Daniel Gibson

On June 29, 2006, Gibson was drafted in the second round with the 42nd overall pick of the NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. After a May 2006 pre-draft workout with the Cavs, Gibson canceled his remaining workouts with other teams and refused to work out for any other team before the draft. It is believed this was the reason Gibson fell to the second round after some thought he might be drafted in the first round.[4] He joined a Cavaliers backcourt that was the worst in the league in scoring the previous season.

In his rookie season, Gibson averaged 4.6 points per game and led all rookies in three-point field goal percentage, shooting 41.9%. Daniel contributed in helping the Cleveland Cavaliers reach the NBA playoffs. Cavs coach Mike Brown gave Gibson his first place in the starting line-up on December 6, 2006, against the Toronto Raptors.[5] He finished the game with 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. Overall, Gibson started 16 games and averaged 8.8 points on 53.9% shooting in his starts.

Gibson had his first big playoff opportunity in game 3 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons. He scored 9 points, including two three-pointers. He also grabbed 2 rebounds, blocked 1 shot, and had an important steal from Tayshaun Prince late in the fourth quarter. He followed this in game 4, scoring 21 points, which came from only 6 field goal attempts. Gibson was also 12 of 12 from the free throw line.

In a closeout game vs Detroit in Game 6 June 2, 2007, Daniel Gibson had a monster game with 31 points (a career high), shooting 7 out of 9 FGs, 5 for 5 threes, and 12 out of 15 free throws to end the Detroit Pistons' summer and send the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.

Gibson was mentored in defensive skills by veteran teammate Eric Snow in the 2006-07 season.

In game one of the 2007 NBA Finals against the Spurs, Gibson shined off the bench, leading the team in scoring with Gibson scoring 16 points efficiently, on 7 of 9 shooting. The Cavs would go on to lose game one however 76-85.

In game two of the NBA Finals, Gibson had another solid game adding 15 points and overall being the second leading scorer behind LeBron James at this point while coming off the bench to Larry Hughes. Gibson played great basketball, being a great three point shooter, not turning the ball over and being effective overall.

His first start in the playoffs came in the third game of the 2007 NBA Finals, after an injury to Larry Hughes. Game 3 was one of the worst games of the entire playoffs for Gibson. He shot an atrocious 1 for 10, and 0 for 5 from three. Shots could not fall, and the Cavaliers lost game 3 too 0-3. He started the following game as well.

In the final game, game 4 of the 2007 NBA Finals, Daniel Gibson had a decent game, dropping 10 points to an eventual loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The series would be a sweep. He shot 4-10 from the field, and 2 for 6 from three. Daniel Gibson averaged 0 turnovers for the entire finals, and was the third leading scorer for the Cavaliers at 10.8 points per game behind Drew Gooden at 12.8 points a game. However, Daniel Gibson struggled defensively guarding Tony Parker who averaged 24.5 points a game and a finals MVP Trophy.

Gibson played in 58 games, starting 26 of those. He averaged 10.4 points, 2.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game. He scored a season-high 26 points on November 20, 2007 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Gibson had a career-high six three-pointers against the New York Knicks on November 2, 2007, and a career-high eight assists against the Washington Wizards on December 5, 2007. Gibson ranked fifth in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage, making 44.0% of his three-point attempts.[6] Gibson missed 18 games in February and March due to an ankle injury suffered when he and the Indiana Pacers' Travis Diener dove in the lane for a loose ball in the second quarter of a Cavs win over the Pacers.[7] He returned to action on March 29, 2008 against the Detroit Pistons, scoring only 1 point in 18 minutes.[8]

Gibson with the Cavs

In game 5 against the Boston Celtics, in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, Gibson separated his shoulder and missed the final two games;[9][10] the Cavaliers lost 4-3 in the series. Gibson said missing game 7 of the Boston series still haunts him: "I've had a lot of sleepless nights just wondering where I could have helped the team."[10]

Gibson was selected to participate in the Rookie Challenge (Sophomore team)[11] and the Three-point Shootout during the 2008 NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans.

During the first half of the Rookie Challenge, Gibson tied the record for total three-pointers made, despite not being a starter in the game. He later set the record in the second half with eleven total three-pointers, finishing the game shooting 11-20 from beyond the arc. Gibson was named MVP of the game, finishing with 33 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.[12]

Gibson finished in second place in the Three-point Shootout. He advanced to the final round by scoring 17 points in the first round, which tied him with Dirk Nowitzki for second place. In the final round, Gibson again scored 17 points, but it was not enough. Defending champion Jason Kapono tied the 22-year shootout record of 25 points for the victory.[13]

On June 10, 2008, Gibson had surgery on his ankle in Houston.[9] On July 16, 2008, the Cavaliers signed Gibson to a five-year, $21 million contract.[14]

On November 26, 2008, Gibson scored his 1,000th career point in the Cavs' game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.[15]