If you’re looking to catch a game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse right this second, you’re gonna be out of luck. The short answer is no, the Cleveland Cavaliers do not play tonight in Cleveland.
In fact, the team is currently traveling back home from a high-stakes trip to Philadelphia. If you see people in wine and gold jerseys wandering around downtown tonight, they’re probably just celebrating a massive win from last night rather than heading to the arena. Honestly, the Cavs are coming off one of the gutsiest performances we've seen all season, and they deserve a night off before the home crowd gets to see them again.
The current schedule: When is the next home game?
The Cavs aren't actually back on the court until Monday, January 19. That’s a big one—the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration. They’ll be hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder at 2:30 PM. It’s a matinee game, which always has a different kind of energy in the building.
If you were hoping to find do the cavs play tonight in cleveland because you had a free Saturday night, the arena is actually occupied by Disney On Ice: Jump In! instead of Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. It's a bit of a bummer if you wanted hoops, but that’s the reality of a multi-purpose downtown venue.
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The rest of the January home slate looks like this:
- January 19: vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2:30 PM)
- January 23: vs. Sacramento Kings (7:30 PM)
- January 26: vs. Orlando Magic (7:00 PM)
- January 28: vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7:00 PM)
What just happened in Philadelphia?
You might have missed it, but last night was basically a movie. The Cavs went into Philly short-handed—no Darius Garland (toe soreness) and no Sam Merrill (hand sprain). Things looked pretty bleak when they were down by 11 points in the fourth quarter.
But then, Jaylon Tyson happened.
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The rookie exploded for a career-high 39 points. It was one of those "where were you" moments for Cavs fans. To cap it all off, Evan Mobley threw down a game-winning dunk with just 4.8 seconds left on the clock to secure a 117-115 victory. They swept the two-game mini-series against the Sixers, which is huge for the Eastern Conference standings.
Donovan Mitchell didn't have his usual scoring night, but he was basically a point god, racking up 12 assists and 9 rebounds. It shows how this team is evolving; they don't just rely on one guy to bail them out anymore.
Why the schedule looks the way it does
NBA scheduling is a bit of a science and a bit of a mess. The league has been trying to reduce travel by doing these "series" where a team plays the same opponent twice in the same city. That’s why the Cavs were in Philly for most of the week.
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After a back-to-back or a heavy road stretch, the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) and team health protocols usually dictate these gap days. Plus, the logistics of flipping a stadium from a hockey rink or an ice show back to a basketball court take a solid 8 to 12 hours of manual labor.
Watching the Cavs from home
Even though there’s no game tonight, January 17, you can usually find the replays or the "Cavaliers Live" post-game breakdowns on FanDuel Sports Network (the channel formerly known as Bally Sports).
If you're a cord-cutter, the situation is still kinda annoying, but the FanDuel Sports Network app or NBA League Pass (if you're out of market) are your best bets. Local fans are still dealing with those blackout restrictions that we all love to hate.
Actionable steps for Cavs fans
Since there's no game tonight, here is how you should prep for the upcoming home stand:
- Check the Injury Report: Keep an eye on Darius Garland’s status. Coach Kenny Atkinson said he’d be re-evaluated once the team got back to Cleveland this weekend. If he’s out Monday, expect more heavy minutes for Lonzo Ball and Jaylon Tyson.
- Grab MLK Day Tickets Early: Because it's a 2:30 PM game on a holiday, tickets for the Thunder game are moving fast. Prices are hovering around $40-$50 for upper bowl, but they’ll spike by Monday morning.
- Download the Cavs App: If you’re going to the game on Monday, remember that Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is 100% cashless. You’ll need your digital tickets and a mobile wallet for those overpriced (but delicious) nachos.
- Watch the Jaylon Tyson Highlights: Seriously. If you haven't seen his 39-point outburst from Friday night, go find it on YouTube. It’ll make you feel a lot better about the team's depth while we wait for the starters to get healthy.
The Cavs are currently sitting at 24-19 after that win. The vibes in Cleveland are high, even if the lights are off at the FieldHouse tonight.