Game ID: 22500693
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Phoenix Suns
Friday, January 30, 2026 at 9:00 PM ET
Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, AZ
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
PHX 26 26 45 29 126CLE 25 22 32 34 113
CLE @ PHX ScoutingCLE @ 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.
PHX availability going into 1/23 · 2 days' restOUT Bouyea missed 9 since 1/05, out tonight
OUT Fleming missed 3 since 1/17, out tonight
BACK Green back 1/20 after 33, 20 min since (73% of 27)
PHX availability going into 1/25 · 1 day's restOUT Bouyea missed 10 since 1/05, returns tonight: 13 min (99% of 13)
OUT Fleming missed 4 since 1/17, returns tonight: 3 min (23% of 12)
BACK Green back 1/20 after 33, 12 min since (44% of 27)
PHX availability going into 1/27 · 1 day's restBACK Green back 1/20 after 33, 12 min since (44% of 27)
BACK Bouyea back 1/25 after 10, 13 min since (99% of 13)
BACK Fleming back 1/25 after 4, 3 min since (23% of 12)
PHX availability going into 1/29 · 1 day's restOUT Booker missed 2 since 1/25, out tonight
OUT Green missed 2 since 1/25, out tonight
BACK Bouyea back 1/25 after 10, 19 min since (143% of 13)
BACK Fleming back 1/25 after 4, 5 min since (44% of 12)
PHX availability going into 1/30 · back-to-backOUT Booker missed 3 since 1/25, out tonight
OUT Green missed 3 since 1/25, returns tonight: 16 min (57% of 27)
BACK Bouyea back 1/25 after 10, 19 min since (146% of 13)
BACK Fleming back 1/25 after 4, 4 min since (36% of 12)
PHX availability going into 2/01 · 1 day's restOUT Booker missed 4 since 1/25, out tonight
BACK Green back 1/30 after 3, 16 min since (57% of 27)
BACK Bouyea back 1/25 after 10, 20 min since (150% of 13)
BACK Fleming back 1/25 after 4, 5 min since (39% of 12)
PHX availability going into 2/03 · 1 day's restOUT Booker missed 5 since 1/25, out tonight
BACK Green back 1/30 after 3, 16 min since (57% of 27)
BACK Bouyea back 1/25 after 10, 18 min since (136% of 13)
BACK Fleming back 1/25 after 4, 4 min since (37% of 12)
PHX availability going into 2/05 · 1 day's restOUT Booker missed 6 since 1/25, out tonight
OUT Green missed 2 since 2/01, out tonight
NEW Allen 28 to 34 min over the last 5
NEW Bouyea 13 to 18 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 2/07 · 1 day's restOUT Booker missed 7 since 1/25, returns tonight: 32 min (95% of 34)
OUT Green missed 3 since 2/01, returns tonight: 17 min (61% of 27)
OUT Fleming missed 2 since 2/03, out tonight
CLE availability going into 1/23 · 1 day's restOUT Merrill missed 3 since 1/16, out tonight
BACK Wade back 1/19 after 5, 22 min since (97% of 22)
BACK Ball back 1/14 after 4, 10 min since (50% of 21)
BACK Nance Jr. back 1/14 after 21, 9 min since (72% of 12)
NEW Tyson 24 to 30 min over the last 5
NEW Tomlin 14 to 21 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 1/24 · back-to-backOUT Merrill missed 4 since 1/16, out tonight
OUT Ball missed 2 since 1/21, returns tonight: 25 min (118% of 21)
OUT Bryant missed 2 since 1/21, returns tonight: 10 min (91% of 11)
BACK Wade back 1/19 after 5, 24 min since (107% of 22)
BACK Nance Jr. back 1/14 after 21, 10 min since (85% of 12)
NEW Tyson 24 to 32 min over the last 5
NEW Tomlin 14 to 20 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 1/26 · 1 day's restOUT Merrill missed 5 since 1/16, out tonight
