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ClippersDenver Nuggets @ Cleveland Cavaliers: Jan 2, 2026
Nuggets vs Cavaliers final: the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 113-108 on January 2, 2026 at Rocket Arena, Cleveland.
Score by Quarter
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuggets | 24 | 35 | 38 | 11 | 108 |
| Cavaliers | 28 | 34 | 26 | 25 | 113 |
Top Performers
Nuggets
- 34 PTS Jamal Murray
- 6 REB Jamal Murray
- 7 AST Jamal Murray
Cavaliers
- 33 PTS Donovan Mitchell
- 12 REB Jarrett Allen
- 8 AST Darius Garland
Nuggets vs Cavaliers Box Score
Denver Nuggets
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG | 3PT | FT | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Pickett G | 18 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4-5 | 1-2 | 0-0 | +2 |
| DaRon Holmes II FC | 24 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1-6 | 1-4 | 0-0 | +9 |
| Jamal Murray G | 38 | 34 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12-28 | 6-12 | 4-5 | +5 |
| Spencer Jones F | 36 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5-8 | 3-5 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Peyton Watson F | 40 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 9-22 | 2-9 | 1-2 | -4 |
| Bench | |||||||||||
| Zeke Nnaji FC | 23 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3-6 | 1-4 | 6-6 | -12 |
| Julian Strawther G | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -6 |
| Tim Hardaway Jr. GF | 28 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6-14 | 3-9 | 0-0 | -15 |
| Bruce Brown GF | 24 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0-4 | 0-2 | 0-0 | -4 |
Cleveland Cavaliers
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG | 3PT | FT | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evan Mobley F | 32 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4-10 | 0-2 | 0-5 | -9 |
| Jaylon Tyson F | 23 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3-8 | 1-4 | 1-2 | -8 |
| Donovan Mitchell G | 35 | 33 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 14-24 | 5-12 | 0-2 | +10 |
| Jarrett Allen C | 29 | 8 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3-5 | 0-0 | 2-2 | +12 |
| Darius Garland G | 32 | 18 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6-12 | 4-8 | 2-2 | -1 |
| Bench | |||||||||||
| De'Andre Hunter FG | 25 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5-12 | 2-7 | 4-4 | +1 |
| Tyrese Proctor G | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -3 |
| NaeQwan Tomlin F | 18 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2-5 | 0-1 | 2-2 | +6 |
| Lonzo Ball G | 14 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2-3 | 2-3 | 0-0 | +11 |
| Craig Porter G | 23 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-7 | 2-2 | 0-0 | +6 |
Nuggets vs Cavaliers Recap
Cleveland beat Denver 113-108 behind a dominant fourth quarter that erased a 9-point deficit. The Cavaliers improved to 20-16 and handed the Nuggets their second loss in three games at 23-11.
The Nuggets led 97-88 entering the fourth quarter after outscoring Cleveland 38-26 in the third. Cleveland scored 25 points in the final frame while Denver managed 11. The Cavaliers shot 43 of 86 from the field compared to Denver's 40 of 94, and Cleveland's 55 rebounds beat Denver's 32.
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 33 points. Jamal Murray topped Denver with 34 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds. Cleveland's 32 assists and superior ball movement proved decisive, as the Nuggets committed 8 turnovers to Cleveland's 16 but could not overcome the fourth-quarter collapse.
The number to know: 25. The Cavaliers scored 25 points in the fourth quarter, the margin between winning and losing a game they trailed by 9.
Team Stats
| Nuggets | Stat | Cavaliers |
|---|---|---|
| 40-94 | Field Goals | 43-86 |
| 42.6% | FG % | 50.0% |
| 17-47 | 3-Pointers | 16-39 |
| 36.2% | 3P % | 41.0% |
| 11-13 | Free Throws | 11-19 |
| 84.6% | FT % | 57.9% |
| 32 | Rebounds | 55 |
| 5 | Off. Rebounds | 14 |
| 26 | Assists | 32 |
| 8 | Steals | 6 |
| 3 | Blocks | 8 |
| 8 | Turnovers | 16 |
| 15 | Fouls | 18 |
| 11 | Biggest Lead | 9 |
Four Factors
| Team | Effective FG% | Turnover % | Off. rebound % | FT rate (FTM/FGA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Nuggets | 51.6% | 7.4% | 10.9% | 0.117 |
 Cavaliers | 59.3% | 14.5% | 34.1% | 0.128 |
Dean Oliver's four factors decide most games: shooting, turnovers, offensive rebounding and free throws. Better side highlighted.
