CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- — Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points, Evan Mobley added 14 points and 14 rebounds and the Cleveland Cavaliers jumped out to 21-point first-quarter lead and held on to beat the Charlotte Hornets 94-87 Wednesday night for their fifth road win in the last six games.

Jaylon Tyson scored 14 points and Jarod Allen added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers, who held the Hornets to 32 points in the first half on 26% shooting.

Brandon Miller finished with 24 points and Kon Knueppel had 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead Charlotte, which made just 8 of 46 3-point attempts and was outrebounded 60-47.

The Cavs bolted to a big lead in the first quarter after making 11 of 15 shots from the field to open the game.

Cleveland's stifling on-ball pressure defense repeatedly forced Charlotte into uncharacteristic turnovers and hurried shots.

Mitchell set the tone for the Cavaliers with 14 points in the first half, and Cleveland's defense never allowed Charlotte to get into any rhythm in the first two quarters. The Hornets tied a season low with 12 points in the second quarter and trailed 56-32 lead at the break.

The Hornets got their transition game going in the third quarter and cut the lead to 12 points behind back-to-back alley-oop passes from LaMelo Ball to Miller. Charlotte cut its deficit to four with 13 seconds left on a 3-pointer by Miller and driving layup by Knueppel, but ran out of time.

Ball strategy backfires

Hornets coach Charles Lee again brought LaMelo Ball off the bench on the first night of a back-to-back in an effort to preserve his body, but the move backfired as the No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft had one of the worst nights of his career. Ball finished with four points on 1-of-15 shooting, going 0 of 10 from beyond the 3-point line.

Up next

Cavaliers: Host the Kings on Friday.