BACK Wade back 1/19 after 5, 24 min since (109% of 22)
BACK Ball back 1/24 after 2, 25 min since (118% of 21)
BACK Nance Jr. back 1/21 after 2, 13 min since (107% of 12)
BACK Bryant back 1/24 after 2, 10 min since (91% of 11)
NEW Tyson 24 to 34 min over the last 5
NEW Tomlin 14 to 21 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 1/28 · 1 day's restOUT Hunter missed 2 since 1/24, returns tonight: 21 min (80% of 26)
OUT Merrill missed 6 since 1/16, returns tonight: 24 min (96% of 25)
BACK Wade back 1/19 after 5, 25 min since (113% of 22)
BACK Ball back 1/24 after 2, 19 min since (93% of 21)
BACK Nance Jr. back 1/21 after 2, 11 min since (88% of 12)
BACK Bryant back 1/24 after 2, 10 min since (91% of 11)
NEW Tyson 24 to 33 min over the last 5
NEW Tomlin 14 to 22 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 1/30 · 1 day's restBACK Hunter back 1/28 after 2, 21 min since (80% of 26)
BACK Merrill back 1/28 after 6, 24 min since (96% of 25)
BACK Ball back 1/24 after 2, 17 min since (81% of 21)
BACK Nance Jr. back 1/21 after 2, 11 min since (90% of 12)
BACK Bryant back 1/24 after 2, 13 min since (119% of 11)
NEW Tyson 24 to 33 min over the last 5
NEW Tomlin 14 to 23 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 2/01 · 1 day's restOUT Mobley missed 2 since 1/28, out tonight
BACK Hunter back 1/28 after 2, 22 min since (84% of 26)
BACK Merrill back 1/28 after 6, 21 min since (86% of 25)
BACK Ball back 1/24 after 2, 19 min since (90% of 21)
BACK Bryant back 1/24 after 2, 17 min since (153% of 11)
NEW Tyson 24 to 32 min over the last 5
NEW Tomlin 14 to 23 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 2/04 · 2 days' restOUT Mobley missed 3 since 1/28, out tonight
BACK Hunter back 1/28 after 2, 22 min since (84% of 26)
BACK Merrill back 1/28 after 6, 24 min since (97% of 25)
BACK Ball back 1/24 after 2, 18 min since (88% of 21)
BACK Bryant back 1/24 after 2, 16 min since (145% of 11)
NEW Tyson 24 to 30 min over the last 5
NEW Tomlin 14 to 25 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 2/07 · 2 days' restOUT Mobley missed 4 since 1/28, out tonight
BACK Hunter back 1/28 after 2, 22 min since (84% of 26)
BACK Merrill back 1/28 after 6, 23 min since (94% of 25)
NEW Tomlin 14 to 24 min over the last 5
NEW Bryant 11 to 18 min over the last 4
CLE availability going into 2/09 · 1 day's restOUT Mobley missed 5 since 1/28, out tonight
BACK Hunter back 1/28 after 2, 22 min since (84% of 26)
BACK Merrill back 1/28 after 6, 23 min since (94% of 25)
NEW Porter Jr. 16 to 23 min over the last 4
NEW Tomlin 14 to 22 min over the last 5
NEW Bryant 11 to 17 min over the last 5
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 106, shooting 45 percent and 32 from three, 21 free throws a game; Brooks at 22 and Allen at 18 a game. Without Booker (3 straight), Green (3 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Cleveland comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 101, shooting 49 percent and 36 from three, 23 free throws a game; Mitchell at 33 and Mobley at 19 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 6 a night. One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-6 a night and Phoenix minus-2. Call it Cleveland 113, Phoenix 110, Phoenix keeping it close.
