’s win total (wine) compares with the worst record by an NBA champion through each game (gold):

Here are the NBA champions with the worst record through each game:

Through games	Team	Record
82	1978 Washington Bullets	44-38
81	1978 Washington Bullets	43-38
80	1978 Washington Bullets	43-37
79	1978 Washington Bullets	42-37
78	1978 Washington Bullets	41-37
77	1978 Washington Bullets	41-36
76	1978 Washington Bullets	41-35
75	1978 Washington Bullets	40-35
74	1978 Washington Bullets	40-34
73	1978 Washington Bullets	40-33
72	1978 Washington Bullets	39-33
71	1978 Washington Bullets	38-33
70	1978 Washington Bullets	37-33
69	1978 Washington Bullets	36-33
68	1978 Washington Bullets	36-32
67	1978 Washington Bullets	36-31
66	1978 Washington Bullets	36-30
65	1978 Washington Bullets	35-30
64	1978 Washington Bullets	35-29
63	1978 Washington Bullets	34-29
62	1978 Washington Bullets	33-29
61	1978 Washington Bullets	32-29
60	1978 Washington Bullets	31-29
59	1978 Washington Bullets	31-28
58	1978 Washington Bullets	30-28
57	1978 Washington Bullets	29-28
56	1978 Washington Bullets	29-27
55	1978 Washington Bullets	28-27
54	1978 Washington Bullets	28-26
53	1978 Washington Bullets	27-26
52	1978 Washington Bullets	27-25
51	1978 Washington Bullets	27-24
50	1978 Washington Bullets	26-24
49	1955 Syracuse Nationals	26-23
49	1978 Washington Bullets	26-23
48	1955 Syracuse Nationals	25-23
47	1955 Syracuse Nationals	25-22
46	1955 Syracuse Nationals	25-21
45	1978 Washington Bullets	25-20
45	1955 Syracuse Nationals	25-20
44	1978 Washington Bullets	24-20
43	1955 Syracuse Nationals	24-19
43	1948 Baltimore Bullets	24-19
43	1978 Washington Bullets	24-19
42	1955 Syracuse Nationals	23-19
42	1948 Baltimore Bullets	23-19
41	1948 Baltimore Bullets	23-18
41	1955 Syracuse Nationals	23-18
40	1948 Baltimore Bullets	22-18
39	1948 Baltimore Bullets	21-18
38	1955 Syracuse Nationals	21-17
38	1948 Baltimore Bullets	21-17
37	1955 Syracuse Nationals	20-17
36	1955 Syracuse Nationals	19-17
35	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	19-16
35	1955 Syracuse Nationals	19-16
34	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	18-16
33	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	18-15
33	1955 Syracuse Nationals	18-15
33	1948 Baltimore Bullets	18-15
32	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	17-15
31	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	16-15
30	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	16-14
30	1948 Baltimore Bullets	16-14
29	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	15-14
28	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	15-13
28	1948 Baltimore Bullets	15-13
27	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	14-13
26	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	14-12
25	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	14-11
25	2006 Miami Heat	14-11
25	1955 Syracuse Nationals	14-11
24	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	13-11
23	2006 Miami Heat	13-10
23	1951 Rochester Royals	13-10
23	1990 Detroit Pistons	13-10
23	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	13-10
22	2006 Miami Heat	12-10
22	1951 Rochester Royals	12-10
21	2006 Miami Heat	11-10
20	2006 Miami Heat	10-10
19	2006 Miami Heat	10-9
18	1999 San Antonio Spurs	10-8
18	1951 Rochester Royals	10-8
18	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	10-8
18	2006 Miami Heat	10-8
17	1999 San Antonio Spurs	9-8
17	1951 Rochester Royals	9-8
17	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	9-8
16	1999 San Antonio Spurs	8-8
16	1951 Rochester Royals	8-8
15	1999 San Antonio Spurs	7-8
15	1951 Rochester Royals	7-8
14	1999 San Antonio Spurs	6-8
13	1999 San Antonio Spurs	6-7
13	1951 Rochester Royals	6-7
12	1999 San Antonio Spurs	6-6
12	1991 Chicago Bulls	6-6
12	1978 Washington Bullets	6-6
12	1951 Rochester Royals	6-6
11	1978 Washington Bullets	5-6
11	1951 Rochester Royals	5-6
11	1999 San Antonio Spurs	5-6
11	1991 Chicago Bulls	5-6
10	1951 Rochester Royals	4-6
10	1978 Washington Bullets	4-6
9	1951 Rochester Royals	3-6
8	1985 Los Angeles Lakers	3-5
8	1978 Washington Bullets	3-5
8	1951 Rochester Royals	3-5
7	1982 Los Angeles Lakers	3-4
7	1978 Washington Bullets	3-4
7	1955 Syracuse Nationals	3-4
7	1985 Los Angeles Lakers	3-4
7	1951 Rochester Royals	3-4
7	1949 Minneapolis Lakers	3-4
7	1947 Philadelphia Warriors	3-4
6	1982 Los Angeles Lakers	2-4
6	1978 Washington Bullets	2-4
6	1955 Syracuse Nationals	2-4
5	1991 Chicago Bulls	2-3
5	1985 Los Angeles Lakers	2-3
5	1982 Los Angeles Lakers	2-3
5	1978 Washington Bullets	2-3
5	1958 St. Louis Hawks	2-3
5	2006 Miami Heat	2-3
5	1999 San Antonio Spurs	2-3
5	1966 Boston Celtics	2-3
5	1959 Boston Celtics	2-3
5	1955 Syracuse Nationals	2-3
5	1952 Minneapolis Lakers	2-3
4	1991 Chicago Bulls	1-3
4	1985 Los Angeles Lakers	1-3
4	1982 Los Angeles Lakers	1-3
4	1978 Washington Bullets	1-3
4	1958 St. Louis Hawks	1-3
3	1991 Chicago Bulls	0-3
2	1991 Chicago Bulls	0-2
2	1985 Los Angeles Lakers	0-2
2	1982 Los Angeles Lakers	0-2
2	1958 St. Louis Hawks	0-2
2	1955 Syracuse Nationals	0-2
2	1954 Minneapolis Lakers	0-2
1	2004 Detroit Pistons	0-1
1	1998 Chicago Bulls	0-1
1	1991 Chicago Bulls	0-1
1	1987 Los Angeles Lakers	0-1
1	1986 Boston Celtics	0-1
1	1985 Los Angeles Lakers	0-1
1	1984 Boston Celtics	0-1
1	1982 Los Angeles Lakers	0-1
1	1975 Golden State Warriors	0-1
1	1959 Boston Celtics	0-1
1	1958 St. Louis Hawks	0-1
1	1956 Philadelphia Warriors	0-1
1	1955 Syracuse Nationals	0-1
1	1954 Minneapolis Lakers	0-1
1	1948 Baltimore Bullets	0-1

The Cavaliers transformed themselves by trading for Timofey Mozgov, Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith.

Whether or not they win the title, it’s already been a heck of a turnaround.