Game ID: 22500465
Phoenix Suns @ Cleveland Cavaliers
Wednesday, December 31, 2025 at 3:30 PM ET
Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
CLE 37 30 29 33 129PHX 21 33 35 24 113
CLE vs PHX ScoutingCLE vs PHX Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
CLE availability going into 12/23 · back-to-backOUT Mobley missed 4 since 12/14, out tonight
OUT Nance Jr. missed 10 since 11/30, out tonight
BACK Allen back 12/14 after 6, 25 min since (90% of 28)
BACK Merrill back 12/22 after 14, 26 min since (104% of 25)
BACK Proctor back 12/14 after 4, 11 min since (103% of 10)
CLE availability going into 12/25 · 1 day's restOUT Mobley missed 5 since 12/14, returns tonight: 25 min (77% of 33)
OUT Nance Jr. missed 11 since 11/30, out tonight
BACK Allen back 12/14 after 6, 25 min since (91% of 28)
BACK Merrill back 12/22 after 14, 26 min since (104% of 25)
BACK Proctor back 12/14 after 4, 10 min since (98% of 10)
NEW Bryant 11 to 18 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 12/27 · 1 day's restOUT Nance Jr. missed 12 since 11/30, out tonight
BACK Mobley back 12/25 after 5, 25 min since (77% of 33)
BACK Merrill back 12/22 after 14, 27 min since (108% of 25)
CLE availability going into 12/29 · 1 day's restOUT Tomlin missed 2 since 12/25, returns tonight: 5 min (37% of 14)
OUT Nance Jr. missed 13 since 11/30, out tonight
BACK Mobley back 12/25 after 5, 23 min since (69% of 33)
BACK Merrill back 12/22 after 14, 27 min since (107% of 25)
CLE availability going into 12/31 · 1 day's restOUT Nance Jr. missed 14 since 11/30, out tonight
BACK Mobley back 12/25 after 5, 25 min since (75% of 33)
BACK Merrill back 12/22 after 14, 26 min since (106% of 25)
BACK Tomlin back 12/29 after 2, 5 min since (37% of 14)
CLE availability going into 1/02 · 1 day's restOUT Ball missed 2 since 12/29, returns tonight: 15 min (71% of 21)
OUT Nance Jr. missed 15 since 11/30, out tonight
BACK Mobley back 12/25 after 5, 26 min since (79% of 33)
BACK Tomlin back 12/29 after 2, 9 min since (62% of 14)
CLE availability going into 1/04 · 1 day's restOUT Nance Jr. missed 16 since 11/30, out tonight
BACK Mobley back 12/25 after 5, 27 min since (83% of 33)
BACK Ball back 1/02 after 2, 15 min since (71% of 21)
BACK Tomlin back 12/29 after 2, 12 min since (84% of 14)
CLE availability going into 1/06 · 1 day's restOUT Wade missed 2 since 1/02, returns tonight: 8 min (38% of 22)
OUT Nance Jr. missed 17 since 11/30, out tonight
BACK Ball back 1/02 after 2, 12 min since (59% of 21)
BACK Tomlin back 12/29 after 2, 14 min since (95% of 14)
CLE availability going into 1/08 · 1 day's restOUT Nance Jr. missed 18 since 11/30, out tonight
OUT Proctor missed 2 since 1/04, out tonight
BACK Wade back 1/06 after 2, 8 min since (38% of 22)
BACK Ball back 1/02 after 2, 12 min since (59% of 21)
BACK Tomlin back 12/29 after 2, 15 min since (104% of 14)
NEW Porter Jr. 16 to 24 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 12/23 · 2 days' restOUT Allen missed 2 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Green missed 18 since 11/10, out tonight
OUT Fleming missed 3 since 12/14, returns tonight: 10 min (84% of 12)
BACK Booker back 12/14 after 3, 33 min since (97% of 34)
PHX availability going into 12/26 · 2 days' restOUT Allen missed 3 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Green missed 19 since 11/10, out tonight
BACK Booker back 12/14 after 3, 31 min since (93% of 34)
BACK Fleming back 12/23 after 3, 10 min since (84% of 12)
PHX availability going into 12/27 · back-to-backOUT Allen missed 4 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Green missed 20 since 11/10, out tonight
BACK Booker back 12/14 after 3, 32 min since (96% of 34)
BACK Fleming back 12/23 after 3, 10 min since (87% of 12)
NEW Gillespie 28 to 34 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 12/29 · 1 day's restOUT Allen missed 5 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Green missed 21 since 11/10, out tonight
BACK Fleming back 12/23 after 3, 12 min since (101% of 12)
PHX availability going into 12/31 · 1 day's restOUT Allen missed 6 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Green missed 22 since 11/10, out tonight
OUT Dunn missed 2 since 12/27, returns tonight: 19 min (103% of 19)
BACK Fleming back 12/23 after 3, 12 min since (101% of 12)