1/23 @ ATL 103-110 — PHX notes
PHX lost 103-110. PHX took 14 more shots (95 to 81), fed by 11 offensive rebounds, but shot 44% to ATL's 53%, 11 of 34 from three, and got to the line 9 times to ATL's 16. PHX turned it over 12 times to ATL's 21. Booker led with 31 (12 of 21, 5 of 9 from three); Gillespie added 16, Allen 16. Q3 was theirs, 32-20, turning a 5-point deficit into a 7-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 90-71 against them. O'Neale's -21 in 28 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/25 vs MIA 102-111 — PHX notes
PHX lost 102-111. PHX shot 37% (37 of 100) to MIA's 42%, 7 of 35 from three. Brooks led with 26 (11 of 23, 2 of 5 from three); Allen added 18, Gillespie 11. Q3 was theirs, 29-24, the deficit cut from 10 to 5, but the other 3 periods went 87-73 against them. Ighodaro's -25 in 17 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/27 vs BKN 106-102 — PHX notes
PHX won 106-102. PHX shot 56% (43 of 77) to BKN's 51%, 5 of 20 from three. PHX turned it over 15 times to BKN's 20. M. Williams led with 27 (13 of 16); Brooks added 26, Allen 18. The hinge was Q2, 32-22: PHX came in trailing by 1 and left it ahead by 9.
1/29 vs DET 114-96 — PHX notes
PHX won 114-96. PHX shot 47% (37 of 79) to DET's 43%, 16 of 42 from three, and went to the line 29 times to DET's 21 — 24 points from the stripe to their 16. PHX turned it over 15 times to DET's 9, and DET turned those into 8 steals. The glass went 47-37 for them. Brooks led with 40 (13 of 22, 4 of 7 from three, 10 of 12 at the line); Allen added 24, Gillespie 16. The hinge was Q2, 37-25: a lead of 4 became 16, and the lead reached 21. Goodwin was the night's best plus/minus at +21.
1/30 vs CLE 126-113 — PHX notes
PHX won 126-113. PHX shot 53% (45 of 85) to CLE's 46%, 23 of 48 from three, and went to the line 18 times to CLE's 11 — 13 points from the stripe to their 8. Brooks led with 27 (9 of 14, 2 of 4 from three, 7 of 8 at the line); Goodwin added 17, Gillespie 16. The hinge was Q3, 45-32: a lead of 5 became 18, and the lead reached 33. G. Allen was the night's best plus/minus at +24.
2/01 vs LAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 106, shooting 47 percent and 35 from three, 20 free throws a game; Brooks at 26 and Allen at 18 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Booker (4 straight). One day's rest. The Clippers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 111, shooting 49 percent and 38 from three, 22 free throws a game; Leonard at 24 and Harden at 20 a game. Without Jones Jr. (13 straight), Bogdanović (17 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the glass, where the Clippers have been plus-4 a night and Phoenix minus-0. Call it Phoenix 113, the Clippers 110, the Clippers keeping it close.
2/03 @ POR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Portland comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 102 a night and allowing 117, shooting 41 percent and 30 from three, 19 free throws a game; Sharpe at 21 and Grant at 13 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has won the glass by 4 a night. Without Henderson (50 straight), Murray (13 straight), Thybulle (45 straight). One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 108, shooting 44 percent and 37 from three, 22 free throws a game; Brooks at 28 and Allen at 19 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Booker (5 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Portland has been plus-4 a night and Phoenix minus-5 and the turnovers, Portland giving it away 19 times a game to Phoenix's 13. Call it Phoenix 113, Portland 110, Portland keeping it close.
2/05 vs GSW — 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 114 a night and allowing 111, shooting 48 percent and 42 from three, 20 free throws a game; Brooks at 25 and Allen at 20 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Booker (6 straight), Green (2 straight). One day's rest. Golden State comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 112, shooting 44 percent and 35 from three, 19 free throws a game; Ste. Curry at 25 and Moody at 16 a game. It has lost the glass by 9 a night. Without Cryer (4 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the arc, Phoenix at 42 percent from three to Golden State's 35 and the turnovers, Golden State giving it away 18 times a game to Phoenix's 13. Call it Phoenix 115, Golden State 111, Golden State keeping it close.
