CLEVELAND — Perhaps the underachieving Cavaliers need a Christmas miracle to get their act together. At the very least, they need their collective health to improve.
There were encouraging signs on the injury front when the Cavs played the first of their four games this week and beat the Charlotte Hornets 139-132 on Dec. 22. A home game Dec. 23 against the New Orleans Pelicans is next on the schedule, followed by a Christmas Day date with the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden and a Dec. 27 matchup at the Houston Rockets.
The Hornets (9-20) and Pelicans (8-22) are among the worst teams in the NBA. The Knicks (20-8) are second in the Eastern Conference standings, and Rockets (17-9) look like a contender in the West.
As for the Cavs (16-14), they have been a huge disappointment thus far, but they snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating the Hornets. Here is how the action unfolded through our updates:
Guard Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with a game-high 30 points. Point guard Darius Garland and wing De’Andre Hunter each added 27 points. Garland also had 10 assists. Forward Dean Wade led the Cavs with seven rebounds and scored 14 points.
Hornets guard LaMelo Ball scored a team-high 23 points. His brother, guard Lonzo Ball, gave the Cavs six points and seven assists.
The Cavs led by as many as 19 points. The Hornets cut the Cavs’ cushion to 135-124 when guard Josh Green drained a 3-pointer with 2:36 left to play. However, it was a case of too little, too late for Charlotte.
Both teams inserted backups in garbage time.
The Cavs have taken a commanding lead, and they needed to finally take care of business like this. They led the Hornets 131-112 after forward Dean Wade made a 3-pointer with 5:33 left in the fourth quarter.
At this point, Wade had gone 4-of-6 shooting on 3s, and the Cavs were 24 of 42 from deep. Twenty-four 3s is a season high for Cleveland.
Cavs point guard Darius Garland jumped while he passed the ball. Then his left foot landed on the right foot of Cavs center Jarrett Allen.
Garland hobbled to the bench during a timeout with 7:21 left in the fourth quarter and the Cavs leading 120-108. The good news for the Cavs is Garland remained in the game when play resumed.
Of course, Garland had offseason surgery on his left big toe.
Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson reflects on Darius Garland’s progress. Video
The Cavs’ Darius Garland has looked more like himself lately after undergoing offseason toe surgery. Coach Kenny Atkinson reflected on it. Video here.
The Cavs built their largest lead of the game to this point by going ahead 118-100 with 9:28 left in the fourth quarter.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by forward Dean Wade and small forward De’Andre Hunter compelled the Hornets to spend a timeout while facing an 18-point deficit.
Hunter had 27 points at this juncture, including eight in the early stages of the fourth quarter.
Cavs backup center Thomas Bryant provided a spark with eight points in the third quarter on 3-of-4 shooting from the field (2 of 3 on 3-pointers). Bryant had two points in the first half.
Donovan Mitchell had nine points in the third quarter, increasing his total to 27, which is being followed closely by fellow Cavs guard Darius Garland’s 25 points. Like Bryant, Garland had eight points in the third quarter.
The Cavs led the Hornets 104-95 at the end of the third quarter.
Bryant’s role increased after Cavs starting center Jarrett Allen picked up his fourth foul and checked out of the game with 9:55 left in the third quarter.
Cavs wing De’Andre Hunter reacts to bloody nose vs. Hornets. Video
Cleveland Cavaliers wing De’Andre Hunter reflects on taking an elbow to the nose and still helping the Cavs beat the Charlotte Hornets. Here’s video.
With 3:12 left in the third quarter, Cavs wing De’Andre Hunter was struck in the face by Hornets forward/center Moussa Diabate’s right elbow. Hunter walked to the locker room with medical personnel while holding a towel against his face. His nose appeared to absorb the contact.
Diabate was called for a foul during the play, and the officiating crew upgraded it to a Flagrant 1 after a replay review.
The review gave Hunter time to return to the floor and shoot two foul shots. He made them, giving the Cavs a 95-85 lead.
The Cavs retained possession, and Hunter’s revenge continued. He drained a 3-pointer on an assist from guard Lonzo Ball. The Cavs led 98-85 with 2:54 remaining.
Center Mason Plumlee won’t return to the game due to right groin soreness, the Hornets announced.
Plumlee left the court with 10:34 remaining in the third quarter (see more information below).
Cavs point guard Darius Garland has continued to trend in the right direction months after offseason toe surgery. Garland had five points through the first four minutes of the third quarter, brining his total to 22 in the game. He also had five rebounds, four assists and two steals. The encouraging performance comes on the heels of Garland scoring 35 points on Dec. 19 against the Chicago Bulls.
The Cavs led the Hornets 80-73 during a timeout with 7:53 left in the third quarter.
With 10:34 left in the third quarter, Hornets center Mason Plumlee had his hook shot blocked by Cavs center Jarrett Allen. Plumlee immediately fell to the floor in pain. After being helped up, Plumlee entered the tunnel leading to Charlotte’s locker room.
Plumlee had five points and five rebounds when he exited the action.
The Hornets had a foul to give, so they fouled All-NBA guard Donovan Mitchell with 4.7 seconds left in the second quarter.
The Cavs then inbounded the ball, with guard Sam Merrill finding Mitchell. Mitchell proceeded to work his way to the top of the key and drain a buzzer-beater 3-pointer over Hornets guard Sion James. The shot went off the glass and gave the Cavs a 70-63 lead at halftime.
Mitchell had 18 points to lead the Cavs in the first half, followed by point guard Darius Garland’s 17. Wing De’Andre Hunter had 12 points off the bench.
