Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets Final Score & Over/Under Result — Jan 21, 2026

Cleveland's 94-87 victory over Charlotte was a slog from start to finish, with the Cavaliers grinding out a seven-point road win that landed well short of the market's expectations. The combined 181 points fell 57.5 below the pregame total of 238.5—DAGGER leaned under, and it cashed decisively.

The first quarter ignited both offenses, with 53 combined points setting the game's pace. Cleveland jumped ahead 33-20, but Charlotte steadied itself in the second, when the pace cratered: just 35 combined points in Q2 left the halftime combined total at 88. The second half opened with a burst—52 combined points in Q3—before both teams ground down again in the fourth, combining for only 41 points. That final descent sealed the under's fate. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 24 points and 6 assists, while Evan Mobley contributed 14 points and 14 rebounds. Charlotte's Brandon Miller matched Mitchell's 24 points and 4 rebounds, and Kon Knueppel added 21 points with 11 boards. The Hornets' recent form—118.5 scored per game over their last ten—proved prescient; this matchup played closer to Charlotte's defensive identity than to Cleveland's recent 120.6-point-per-game average. Their prior two meetings this season had totaled 271 and 230, making tonight's 181 a stark departure into defensive basketball.