PHX availability going into 1/02 · 1 day's restOUT Allen missed 7 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Green missed 23 since 11/10, out tonight
BACK Dunn back 12/31 after 2, 19 min since (103% of 19)
BACK Fleming back 12/23 after 3, 10 min since (87% of 12)
PHX availability going into 1/04 · 1 day's restOUT Allen missed 8 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Green missed 24 since 11/10, out tonight
BACK Dunn back 12/31 after 2, 19 min since (99% of 19)
PHX availability going into 1/05 · back-to-backOUT Allen missed 9 since 12/18, returns tonight: 22 min (78% of 28)
OUT Green missed 25 since 11/10, out tonight
BACK Dunn back 12/31 after 2, 19 min since (103% of 19)
PHX availability going into 1/07 · 1 day's restOUT Green missed 26 since 11/10, out tonight
BACK Allen back 1/05 after 9, 22 min since (78% of 28)
BACK Dunn back 12/31 after 2, 19 min since (99% of 19)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 119, shooting 49 percent and 40 from three, 17 free throws a game; Mitchell at 23 and Garland at 17 a game. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 110, shooting 48 percent and 37 from three, 21 free throws a game; Booker at 26 and Brooks at 21 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Without Allen (6 straight), Green (22 straight), Dunn (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Phoenix has been plus-4 a night and Cleveland minus-4 and the defense, Phoenix allowing 110 a night to Cleveland's 119. Call it Cleveland 118, Phoenix 116, Phoenix keeping it close.
12/23 vs NOP 141-118 — CLE notes
CLE won 141-118. CLE shot 53% (56 of 105) to NOP's 46%, 20 of 49 from three, and got to the line 11 times to NOP's 25. Mitchell led with 27 (11 of 16, 2 of 6 from three); Merrill added 22, Tyson 18. The hinge was Q1, 32-22: from level to 10 ahead, and the lead reached 28. Hunter was the night's best plus/minus at +23.
12/25 @ NYK 124-126 — CLE notes
CLE lost 124-126. CLE shot 52% (45 of 86) to NYK's 47%, 15 of 34 from three. Mitchell led with 34 (12 of 25, 4 of 9 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); Garland added 20, Tyson 16. Q1 was theirs, 38-23, but the other 3 periods went 103-86 against them. They led by as many as 17.
12/27 @ HOU 100-117 — CLE notes
CLE lost 100-117. CLE took 8 more shots (96 to 88), fed by 15 offensive rebounds, but shot 43% to HOU's 49%, 11 of 36 from three, and got to the line 11 times to HOU's 21. Tyson led with 23 (10 of 20, 1 of 5 from three); Mitchell added 16, Merrill 13. Q4 was theirs, 37-27, the deficit cut from 27 to 17, but the other 3 periods went 90-63 against them. Garland's -32 in 24 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/29 @ SAS 113-101 — CLE notes
CLE won 113-101. CLE shot 43% (41 of 96) to SAS's 39%, 13 of 42 from three, and got to the line 20 times to SAS's 36. CLE turned it over 12 times to SAS's 18. Allen led with 27 (11 of 21, 5 of 7 at the line); Mobley added 16, Garland 15. The hinge was Q4, 37-23: CLE came in trailing by 2 and left it ahead by 12. CLE trailed 49-55 at the half and won the second half 64-46. Mitchell was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
12/31 vs PHX 129-113 — CLE notes
CLE won 129-113. CLE shot 50% (48 of 96) to PHX's 40%, 15 of 38 from three, and went to the line 22 times to PHX's 16 — 18 points from the stripe to their 14. Mitchell led with 34 (10 of 18, 4 of 7 from three, 10 of 12 at the line); Garland added 19, Tyson 18. The hinge was Q1, 37-21: from level to 16 ahead, and the lead reached 24. Allen was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
1/02 vs DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 115, shooting 48 percent and 37 from three, 17 free throws a game; Mitchell at 24 and Tyson at 17 a game. Without Ball (2 straight). One day's rest. Denver comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 125 a night and allowing 129, shooting 50 percent and 40 from three, 26 free throws a game; Jokić at 35 and Murray at 26 a game. Without Braun (22 straight), Johnson (4 straight), Gordon (18 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the defense, Cleveland allowing 115 a night to Denver's 129 and the line, where Denver takes 26 free throws a game to Cleveland's 17. Call it Cleveland 123, Denver 119, Denver keeping it close.