The Hornets were led by guard LaMelo Ball and rookie forward Kon Knueppel with 15 points apiece through two quarters.
Hornets rookie forward Kon Knueppel is giving the Cavs problems. He had 12 points, including seven in the second quarter, with 2:59 remaining in the first half.
The Cavs and Hornets were tied 57-57 at this period of the game.
Guard LaMelo Ball’s fourth successful 3-pointer of the game gave the Hornets a 47-41 lead and seemed to awaken the Cavs.
His brother, Cavs guard Lonzo Ball, answered with a 3 of his own. Then wing De’Andre Hunter made a 3, and forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin made a layup after center Jarrett Allen grabbed an offensive rebound to keep Cleveland’s possession alive.
The 8-0 run lifted the Cavs to a 49-47 edge and prompted the Hornets to use a timeout with 7:33 left in the second quarter.
It’s too early to know whether the Cavs will lay another egg, but they were behind the Hornets 36-33 at the end of the first quarter.
The Cavs led by as many as nine points in the opening quarter, but the Hornets finished it strong with a driving layup by forward Tidjane Salaun and a 3-pointer by forward Kon Knueppel.
Guard LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with nine points through the first quarter. Guards Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell paced the Cavs with eight points apiece.
The Cavs took a 31-22 lead when guard Sam Merrill registered a steal and assisted to wing De’Andre Hunter on a fast-break layup with 4:04 remaining in the opening quarter.
However, the Hornets responded with an 8-0 run. The Cavs used a timeout after guard Tre Mann drained a 3-pointer to cut Charlotte’s deficit to 31-30 with 2:43 left in the first quarter.
Mann’s 3 came moments after Merrill missed one. Merrill started his first game since Nov. 17 by going 0-of-2 shooting from the field, both on 3s.
The home crowd applauded when guard Sam Merrill checked into the game for the first time with 7:13 left in the first quarter.
It’s Merrill’s first action since he missed the past 14 games with a sprained right hand. Merrill and wing De’Andre Hunter were the first two Cavs players off the bench.
The Cavs and Hornets both started the game 5-of-7 shooting from the field, with Cleveland going 4 of 6 on 3-pointers and Charlotte 3 of 5 on 3s.
Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is apparently interested in earning more bragging rights against his brother because he made his first three 3s and led Charlotte at this early juncture with nine points.
The good news for the Cavs is point guard Darius Garland has continued to play with a pep in his step, which hasn’t always been the case with the two-time All-Star coming off offseason toe surgery. He and guard Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with eight points apiece at this stage.
Below is some pregame information.
The Cavs ruled out five players for their Dec. 22 game against the Hornets. They are forward Evan Mobley (left calf strain), small forward Max Strus (left foot surgery), forward/center Larry Nance Jr. (right calf strain), forward Chris Livingston (two-way contract) and forward Luke Travers (two-way contract).
All-NBA guard Donovan Mitchell is available to play after being listed as probable. He sat out with an illness as the Cavs lost 136-125 to the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 19 in Cleveland.
Guards Sam Merrill (right hand sprain) and Craig Porter Jr. (illness) are also available after being listed as probable to face the Hornets. Like Mitchell, Porter sat out Dec. 19 against the Bulls. Merrill has missed the past 14 games.
The Cavs announced they will start the following players against the Hornets:
Point guard Darius GarlandGuard Donovan MitchellSmall forward Jaylon TysonForward Dean WadeCenter Jarrett Allen
Darius Garland provides injury update after Cavs lose to Bulls. Video
Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland provides an update on his surgically repaired toe after scoring 35 points in a loss to the Bulls. Here’s video.
The Hornets ruled out center Ryan Kalkbrenner (left elbow sprain), guard Collin Sexton (left quadriceps strain), forward Grant Williams (right knee soreness), guard/forward Drew Peterson (two-way contract) and guard Antonio Reeves (two-way contract).
The Hornets listed guard LaMelo Ball (right wrist soreness) as available to play. He is the brother of Cavs guard Lonzo Ball.
Hornets forward Liam McNeeley (G League — on assignment) is also available to face the Cavs.
For the third time this season, the Cavs will use this season’s City Edition uniform and specially designed City Edition home court.
Here is how the Cavs explained in a news release the inspiration for their 2025-26 City Edition presentation:
“This year’s City Edition uniform inspires fans to reconnect with Cleveland’s culture and heritage through Nike’s NBA City Edition Remix campaign, where the iconic “Land” uniform returns with a bold, reimagined look. Building on the Cavaliers’ celebrated 2022-23 City Edition — which paid tribute to the Lake Erie coastline and Cleveland Metroparks’ 25,000 acres of protected greenspace, and introduced fans to “The Land” design — this year’s remix revives that story with fresh colors and details. Inspired by Cleveland Metroparks’ role as the guardian of Northeast Ohio’s natural beauty, the uniform captures the hues of Cleveland’s sunsets and fall foliage.”
The Cavs are scheduled to wear their City Edition uniforms three more times this season. These are the games:
7 p.m., Monday, Jan. 26 vs. Orlando Magic8 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 24 vs. New York Knicks8 p.m., Tuesday, March 24 vs. Orlando Magic
Peacock will stream the national TV broadcast of the Cavs-Hornets game on Dec. 22. The local TV broadcast can be viewed via FanDuel Sports Network — Ohio. The radio broadcast can be heard locally via WTAM (1100-AM) or WMMS (100.7-FM).
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.