NBA · Final

Cavaliers Edge Hornets in Close Contest

Wednesday, January 21, 2026, 7:00 PM ET · Spectrum Center

Cleveland Cavaliers 94, Charlotte Hornets 87, final. Our NBA picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.

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Quick answers

Who won Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets?

Cleveland Cavaliers beat Charlotte Hornets 94-87 at Spectrum Center on January 21, 2026.

Who was favored in Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets?

Cleveland Cavaliers were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -155 (about 61% implied). The favorite won.

The Cleveland Cavaliers secured a narrow victory over the Charlotte Hornets, winning 94-87 at the Spectrum Center. This game was significant as it marked the Cavaliers' continued dominance in their series against the Hornets, now leading 3-1 in their recent meetings. The Cavaliers have shown resilience throughout the season, currently holding a record of 25-20, while the Hornets sit at 16-28.

In their last ten games, the Hornets have maintained a balanced performance, achieving a record of 5-5. They recently snapped a two-game losing streak with a win against the Denver Nuggets, where they scored 110 points while allowing only 87. Their scoring average at home has been 118.5 points, while they have allowed an average of 108.1 points in the same span. However, their recent home record has been less favorable, with a 0-2 mark in their last two home games.

The Cavaliers, on the other hand, have had a mixed bag of results, with a record of 6-4 in their last ten games. They are averaging 120.6 points per game but have also been allowing 119.7 points. Their most recent match resulted in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, where they were outscored 136-104. Despite this setback, they have performed well on the road with a 3-1 record in their last four away games.

The matchup also highlighted the injury situation for the Hornets, with Brandon Miller and PJ Hall listed as day-to-day due to shoulder and ankle injuries, respectively. Their availability could have a significant impact on the team's performance moving forward.

The betting market reflected a competitive outlook for this game, with DraftKings setting the Cavaliers as 3.5-point favorites. The total points line was set at 238.5, indicating expectations for a high-scoring affair. The odds for the Cavaliers to win straight up were -155, while the Hornets were listed at +130.

As the game unfolded, the fourth quarter was particularly intense. Key moments included a driving layup from Kon Knueppel, which brought the Cavaliers to 91 points, and a crucial three-pointer from Brandon Miller that narrowed the gap to 85 points for the Hornets. Despite their efforts, the Hornets could not overcome the Cavaliers' lead, ultimately falling short.

Overall, this game showcased the Cavaliers' ability to grind out a win in a tightly contested matchup, while the Hornets will need to address their recent inconsistencies if they hope to improve their standing in the league.

Odds

Book	Spread	Total	Moneyline
DraftKings	CLE -3.5	238.5 o -105 / u -115	Cleveland Cavaliers -155 · Charlotte Hornets +130

What these prices pay on $100 · What these numbers mean

Injury report

Brandon MillerDay-To-DayShoulderCharlotte Hornets
PJ HallDay-To-DayAnkleCharlotte Hornets

Leaders

PointsBrandon Miller24Charlotte Hornets
AssistsLaMelo Ball7Charlotte Hornets
ReboundsKon Knueppel11Charlotte Hornets
PointsDonovan Mitchell24Cleveland Cavaliers
AssistsDonovan Mitchell6Cleveland Cavaliers
ReboundsEvan Mobley14Cleveland Cavaliers

Recent form

Charlotte Hornets

Last 10: 5-5Streak W1118.5 scored · 108.1 allowed per game0-2 at home

W110-87at Denver NuggetsJan 19
L116-136at Golden State WarriorsJan 18
W135-117at Los Angeles LakersJan 16
L109-117at LA ClippersJan 13
W150-95at Utah JazzJan 11
L112-114vs Indiana PacersJan 9
L96-97vs Toronto RaptorsJan 8
W124-97at Oklahoma City ThunderJan 6
W112-99at Chicago BullsJan 4
L121-122at Milwaukee BucksJan 3

Cleveland Cavaliers

Last 10: 6-4Streak L1120.6 scored · 119.7 allowed per game3-1 away

L104-136vs Oklahoma City ThunderJan 19
W117-115at Philadelphia 76ersJan 17
W133-107at Philadelphia 76ersJan 15
L112-123vs Utah JazzJan 13
W146-134vs Minnesota TimberwolvesJan 10
L122-131at Minnesota TimberwolvesJan 9
W120-116at Indiana PacersJan 7
L110-114vs Detroit PistonsJan 4
W113-108vs Denver NuggetsJan 3
W129-113vs Phoenix SunsDec 31

