Cleveland Cavaliers: Top 30 all-time greatest players
By Ben Beecken
156. <ul> <li>10 seasons with Cavaliers (1970-79)</li> <li>Averaged 13.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game</li> </ul>. G/F. . Bingo Smith. 18. player
Bingo Smith started and ended his career with 75 and 70-game stints, respectively, with the NBA franchise in San Diego, but the years in between were spent in Cleveland. Solid bookends to a productive career, I guess.
Smith was known for launching jumpers from today’s 3-point range, although the arc wasn’t added to the court until 1979-80, at the tail-end of Bingo’s career.
He still managed to shoot 45.2 percent from the floor for his career in Cleveland, averaging north of 14 points five times in 10 seasons.
The Cavs were awful as an expansion team for the first four years of the decade, but Smith was a vital part of the turnaround that began with a 40-win season in 1974-75. He was a key member of the playoff squads of the next three years.
Smith ranks third all-time in games played for the franchise, fifth in minutes played, and sixth in points scored.