2/07 vs PHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 110, shooting 46 percent and 43 from three, 17 free throws a game; Brooks at 25 and Allen at 21 a game. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. Without Booker (7 straight), Green (3 straight). One day's rest. Philadelphia comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 110, shooting 49 percent and 37 from three, 24 free throws a game; Embiid at 34 and Maxey at 25 a game. Without George (4 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the arc, Phoenix at 43 percent from three to Philadelphia's 37 and the line, where Philadelphia takes 24 free throws a game to Phoenix's 17. Call it Phoenix 114, Philadelphia 113, Philadelphia keeping it close.
1/23 vs SAC 123-118 — CLE notes
CLE won 123-118. CLE shot 46% (44 of 96) to SAC's 47%, 13 of 36 from three. CLE turned it over 6 times to SAC's 11. Mitchell led with 33 (11 of 25, 5 of 12 from three, 6 of 7 at the line); Mobley added 29, Tyson 17. The hinge was Q3, 34-22: CLE came in trailing by 3 and left it ahead by 9. CLE trailed 68-71 at the half and won the second half 55-47. Wade was the night's best plus/minus at +21.
1/24 @ ORL 119-105 — CLE notes
CLE won 119-105. CLE shot 53% (43 of 81) to ORL's 41%, 15 of 34 from three, and got to the line 22 times to ORL's 32. Mitchell led with 36 (15 of 30, 2 of 8 from three); Tyson added 17, Mobley 13. The hinge was Q2, 30-25: a lead of 2 became 7, and the lead reached 18. Mitchell was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
1/26 vs ORL 114-98 — CLE notes
CLE won 114-98. CLE shot 53% (42 of 79) to ORL's 40%, 11 of 25 from three, and went to the line 27 times to ORL's 15 — 19 points from the stripe to their 11. Mitchell led with 45 (15 of 25, 5 of 8 from three, 10 of 12 at the line); Mobley added 20, Tyson 14. The hinge was Q2, 39-24: CLE came in trailing by 10 and left it ahead by 5, and the lead reached 16. Mitchell was the night's best plus/minus at +23.
1/28 vs LAL 129-99 — CLE notes
CLE won 129-99. CLE shot 53% (51 of 97) to LAL's 48%, 17 of 44 from three. CLE turned it over 8 times to LAL's 16. The glass went 46-36 for them. Mitchell led with 25 (9 of 21, 3 of 9 from three); Tyson added 20, Hunter 19. The hinge was Q3, 42-22: a lead of 2 became 22, and the lead reached 34. Merrill was the night's best plus/minus at +31.
1/30 @ PHX 113-126 — CLE notes
CLE lost 113-126. CLE took 12 more shots (97 to 85), fed by 16 offensive rebounds, but shot 46% to PHX's 53%, 15 of 48 from three, and got to the line 11 times to PHX's 18. Hunter led with 17 (7 of 15, 2 of 7 from three); Mitchell added 16, Tyson 16. Q4 was theirs, 34-29, the deficit cut from 18 to 13, but the other 3 periods went 97-79 against them. Tyson's -30 in 25 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/01 @ POR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Portland comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 105 a night and allowing 113, shooting 42 percent and 32 from three, 19 free throws a game; Sharpe at 23 and Avdija at 16 a game. That is 4 straight losses. It has won the glass by 4 a night. Without Henderson (49 straight), Murray (12 straight), Thybulle (44 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 109, shooting 50 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Mitchell at 31 and Mobley at 21 a game. Without Mobley (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, on the road, and the game turns on the turnovers, Portland giving it away 18 times a game to Cleveland's 13 and the arc, Cleveland at 38 percent from three to Portland's 32. Call it Cleveland 116, Portland 113, Portland keeping it close.