Hornets: Visit the Magic on Thursday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Jarrett Allen vs. Moussa Diabate (Sion James gains possession)	0	0
11:38	Brandon Miller misses 11-foot pullup jump shot	0	0
11:35	Jarrett Allen defensive rebound	0	0
11:29	Donovan Mitchell makes 9-foot driving floating jump shot	0	2
11:09	Miles Bridges misses 7-foot two point shot	0	2
11:07	Evan Mobley defensive rebound	0	2
10:58	Evan Mobley makes 6-foot two point shot	0	4
10:46	Jarrett Allen blocks Sion James 's 4-foot floating jump shot	0	4
10:43	Jarrett Allen defensive rebound	0	4
10:37	Jarrett Allen makes 1-foot alley oop dunk (Jaylon Tyson assists)	0	6
10:16	Kon Knueppel misses 13-foot step back jumpshot	0	6
10:13	Dean Wade defensive rebound	0	6
10:03	Donovan Mitchell misses 27-foot three point pullup jump shot	0	6
9:59	Jaylon Tyson offensive rebound	0	6
9:53	Evan Mobley makes 2-foot driving dunk (Dean Wade assists)	0	8
9:53	Hornets Full timeout	0	8
9:40	Moussa Diabate makes 6-foot driving floating jump shot	2	8
9:18	Jaylon Tyson makes 8-foot floating jump shot (Donovan Mitchell assists)	2	10
8:57	Kon Knueppel misses 25-foot three point jumper	2	10
8:54	Evan Mobley defensive rebound	2	10
8:47	Jaylon Tyson makes 26-foot three point jumper (Donovan Mitchell assists)	2	13
8:23	Brandon Miller misses 23-foot three point jumper	2	13
8:20	Dean Wade defensive rebound	2	13
8:07	Miles Bridges personal foul	2	13
8:07	LaMelo Ball enters the game for Sion James	2	13
8:00	Donovan Mitchell misses driving floating jump shot	2	13
7:57	LaMelo Ball defensive rebound	2	13
7:55	Jaylon Tyson shooting foul	2	13
7:55	Brandon Miller makes free throw 1 of 2	3	13
7:55	Brandon Miller makes free throw 2 of 2	4	13
7:34	Moussa Diabate shooting foul	4	13
7:34	Jarrett Allen makes free throw 1 of 2	4	14
7:34	Jarrett Allen makes free throw 2 of 2	4	15
7:11	Brandon Miller misses 10-foot pullup jump shot	4	15
7:08	Dean Wade defensive rebound	4	15
6:59	Donovan Mitchell makes driving layup	4	17
6:50	LaMelo Ball misses 22-foot three point jumper	4	17
6:48	Evan Mobley defensive rebound	4	17
6:41	Donovan Mitchell makes two point shot	4	19
6:41	Hornets Full timeout	4	19
6:41	Ryan Kalkbrenner enters the game for Kon Knueppel	4	19
6:41	Josh Green enters the game for Moussa Diabate	4	19
6:41	Craig Porter Jr. enters the game for Jarrett Allen	4	19
6:41	De'Andre Hunter enters the game for Donovan Mitchell	4	19
6:19	LaMelo Ball makes two point shot	6	19
6:10	Evan Mobley makes 2-foot two point shot	6	21
6:10	Ryan Kalkbrenner shooting foul	6	21
6:10	Nae'Qwan Tomlin enters the game for Dean Wade	6	21
6:10	Evan Mobley makes free throw 1 of 1	6	22
5:55	Brandon Miller bad pass turnover (Evan Mobley steals)	6	22
5:50	LaMelo Ball blocks Nae'Qwan Tomlin 's 2-foot running layup	6	22
5:48	Nae'Qwan Tomlin offensive rebound	6	22
5:44	De'Andre Hunter makes 26-foot three point jumper (Nae'Qwan Tomlin assists)	6	25
5:35	LaMelo Ball misses 28-foot three point pullup jump shot	6	25
5:32	Nae'Qwan Tomlin defensive rebound	6	25
5:27	De'Andre Hunter bad pass turnover (Brandon Miller steals)	6	25
5:22	Brandon Miller blocks De'Andre Hunter 's 28-foot three point jumper	6	25
5:21	Miles Bridges makes driving layup (LaMelo Ball assists)	8	25
5:21	De'Andre Hunter shooting foul	8	25
5:21	Miles Bridges misses free throw 1 of 1	8	25
5:17	Evan Mobley defensive rebound	8	25
5:09	Craig Porter Jr. makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot	8	28
4:57	LaMelo Ball misses 6-foot fade away jump shot	8	28
4:54	Jaylon Tyson defensive rebound	8	28
4:39	De'Andre Hunter misses 22-foot three point jumper	8	28
4:36	Nae'Qwan Tomlin offensive rebound	8	28
4:34	Jaylon Tyson misses 26-foot three point jumper	8	28
4:34	Hornets defensive team rebound	8	28
4:34	Grant Williams enters the game for Miles Bridges	8	28
4:23	Grant Williams misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	8	28
4:20	De'Andre Hunter personal foul	8	28
4:20	Jarrett Allen enters the game for Evan Mobley	8	28
4:20	Donovan Mitchell enters the game for Jaylon Tyson	8	28
