The Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets match player stats told the story of a dominant first half from Cleveland as the Cavaliers traveled to Spectrum Center on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, tip-off at 7:00 PM ET, and walked away with a 94-87 victory — their fifth road win in six games.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets Match Player Stats: A Blazing Start from Cleveland
The game was effectively shaped in the opening quarter. Cleveland made 11 of their first 15 field attempts, bolting to a 21-point lead before Charlotte could establish any rhythm.
Donovan Mitchell set the tone early, scoring 14 of his game-high 24 points in the first half alone. Evan Mobley followed with a dominant double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds, controlling the paint on both ends. The Hornets were held to just 32 points in the first half on 26% shooting, with the second quarter producing a season-low 12 points for Charlotte.
Cleveland’s pressure defense disrupted Charlotte’s offensive sets throughout the opening two quarters, forcing turnovers and hurried attempts. The Cavaliers led 56-32 at halftime.
- Donovan Mitchell: 24 PTS — team-high, 14 in the first half
- Evan Mobley: 14 PTS, 14 REB — commanding double-double
- Jaylon Tyson: 14 PTS off the bench
- Jarod Allen: 13 PTS, 9 REB
- Cleveland shot 11-of-15 from the field in Q1
Cleveland Key Match Player Stats
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | FG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donovan Mitchell | 24 | 3 | 4 | 8-19 |
| Evan Mobley | 14 | 14 | 2 | 6-11 |
| Jaylon Tyson | 14 | 4 | 2 | 6-10 |
| Jarod Allen | 13 | 9 | 1 | 5-8 |
| De’Andre Hunter | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2-9 |
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets Match Player Stats: Charlotte’s Second-Half Charge
The Hornets did not fold after halftime. Charlotte got their transition game moving in the third quarter, with LaMelo Ball feeding Brandon Miller on back-to-back alley-oop passes to slice the deficit to 12 points.
Miller finished with 24 points and Kon Knueppel posted 21 points along with 11 rebounds to lead the Charlotte effort. With just 13 seconds left, a Miller three-pointer and a Knueppel driving layup cut the margin to four — but the Hornets ran out of time.
The LaMelo Ball subplot was one of the evening’s more notable storylines. Coach Charles Lee held Ball as a reserve on the first night of a back-to-back to preserve his body. The move backfired. Ball finished with four points on 1-of-15 shooting, going 0-for-10 from three-point range in one of the worst shooting nights of his career.
- Brandon Miller: 24 PTS — co-led Charlotte
- Kon Knueppel: 21 PTS, 11 REB — double-double
- LaMelo Ball: 4 PTS on 1-15 FG, 0-10 from three
- Charlotte outscored Cleveland 55-38 in the second half
- Hornets cut the lead to 4 with 13 seconds remaining
Charlotte Key Player Stats
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | FG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Miller | 24 | 5 | 1 | 9-20 |
| Kon Knueppel | 21 | 11 | 1 | 7-14 |
| LaMelo Ball | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1-15 |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | 7 | 6 | 0 | 3-5 |
| Collin Sexton | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3-7 |
Quarter-by-Quarter Timeline
| Quarter | CLE | CHA | CLE Lead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 33 | 20 | +13 |
| Q2 | 23 | 12 | +24 (HT: 56-32) |
| Q3 | 20 | 31 | +13 |
| Q4 | 18 | 24 | +7 |
| Final | 94 | 87 | CLE WIN |
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets Match Player Stats: Team Comparison
| Stat | Cleveland | Charlotte |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 94 | 87 |
| 3-Point FG | ~8-25 | 8-46 (17.4%) |
| Rebounds | 60 | 47 |
| Halftime Score | 56 | 32 |
| Q2 Points | 23 | 12 (season low) |
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets Match Player Stats: Final Verdict
Cleveland controlled this game from tip to final buzzer despite Charlotte’s spirited second-half fight. The Cavaliers’ suffocating first-quarter defense — forcing turnovers and badly timed shots — created a hole the Hornets could not fully escape.
Charlotte’s 8-of-46 three-point shooting and a 60-47 rebounding deficit sealed their fate. Mitchell’s efficiency and Mobley’s interior dominance proved too much to overcome.
- Cleveland improved to 25-20 on the season
- Charlotte fell to 16-28
- Fifth Cavaliers road win in six games
- Hornets outrebounded 60-47
- Next: Cleveland hosts Sacramento Kings on Friday; Charlotte visits Orlando Magic on Thursday