Nuggets vs Cavaliers Game Info
- Date & time
- Friday, January 2, 20267:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM PT
- TV
- Local TV onlyLocal: Nuggets Altitude Sports · Cavaliers Rock Entertainment Sports Network
- Arena
- Rocket ArenaCleveland
- Season
- 2025-26 NBA SeasonRegular season
Nuggets vs Cavaliers Season Stats 2025-26
Regular-season averages; rank of 30 teams.
Recent Form & Head-to-Head
Nuggets last 5
- W @ Raptors 106-103 Dec 31, 2025
- L @ Heat 123-147 Dec 29, 2025
- L @ Magic 126-127 Dec 27, 2025
- W vs Timberwolves 142-138 Dec 25, 2025
- L @ Mavericks 130-131 Dec 23, 2025
Cavaliers last 5
- W vs Suns 129-113 Dec 31, 2025
- W @ Spurs 113-101 Dec 29, 2025
- L @ Rockets 100-117 Dec 27, 2025
- L @ Knicks 124-126 Dec 25, 2025
- W vs Pelicans 141-118 Dec 23, 2025
Previous meetings
- Feb 9, 2026 Cavaliers @ Nuggets 119-117
More NBA Games on Jan 2, 2026
- Final
San Antonio Spurs2-2123
Indiana Pacers2-2113Top: Fox 24 PTSBox score › - Final
Brooklyn Nets0-499
Washington Wizards2-2119Top: Champagnie 20 PTSBox score › - Final
Atlanta Hawks2-2111
New York Knicks1-399Top: Brunson 24 PTSBox score › - Final
Charlotte Hornets3-1121
Milwaukee Bucks1-3122Top: Antetokounmpo 30 PTS, 10 REBBox score › - Final
Portland Trail Blazers3-0122
New Orleans Pelicans0-3109Top: Williamson 35 PTSBox score › - Final
Orlando Magic1-2114
Chicago Bulls1-3121Top: Banchero 31 PTSBox score › - Final
Sacramento Kings0-4102
Phoenix Suns1-2129Top: Booker 33 PTSBox score › - Final
Oklahoma City Thunder4-0131Top: Gilgeous-Alexander 30 PTSBox score › - Final
Memphis Grizzlies4-0121
Los Angeles Lakers3-1128Top: Dončić 34 PTS, 8 ASTBox score ›
That covers Nuggets vs Cavaliers: score, leaders and box score above. Next: Nuggets visit the Pelicans Oct 28; Cavaliers host the Wizards Oct 28.
Nuggets vs Cavaliers FAQs
Who won Nuggets vs Cavaliers on Jan 2, 2026?
The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 113-108 on Friday, January 2, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 33 points.
What are the Nuggets and Cavaliers records?
After this game the Nuggets were 23-11 and the Cavaliers were 20-16 this season.
Who was the top scorer in Nuggets vs Cavaliers?
Jamal Murray scored 34 for the Nuggets. Donovan Mitchell scored 33 for the Cavaliers.
Who leads the Nuggets vs Cavaliers season series?
The Cavaliers lead the regular-season series 1-0 this season.
Who won the last Nuggets vs Cavaliers game?
The Cavaliers beat the Nuggets 119-117 on Feb 9, 2026 on the road.
Where was Nuggets vs Cavaliers played?
At Rocket Arena in Cleveland, the home arena of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
What was the score by quarter in Nuggets vs Cavaliers?
Nuggets-Cavaliers: Q1 24-28, Q2 35-34, Q3 38-26, Q4 11-25.
What is next for the Nuggets and Cavaliers?
Nuggets visit the Pelicans on Wednesday, October 28 at 8:00 PM ET; Cavaliers host the Wizards on Wednesday, October 28 at 7:00 PM ET.