1/04 vs DET — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 113, shooting 47 percent and 37 from three, 19 free throws a game; Mitchell at 25 and Garland at 17 a game. That is 3 straight wins. One day's rest. Detroit comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 119, shooting 52 percent and 40 from three, 28 free throws a game; Cunningham at 27 and Duren at 16 a game. Without LeVert (2 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the line, where Detroit takes 28 free throws a game to Cleveland's 19. Call it Cleveland 118, Detroit 116, Detroit keeping it close.
1/06 @ IND — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Indiana comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 128, shooting 50 percent and 40 from three, 21 free throws a game; Siakam at 28 and Nembhard at 17 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. Without Toppin (33 straight), Isa. Jackson (7 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 111, shooting 46 percent and 35 from three, 20 free throws a game; Mitchell at 25 and Garland at 16 a game. Without Wade (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Cleveland allowing 111 a night to Indiana's 128 and the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-2 a night and Indiana minus-8. Call it Cleveland 119, Indiana 115, Indiana keeping it close.
1/08 @ MIN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 125 a night and allowing 110, shooting 51 percent and 34 from three, 24 free throws a game; Edwards at 29 and Randle at 19 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 110, shooting 48 percent and 36 from three, 22 free throws a game; Mitchell at 27 and Garland at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, Cleveland giving it away 16 times a game to Minnesota's 11. Call it Minnesota 119, Cleveland 113.
12/23 vs LAL 132-108 — PHX notes
PHX won 132-108. PHX shot 59% (50 of 85) to LAL's 48%, 14 of 34 from three, and got to the line 20 times to LAL's 29. Brooks led with 25 (10 of 15, 3 of 6 from three); Booker added 21, Williams 18. The hinge was Q3, 45-29: a lead of 10 became 26, and the lead reached 32. Gillespie was the night's best plus/minus at +23.
12/26 @ NOP 115-108 — PHX notes
PHX won 115-108. PHX shot 48% (44 of 91) to NOP's 44%, 8 of 40 from three, and got to the line 25 times to NOP's 42. PHX turned it over 17 times to NOP's 12, and NOP turned those into 10 steals. The glass went 52-38 for them. Booker led with 30 (10 of 16, 1 of 3 from three, 9 of 11 at the line); Williams added 24, Gillespie 16. The hinge was Q4, 34-28: a lead of 1 became 7. Booker was the night's best plus/minus at +21.
12/27 @ NOP 123-114 — PHX notes
PHX won 123-114. PHX shot 46% (45 of 98) to NOP's 44%, 20 of 44 from three, and got to the line 19 times to NOP's 33. The glass went 55-43 for them. Booker led with 20 (6 of 18, 3 of 9 from three, 5 of 8 at the line); Brooks added 18, Gillespie 17. The hinge was Q2, 33-22: PHX came in trailing by 1 and left it ahead by 10. Ighodaro was the night's best plus/minus at +16.
12/29 @ WAS 115-101 — PHX notes
PHX won 115-101. PHX shot 41% (41 of 101) to WAS's 46%, 17 of 40 from three. PHX turned it over 10 times to WAS's 15. Brooks led with 26 (8 of 20, 3 of 8 from three, 7 of 7 at the line); Gillespie added 25, Booker 22. The hinge was Q2, 39-31: PHX came in trailing by 1 and left it ahead by 7, and the lead reached 17. Ighodaro was the night's best plus/minus at +27.