2/04 @ LAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 107, shooting 52 percent and 39 from three, 25 free throws a game; Leonard at 25 and Harden at 20 a game. They have won the glass by 6 a night. Without Jones Jr. (15 straight), Bogdanović (19 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 108, shooting 52 percent and 40 from three, 18 free throws a game; Mitchell at 27 and Allen at 17 a game. Without Mobley (3 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: The Clippers win, and the game turns on the line, where the Clippers take 25 free throws a game to Cleveland's 18 and the glass, where the Clippers have been plus-6 a night and Cleveland plus-1. Call it the Clippers 115, Cleveland 114, Cleveland keeping it close.
2/07 @ SAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Sacramento comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 117, shooting 45 percent and 32 from three, 25 free throws a game; DeRozan at 18 and LaVine at 17 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Murray (17 straight), McDermott (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 105, shooting 52 percent and 39 from three, 17 free throws a game; Mitchell at 26 and Allen at 18 a game. Without Mobley (4 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Cleveland wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Cleveland allowing 105 a night to Sacramento's 117 and the line, where Sacramento takes 25 free throws a game to Cleveland's 17. Call it Cleveland 119, Sacramento 111.
2/09 @ DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Denver comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 122, shooting 50 percent and 40 from three, 32 free throws a game; Murray at 26 and Jokić at 25 a game. Without Gordon (7 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 111, shooting 51 percent and 37 from three, 18 free throws a game; Mitchell at 24 and Allen at 22 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Mobley (5 straight). One day's rest.
So: Denver wins, and the game turns on the line, where Denver takes 32 free throws a game to Cleveland's 18 and the defense, Cleveland allowing 111 a night to Denver's 122. Call it Denver 120, Cleveland 119, Cleveland keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
CLEDH D. Hunter
DM D. Mitchell
DW D. Wade
JA J. Allen
JT J. Tyson
LB L. Ball
LN L. Nance Jr.
NT N. Tomlin
SM S. Merrill
TB T. Bryant
TP T. Proctor
PHXCG C. Gillespie
DB D. Brooks
GA G. Allen
IL I. Livers
JB J. Bouyea
JG J. Goodwin
JG J. Green
MW M. Williams
NH N. Hayes-Davis
OI O. Ighodaro
RD R. Dunn
RF R. Fleming
RO R. O'Neale
CLE/PHX 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
Suns sweep back-to-back, ending Cavaliers' winning streak at 5 with 126-113 victory
PHOENIX -- — Dillon Brooks scored 27 points and the Phoenix Suns beat Cleveland 126-113 on Friday night to sweep a back-to-back and end the Cavaliers' winning streak at a season-best five games.
On Thursday night against Detroit, the Suns gave out “Dillon the Villain” T-shirts before Brooks scored a career-high 40 points in a 114-96 victory. Phoenix has won three in a row with scoring leader Devin Booker sidelined by a sprained ankle.
Brooks was 9 of 14 from the field. He hit 2 of 4 3-pointers and 7 of 8 free throws. The Suns were 23 of 48 from 3-point range.
Jordan Goodwin added 17 points to help Phoenix improve to 30-19. Collin Gillespie had 16 points.
Jalen Green returned from a right hamstring injury to play only his fifth game of the season. Acquired from Houston in the deal that sent Kevin Durant to the Rockets, Green had 11 points in 15 1/2 minutes.
De’Andre Hunter led Cleveland with 17 points. Donovan Mitchell and Jaylon Tyson each had 16, with Mitchell committing eight turnovers.
The Suns outscored the Cavaliers 45-32 in the third quarter to take a 97-79 lead. Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson was ejected early in the fourth with his second technical foul of the night, and Phoenix pushed the lead to 30 at 109-79.
Phoenix led 52-47 at the half. Cleveland had 15 first-half turnovers.