What happened to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers? Most Valuable Player… best league record… top seed in the NBA playoffs: loser before even making the final round. That’s what’s happened to the Cleveland Cavaliers for two years running. LeBron James had a big game last night in Boston, but it was too little, too late for the Cleveland Cavaliers who lost in the second round of the playoffs 4 games to 2.