Denver NuggetsOpen full analysis
Cleveland CavaliersOpen full analysis
The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Denver Nuggets 113–108 on January 2, 2026, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, with Donovan Mitchell's 33 points leading the hosts past Jamal Murray's 34-point effort. Cleveland's balanced attack featured Darius Garland adding 18 points while the team shot 50 percent from the field and connected on 16 three-pointers, controlling the second quarter with 34 points to establish early separation. Denver's Murray was prolific, but the Nuggets' third-quarter explosion—38 points—proved insufficient after a fourth-quarter collapse where they managed just 11 points, their offensive rating dropping to 105.1 compared to Cleveland's 117.3. The Cavaliers' defensive rating of 105.1 proved decisive, and their 55 rebounds to Denver's 32 represented a significant rebounding advantage that limited second-chance opportunities for the visitors. The combined 221 points fell short of the 240.5 Vegas total. Cleveland's defensive lockdown in the final frame underscores their ability to execute in crunch time, positioning them favorably in the Eastern Conference race.
