Cleveland Cavaliers Look To Continue Good Stretch Against the Lowly Sacramento Kings

The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Sacramento Kings looking to continue their good form, where they have won eight of the last 12.

Jan 21, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward center Evan Mobley (4) drives past Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) during the first half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images | Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

It’s been widely said when the Cleveland Cavaliers run into a slither of good form, they have seemed to have found their rhythm.

However, ahead of their matchup with the Sacramento Kings tonight (Friday), they seemed to have found a groove. Winners of eight of their last 12 games, the Cavs have climbed to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings and are back in the playoff picture.

Coming off a 94-87 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, it was a win in which Donovan Mitchell poured in 24 points and Evan Mobley delivered a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. The Cavaliers built a commanding 27-point lead and held on despite a cold shooting night from beyond the arc.

The win came even though Cleveland missed 32 of its 40 three-point attempts and matched its season low in points. Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson credited a defensive-minded starting five, including Jarrett Allen, Dean Wade and Jaylon Tyson.

Mobley, the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, led the charge with three blocked shots and a steal, as he showed the league why he is one of the NBA’s elite defenders.

“We obviously put a defensive lineup out there to start, and I thought our defense made them uncomfortable,” Atkinson said. “Some of it is luck when teams miss shots, but I thought our pressure played a big role.”

Tyson, in his second season, continued his breakout year with 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists. His contributions have been especially important with Darius Garland sidelined until at least early February due to a right toe sprain.

Kings head to Cleveland in a slump ahead of a six-game road trip

Sacramento arrives in Cleveland looking to bounce back after losing three straight games at home.

The Kings fell to Portland, Miami and Toronto before beginning this six-game road trip, starting in Cleveland. Veteran Russell Westbrook has been a bright spot during the skid, averaging 22.7 points over the three losses.

Dylan Cardwell also made an impact, pulling down an average of 11.7 rebounds and recording seven blocks.

An undrafted rookie out of Auburn, Cardwell signed with Sacramento last summer and continues to carve out a role.

His career-high 13 rebounds against Toronto pushed his season average to 7.2 in 18 games—numbers that would rank him second among rookies if he met the league’s minimum games requirement.

At 12-33, Sacramento owns the league’s fourth-worst record and is just 3-17 on the road, better only than Indiana.