Look, if you’re frantically refreshing your phone to see the score of the Cleveland game, you’re probably looking for one of two things: the Cavs game happening tonight or what happened with the Browns as they wrapped up their season. It's Friday, January 16, 2026, and the sports vibe in the 216 is pretty chaotic right now.
Cleveland fans are used to the stress. It's basically our personality.
The Cavs are in Philly tonight
Right now, the most pressing "Cleveland game" is the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers. This is a big one. It’s a 7:00 PM EST tip-off at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. If you're looking for a live score right this second and it's before 7:00 PM, the score is 0-0 because they haven't started yet.
Once the clock hits 7:00 PM, you can find the live score on ESPN, or just keep an eye on the Bally Sports (or whatever they're calling it this week) regional broadcast.
The Cavs are walking into this game with a 23-19 record. They’re sitting at 7th in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia is just ahead of them at 5th. This is actually a revenge game for Philly because the Cavs just absolutely dismantled them two days ago, winning 133-107. Donovan Mitchell has been on a tear, dropping 35 points in that last meeting.
👉 See also: LeBron James Without Beard: Why the King Rarely Goes Clean Shaven Anymore
But there’s a catch. Darius Garland is still out with that nagging injury. It puts a ton of pressure on Spida and Evan Mobley. If you're betting, the 76ers are actually 1.5-point favorites tonight. Home court advantage in Philly is no joke, and they’re definitely salty about that 26-point blowout on Wednesday.
What about the Browns?
If you’re asking about the "Cleveland game" score because you missed the end of the NFL season, here is the deal. The Cleveland Browns beat the Cincinnati Bengals 20-18 on January 4th to close out their 2025-2026 season.
It was a weird one. Honestly, it was a classic AFC North rock fight. The Browns finished the season 5-12, which isn't exactly what anyone hoped for when the season kicked off back in September. But ending with a win over Cincy? We’ll take it.
The highlight of that game was Andre Szmyt hitting a 49-yard field goal as time expired. Absolute ice in his veins. Shedeur Sanders was under center for that finale—he had a tough day with 6 sacks, but he did enough to put them in position for the win.
✨ Don't miss: When is Georgia's next game: The 2026 Bulldog schedule and what to expect
Guardians News (Offseason Edition)
Obviously, there is no Guardians game score today. It’s January. It’s freezing. But the front office has been busy. Just yesterday, the Guardians signed a bunch of international free agents and minor league depth, including guys like Jhoseph Leta and Sebastian Espinoza.
They also traded for Franklin Gomez from the Mets. It’s not a "score" in the traditional sense, but if you’re tracking the win-loss record of the front office, they are clearly trying to bolster that bullpen that was so dominant during their 88-74 run last year.
Cleveland State Score Update
If you’re a college hoops fan, the Cleveland State Vikings played last night. It wasn't great. They lost to Green Bay 88-73. Tre Beard had 18 points, but they just couldn't stop Green Bay’s shooters. The Vikings led at halftime, but then things just sort of fell apart in the second half.
Why the Cavs game matters so much today
The Eastern Conference is basically a knife fight this year. 7th place and 5th place are separated by a single game. If the Cavs win tonight, they jump right into the thick of that top-6 conversation to avoid the play-in tournament.
🔗 Read more: Vince Carter Meme I Got One More: The Story Behind the Internet's Favorite Comeback
The 76ers have Tyrese Maxey playing huge minutes—over 38 minutes a game lately. He’s fast, he’s hungry, and he’s going to be a problem for the Cavs' perimeter defense without Garland there to chase him around.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Watch the Cavs: Tune into ESPN at 7:00 PM EST to see the live score.
- Betting Line: If you're into that, the Over/Under is sitting around 235.5. Both these teams have been scoring at a high clip lately.
- Draft Watch: For Browns fans, the season is over, so the "score" that matters now is the NFL Draft order. With a 5-12 record, Cleveland is looking at a top-10 pick.
- Guardians Spring Training: Only 36 days until the Guardians play the Reds in Goodyear, Arizona.
Basically, if it’s Friday night in January, your eyes should be on the Cavs. They are the only show in town that's currently meaningful. Check back around 9:30 PM EST for the final result of that Philly trip. Hopefully, Mitchell has another 30-piece in him.
Next Steps: You should check the injury report about 30 minutes before the 7:00 PM tip-off to see if there are any late scratches for the Cavs, as that usually swings the betting line significantly. If you want to follow the play-by-play, the NBA App is generally about 15 seconds faster than the TV broadcast.