12/31 @ CLE 113-129 — PHX notes
PHX lost 113-129. PHX took 9 more shots (105 to 96), fed by 19 offensive rebounds, but shot 40% to CLE's 50%, 15 of 36 from three, and got to the line 16 times to CLE's 22. Booker led with 32 (13 of 25, 2 of 4 from three); Brooks added 20, Bouyea 18. Q3 was theirs, 35-29, the deficit cut from 13 to 7, but the other 3 periods went 100-78 against them. Gillespie's -17 in 27 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/02 vs SAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 112, shooting 46 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Booker at 25 and Brooks at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. Without Allen (7 straight), Green (23 straight). One day's rest. Sacramento comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 124, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 19 free throws a game; DeRozan at 20 and Westbrook at 17 a game. That is 3 straight losses. Without LaVine (8 straight), Sabonis (20 straight), Plowden (22 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Phoenix has been plus-6 a night and Sacramento minus-3 and the defense, Phoenix allowing 112 a night to Sacramento's 124. Call it Phoenix 122, Sacramento 109, Phoenix by 13.
1/04 vs OKC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 111, shooting 46 percent and 36 from three, 21 free throws a game; Booker at 27 and Brooks at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. Without Allen (8 straight), Green (24 straight). One day's rest. OKC comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 125 a night and allowing 108, shooting 50 percent and 34 from three, 24 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 30 and Holmgren at 18 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Without Hartenstein (3 straight), J. Williams (9 straight). One day's rest.
So: OKC wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Phoenix has been plus-6 a night and OKC plus-1. Call it OKC 116, Phoenix 114, Phoenix keeping it close.
1/05 @ HOU — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 104, shooting 51 percent and 36 from three, 19 free throws a game; Durant at 28 and Thompson at 20 a game. It has won the glass by 15 a night. Without Adams (2 straight). One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 110, shooting 45 percent and 40 from three, 22 free throws a game; Booker at 26 and Brooks at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. Without Allen (9 straight), Green (25 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-15 a night and Phoenix plus-8 and the defense, Houston allowing 104 a night to Phoenix's 110. Call it Houston 117, Phoenix 110.
1/07 @ MEM — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Memphis comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 122, shooting 45 percent and 32 from three, 21 free throws a game; Morant at 26 and Jackson Jr. at 21 a game. Without Morant (2 straight), Mashack (6 straight), Prosper (4 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 107, shooting 44 percent and 37 from three, 21 free throws a game; Booker at 28 and Brooks at 20 a game. Without Green (26 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Phoenix allowing 107 a night to Memphis's 122 and the turnovers, Memphis giving it away 16 times a game to Phoenix's 12. Call it Phoenix 116, Memphis 114, Memphis keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
PHXCG C. Gillespie
DB D. Booker
DB D. Brooks
IL I. Livers
JB J. Bouyea
JG J. Goodwin
KM K. Maluach
MW M. Williams
NH N. Hayes-Davis
OI O. Ighodaro
RD R. Dunn
RF R. Fleming
RO R. O'Neale
CLECP C. Porter Jr.
DG D. Garland
DM D. Mitchell
DW D. Wade
EM E. Mobley
JA J. Allen
JT J. Tyson
NT N. Tomlin
SM S. Merrill
TB T. Bryant
TP T. Proctor
PHX/CLE the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Donovan Mitchell scores 34 points to propel Cavaliers to 129-113 victory over Suns
CLEVELAND -- — Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points, Darius Garland added 19 and the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away in the fourth quarter to defeat the Phoenix Suns 129-113 on Wednesday to snap their four-game winning streak.
It was Mitchell's 18th 30-point game this season, third-most in the league, after he had only 10 points in Monday night's win at San Antonio . The All-Star guard — fourth in the league in scoring at 29.7 points per game — was 10 of 18 from the field, including four 3-pointers, and also had 10 rebounds and seven assists in 30 minutes.
Jaylon Tyson had 18 points and Sam Merrill added 16. Evan Mobley (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Jarrett Allen (16 points, 11 rebounds) both had double-doubles.
Cleveland has won two straight and improved to 19-16 after going 7-7 in December.
Devin Booker led Phoenix with 32 points, including 20 in the third quarter as the Suns rallied from a 67-54 halftime deficit to get within two late in the quarter. Dillon Brooks had 20 points, all in the first half, and Collin Gillespie added 17.
After Phoenix got within 91-89 on a pair of free throws by Jordan Goodwin , the Cavaliers regained control with a 24-5 run as Mitchell scored eight points and Tyson added six. Cleveland was 10 of 13 from the field while Phoenix went 2 of 10.
Cleveland's largest lead was 24 points at 125-101 with less than four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Phoenix had an 8-5 lead before the Cavaliers scored 16 straight points, including four straight 3-pointers.
The Suns go into 2026 with a 19-14 record after going 7-5 in December.
Up next Suns: Host the Sacramento Kings on Friday.