4:12	Jarrett Allen blocks LaMelo Ball 's 1-foot driving layup	8	28
4:11	Ryan Kalkbrenner offensive rebound	8	28
4:11	Craig Porter Jr. blocks Ryan Kalkbrenner 's 8-foot hook shot	8	28
4:11	Hornets offensive team rebound	8	28
4:10	LaMelo Ball bad pass turnover (De'Andre Hunter steals)	8	28
4:05	De'Andre Hunter misses running pullup jump shot	8	28
4:02	Josh Green defensive rebound	8	28
3:51	Grant Williams offensive foul	8	28
3:51	Cavaliers Coach's Challenge	8	28
3:51	Grant Williams offensive foul turnover	8	28
3:51	(03:51) [Cavaliers] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL OVERTURNED) [Cavaliers] retain their timeout	8	28
3:51	Kon Knueppel enters the game for LaMelo Ball	8	28
3:51	Collin Sexton enters the game for Brandon Miller	8	28
3:34	Donovan Mitchell misses 17-foot pullup jump shot	8	28
3:24	Collin Sexton shooting foul	8	28
3:24	Hornets Full timeout	8	28
3:24	(03:24) [Hornets] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL STANDS) [Hornets] charged with a timeout	8	28
3:24	De'Andre Hunter makes free throw 1 of 2	8	29
3:24	De'Andre Hunter misses free throw 2 of 2	8	29
3:10	Kon Knueppel defensive rebound	8	29
3:07	Kon Knueppel misses driving layup	8	29
3:07	Ryan Kalkbrenner offensive rebound	8	29
3:07	Ryan Kalkbrenner makes tip shot	10	29
3:07	De'Andre Hunter shooting foul	10	29
3:07	Ryan Kalkbrenner makes free throw 1 of 1	11	29
2:54	De'Andre Hunter lost ball turnover (Josh Green steals)	11	29
2:49	Kon Knueppel makes running layup (Josh Green assists)	13	29
2:30	Craig Porter Jr. misses 22-foot three point jumper	13	29
2:25	Nae'Qwan Tomlin offensive rebound	13	29
2:25	Nae'Qwan Tomlin makes tip in dunk	13	31
2:14	Kon Knueppel makes 26-foot three pointer (Grant Williams assists)	16	31
1:58	Donovan Mitchell bad pass turnover (Grant Williams steals)	16	31
1:53	Kon Knueppel makes 1-foot layup (Grant Williams assists)	18	31
1:53	Cavaliers Full timeout	18	31
1:41	De'Andre Hunter misses 25-foot three point jumper	18	31
1:31	Grant Williams defensive rebound	18	31
1:27	Collin Sexton makes 3-foot driving floating jump shot	20	31
1:14	Nae'Qwan Tomlin misses 23-foot three point jumper	20	31
1:14	Cavaliers offensive team rebound	20	31
1:11	Nae'Qwan Tomlin misses 22-foot three point jumper	20	31
1:07	Collin Sexton defensive rebound	20	31
1:00	Collin Sexton misses 25-foot three point jumper	20	31
59.2	Donovan Mitchell defensive rebound	20	31
55.4	Josh Green personal foul	20	31
55.4	Donovan Mitchell makes free throw 1 of 2	20	32
55.4	Donovan Mitchell makes free throw 2 of 2	20	33
32.7	Kon Knueppel misses 24-foot three point step back jumpshot	20	33
28.9	Ryan Kalkbrenner offensive rebound	20	33
27.1	Craig Porter Jr. blocks Ryan Kalkbrenner 's 3-foot driving layup	20	33
24.2	De'Andre Hunter defensive rebound	20	33
3.2	Jarrett Allen misses 12-foot turnaround jump shot	20	33
3.1	Cavaliers offensive team rebound	20	33
3.0	shot clock turnover	20	33
2.6	Kon Knueppel misses 32-foot three point jumper	20	33
0.8	Cavaliers defensive team rebound	20	33
0.2	De'Andre Hunter misses heave jump shot	20	33
0.1	Cavaliers offensive team rebound	20	33
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	20	33

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Spectrum Center

Charlotte, NC

Date & Time

12:00 AM, January 22, 2026

Coverage

ESPN, FanDuel SN OH, FanDuel SN SE

Attendance

17,619

Referees

Sean Wright, J.B. DeRosa, Mousa Dagher

2025-26 Central Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Detroit	45	16	.738	L2
Cleveland	39	24	.619	W2
Milwaukee	26	35	.426	L4
Chicago	26	37	.413	W1
Indiana	15	48	.238	L8

2025-26 Southeast Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Miami	35	29	.547	W4
Orlando	33	28	.541	W2
Atlanta	32	31	.508	W5
Charlotte	32	32	.500	L1
Washington	16	46	.258	L7

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Mitchell scores 24 as Cavaliers use fast start to beat Hornets 94-87

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Ball strategy backfires

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