Standings

Team	Games behind	Lost	Streak	Win %	Won
Detroit	-	22	W3	.732	60
Cleveland	8	30	W1	.634	52
Milwaukee	28	50	L1	.390	32
Chicago	29	51	L2	.378	31
Indiana	41	63	L2	.232	19
Atlanta	-	36	L1	.561	46
Orlando	1	37	L1	.549	45
Charlotte	2	38	W1	.537	44
Miami	3	39	W2	.524	43
Washington	29	65	L10	.207	17

Box score

Stat	Cleveland Cavaliers	Charlotte Hornets
Field goals	34-87	33-98
Field goal %	39	34
Three-pointers	8-40	8-47
Three-point %	20	17
Free throws	18-24	13-18
Free throw %	75	72
Rebounds	60	47
Offensive rebounds	17	17
Defensive rebounds	43	30
Assists	20	20
Steals	6	12
Blocks	8	4
Turnovers	20	12
Team turnovers	1	1
Technical fouls	1	1
Technical fouls, total	1	1
Flagrant fouls	0	0
Points off turnovers	21	20
Fast-break points	9	26
Points in the paint	46	50
Fouls	21	23
Largest lead	27	0
Lead changes	0	0
Time in front	99	0

How the scoring went

3rd Quarter64-49Brandon Miller makes free throw 2 of 2
3rd Quarter66-49Nae'Qwan Tomlin makes dunk
3rd Quarter66-51Josh Green makes 8-foot floating jump shot (LaMelo Ball assists)
3rd Quarter67-51Evan Mobley makes free throw 1 of 2
3rd Quarter69-51Jaylon Tyson makes two point shot (Nae'Qwan Tomlin assists)
3rd Quarter69-53Brandon Miller makes 1-foot dunk (LaMelo Ball assists)
3rd Quarter69-55Brandon Miller makes 2-foot layup (LaMelo Ball assists)
3rd Quarter70-55Jarrett Allen makes free throw 2 of 2
3rd Quarter70-58Brandon Miller makes 26-foot three point jumper (Josh Green assists)
3rd Quarter72-58Donovan Mitchell makes 22-foot step back jumpshot (Craig Porter Jr. assists)
3rd Quarter72-60Brandon Miller makes 1-foot running dunk (LaMelo Ball assists)
3rd Quarter73-60Craig Porter Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2
3rd Quarter76-60Craig Porter Jr. makes 23-foot three point step back jumpshot (De'Andre Hunter assists)
3rd Quarter76-62Collin Sexton makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot
3rd Quarter76-63Josh Green makes free throw 1 of 2
3rd Quarter76-64Josh Green makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter76-67Josh Green makes 22-foot three point jumper (Grant Williams assists)
4th Quarter76-69Collin Sexton makes running layup
4th Quarter77-69Donovan Mitchell makes technical free throw
4th Quarter80-69Larry Nance Jr. makes 25-foot running jump shot (Jaylon Tyson assists)
4th Quarter80-71Kon Knueppel makes 5-foot floating jump shot
4th Quarter80-73Ryan Kalkbrenner makes 1-foot dunk (Grant Williams assists)
4th Quarter82-73Donovan Mitchell makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot
4th Quarter84-73Jaylon Tyson makes 2-foot layup (Donovan Mitchell assists)
4th Quarter86-73Jaylon Tyson makes 11-foot jump bank shot (Donovan Mitchell assists)
4th Quarter87-73Donovan Mitchell makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter88-73Donovan Mitchell makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter88-75Miles Bridges makes 2-foot running dunk (Brandon Miller assists)
4th Quarter88-77Kon Knueppel makes two point shot (Miles Bridges assists)
4th Quarter88-78Kon Knueppel makes free throw 1 of 1
4th Quarter89-78Donovan Mitchell makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter89-79Kon Knueppel makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter89-80Kon Knueppel makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter91-80Jaylon Tyson makes 1-foot running dunk (Dean Wade assists)
4th Quarter91-82Brandon Miller makes 2-foot two point shot (Kon Knueppel assists)
4th Quarter91-85Brandon Miller makes 27-foot three pointer
4th Quarter91-87Kon Knueppel makes driving layup
4th Quarter92-87Jaylon Tyson makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter93-87Jarrett Allen makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter94-87Jarrett Allen makes free throw 2 of 2