- Matchup: Denver Nuggets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
- Date: Friday, January 2, 2026
- Venue: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
- Broadcast: FanDuel Sports Network
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The Cleveland Cavaliers (17-16) aim to seize victory against the Denver Nuggets (22-9) at Rocket Arena this Friday.
In their previous outing, the Nuggets faced the Magic and suffered a narrow defeat, finishing 127-126. Denver recorded 23 personal fouls while Orlando tallied 25. From beyond the arc, the Nuggets converted 10 of 29 attempts. The Magic ended the game shooting 67.6% from the free-throw line, successfully making 25 of 37 attempts. Orlando grabbed 35 rebounds (9 offensive, 26 defensive) and achieved 3 blocks, along with 32 assists and 8 steals. On defense, Denver allowed their opponents to shoot 51.7% from the field, permitting 46 baskets out of 89 attempts. The Nuggets managed 27 assists and forced 6 turnovers while securing 5 steals. They registered a total of 49 rebounds, including 15 offensive grabs. At the charity stripe, the Nuggets converted 27 out of 30 free throws, boasting a 90% success rate. Denver finished the game with a shooting percentage of 51.2% (44 out of 86) and hit 11 of 29 from three-point territory.
Nikola Jokic played a pivotal role in this match-up. Jokic logged 38 minutes, finishing with 21 rebounds and 12 assists while shooting 50.0% from the field. He accumulated a total of 34 points on 11 of 22 shooting.
The Nuggets enter this game with a strong 22-9 record for the season, averaging 125.8 points per game, placing them first in the league. With an impressive shooting percentage of 51.3% from the field and 40.7% from beyond the arc (438 of 1,076), they also maintain an outstanding free-throw percentage of 82.7%. The team records an average of 44.3 rebounds and sits 5th in the league with a total of 922 assists this season. They turn the ball over 13.5 times per game while committing an average of 19.4 fouls per contest.
Defensively, the Nuggets cause 12.5 turnovers per game and commit 21.8 fouls. They currently rank 18th in the league for defensive assists allowed, with 846 conceded this season. The Denver defense permits a shooting percentage of 47.2% and allows 41.1 rebounds per game, while they hold opponents to 34.7% from three-point range. They rank 20th in points allowed, with their opponents scoring an average of 117.5 points per game.
In their prior contest, the Cavaliers fell 117-100 against the Rockets. The Cavaliers allowed Houston to secure 51 total rebounds, including 18 offensive boards. Cleveland shot 45.7% from three-point land, hitting 16 of their 35 attempts. They also finished with 15 of 21 from the free-throw line, achieving a 71.4% success rate. Defensively, the Cavaliers limited Houston to 43 successful field goals out of 88 attempts (48.9%). Cleveland managed 41 baskets out of 96 attempts, resulting in a shooting percentage of 42.7%. They were able to make 11 of 36 from three-point range (30.6%) and converted only 7 of their free throws for a conversion rate of 63.6%. The Cavaliers forced 15 turnovers and obtained 10 steals, while securing 42 rebounds overall (27 defensive and 15 offensive).
Jaylon Tyson was a standout for the Cavaliers in this matchup, scoring 23 points in 30 minutes of action, with a shooting accuracy of 50.0% (10 of 20) while also claiming 15 rebounds.
Cleveland holds a record of 17-16 this season. The team averages 21.1 personal fouls per game and maintains a free-throw percentage of 78.0%. They distribute assists at a rate of 27.6 per game, ranking 9th in the NBA, while committing 13.9 turnovers per game. The Cavaliers have scored a total of 3,945 points this season (119.5 per game) and average 44.4 rebounds per outing. Their offensive efficiency is marked by a 46.4% shooting rate, placing them 19th in the league.
Defensively, the Cavaliers allow 38.0% shooting from three-point range, with opponents converting 79.3% at the free-throw line. They allow an average of 27.3 assists and 45.3 total rebounds per game, ranking them 19th and 20th in these categories, respectively. The Cavs are rank 21st in points allowed per game with an average of 117.8, yet they force 16.2 turnovers per game and allow opponents to shoot 46.8% from the floor (ranked 14th in the league).
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s NBA game against the spread?
Pick: Bet on Denver
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