If you're frantically checking your phone to see what is the score of the Cavs, you probably just missed one of the wildest regular-season finishes of the year. The Cleveland Cavaliers just wrapped up their road trip in Philadelphia on Friday night, January 16, 2026, and the final numbers are on the board: Cavaliers 117, 76ers 115.
Honestly, it looked like a loss for about 46 minutes.
The Cavs were down by 11 points in the fourth quarter. They were playing without Darius Garland, who’s dealing with a toe injury from earlier in the week. But then Jaylon Tyson decided he wasn't going to lose. The rookie went absolutely nuclear, dropping a career-high 39 points.
Jaylon Tyson and the 117-115 comeback
When you ask for the score, the numbers don't really tell the story of how Cleveland actually got there. The 76ers had this game in a stranglehold. Paul George hit a jumper with about nine minutes left that put Philly up 100-89. Most teams would've started thinking about the flight home at that point.
Cleveland didn't.
Instead, they went on a 13-2 run. De'Andre Hunter—who has been a sneaky good pickup for this rotation—hit a massive three-pointer to tie it up at 102. But the drama was just getting started. Tyrese Maxey, who is basically a human lightning bolt, hit a floater with 8.1 seconds left to tie the game at 115.
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The building was shaking.
Then came the play of the game. Out of a timeout, Tyson found Evan Mobley near the rim. Mobley hammered down a dunk with 4.8 seconds left to make it 117-115. Maxey tried a half-court heave at the buzzer, but it clanked off the back iron. Game over. Cleveland wins.
A quick look at the box score
Sometimes you just want the raw data. Here’s how the main guys performed in the 117-115 victory:
- Jaylon Tyson: 39 points (13-of-17 shooting), 5 rebounds, 4 assists.
- Evan Mobley: 15 points, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks, and the game-winning dunk.
- Donovan Mitchell: 13 points, 12 assists, 9 rebounds. He struggled with his shot but ran the offense like a vet.
- De'Andre Hunter: 16 points off the bench, including those huge fourth-quarter buckets.
On the other side, Joel Embiid did Embiid things, finishing with 33 points and 11 rebounds, while Maxey had 22. But it wasn't enough to stop the Cleveland momentum.
Where do the Cavs stand in the East?
With this win, the Cavaliers improve to 24-19 for the season. They are currently sitting in the 7th spot in the Eastern Conference. It’s a bit of a weird spot for them. Remember, last year they were the 1-seed with 64 wins.
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This season has been more of a grind.
The Central Division is surprisingly tough this year. The Detroit Pistons are actually leading the conference right now (yeah, you read that right), and Cleveland is chasing them. This win over Philly was massive because it keeps them within striking distance of the 4th and 5th seeds.
Recent momentum
Cleveland has been a bit of a roller coaster lately. They’ve basically been alternating wins and losses for the last two weeks. They lost a frustrating game to the Utah Jazz 123-112 on January 12, but then bounced back to sweep this two-game set against the 76ers.
Winning on the road in Philly twice in three days is no joke.
The defense, which was their calling card last season, has been a little leakier lately, giving up about 117 points per game. But when you have Donovan Mitchell and now a breakout star like Jaylon Tyson, you can usually outscore your problems.
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Why the score of the Cavs matters right now
We’re at that point in the NBA season where every game starts to feel a bit heavier. The "All-Star break is coming" fatigue is real. For Cleveland, staying above .500 while Darius Garland heals up is the only goal.
Coach Kenny Atkinson said after the game that Garland’s toe injury will be re-evaluated once the team gets back to Cleveland. Losing your primary playmaker usually kills a team's rhythm, but Craig Porter Jr. stepped into the starting lineup and held things together with 11 assists.
The depth of this roster is finally being tested, and so far, they’re passing.
What's next for Cleveland?
The Cavs are heading home to Rocket Arena. They have a big matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, January 19. That’s going to be a massive test. OKC is currently the best team in the West, and their pace is terrifying.
If you want to keep track of the Cavs' progress, keep an eye on these three things:
- The Health Report: Watch for updates on Garland’s toe and Sam Merrill’s hand sprain.
- The Tyson Factor: Is Jaylon Tyson actually this good, or was 39 points just a "heat of the moment" fluke? Teams will start scouting him much harder now.
- Home Stand: Cleveland has been much better at home (14-10) than on the road (9-9). This upcoming stretch at Rocket Arena is their chance to climb back into the top 4 of the East.
If you missed the live action, the final score of 117-115 is a pretty good indicator of how much heart this team still has. They don't quit, even when the stars are on the bench.
Check the local FanDuel Sports Network Ohio listings for the OKC game on Monday. If you're out of market, NBA League Pass is the move. Keep an eye on the standings, because the gap between the 3rd seed and the 8th seed in the East is basically a coin flip right now.