Game ID: 22500456
Cleveland Cavaliers @ San Antonio Spurs
Monday, December 29, 2025 at 8:00 PM ET
Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
SAS 26 29 23 23 101CLE 25 24 27 37 113
CLE @ SAS ScoutingCLE @ SAS 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.
SAS availability going into 12/21 · 1 day's restBACK Castle back 12/08 after 9, 25 min since (80% of 31)
BACK Wembanyama back 12/18 after 12, 19 min since (64% of 30)
NEW Kornet 19 to 25 min over the last 4
SAS availability going into 12/23 · 1 day's restBACK Wembanyama back 12/18 after 12, 20 min since (66% of 30)
NEW Kornet 19 to 25 min over the last 4
SAS availability going into 12/25 · 1 day's restOUT Sochan missed 2 since 12/21, returns tonight: 1 min (9% of 13)
BACK Wembanyama back 12/18 after 12, 21 min since (68% of 30)
SAS availability going into 12/27 · 1 day's restBACK Wembanyama back 12/18 after 12, 22 min since (72% of 30)
BACK Sochan back 12/25 after 2, 1 min since (9% of 13)
SAS availability going into 12/29 · 1 day's restBACK Sochan back 12/25 after 2, 3 min since (27% of 13)
SAS availability going into 12/31 · 1 day's restBACK Sochan back 12/25 after 2, 3 min since (27% of 13)
SAS availability going into 1/02 · 1 day's restOUT Sochan missed 2 since 12/29, out tonight
SAS availability going into 1/03 · back-to-backOUT Vassell missed 2 since 12/31, out tonight
OUT Sochan missed 3 since 12/29, out tonight
SAS availability going into 1/06 · 2 days' restOUT Vassell missed 3 since 12/31, out tonight
OUT Wembanyama missed 2 since 1/02, returns tonight: 21 min (69% of 30)
OUT Sochan missed 4 since 12/29, returns tonight: 14 min (112% of 13)
NEW Kornet 19 to 25 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 12/22 · 2 days' restOUT Mobley missed 3 since 12/14, out tonight
OUT Merrill missed 14 since 11/19, returns tonight: 26 min (104% of 25)
OUT Nance Jr. missed 9 since 11/30, out tonight
BACK Allen back 12/14 after 6, 27 min since (97% of 28)
BACK Proctor back 12/14 after 4, 13 min since (129% of 10)
NEW Tyson 24 to 32 min over the last 5
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)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 110, shooting 49 percent and 34 from three, 23 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 21 and Castle at 20 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 126, shooting 50 percent and 42 from three, 17 free throws a game; Mitchell at 27 and Garland at 21 a game. One day's rest.
So: San Antonio wins, and the game turns on the glass, where San Antonio has been plus-8 a night and Cleveland minus-3 and the defense, San Antonio allowing 110 a night to Cleveland's 126. Call it San Antonio 123, Cleveland 116.
12/21 @ WAS 124-113 — SAS notes
SAS won 124-113. SAS shot 41% (43 of 104) to WAS's 44%, 13 of 41 from three, and went to the line 32 times to WAS's 24 — 25 points from the stripe to their 18. The glass went 61-43 for them. Fox led with 27 (10 of 19, 5 of 7 from three); Kornet added 20, Castle 18. The hinge was Q2, 43-21: SAS came in trailing by 2 and left it ahead by 20, and the lead reached 24. Kornet was the night's best plus/minus at +13.
12/23 vs OKC 130-110 — SAS notes
SAS won 130-110. SAS shot 57% (48 of 84) to OKC's 54%, 16 of 36 from three, and went to the line 24 times to OKC's 7 — 18 points from the stripe to their 6. Johnson led with 25 (10 of 16, 5 of 9 from three); Castle added 24, Barnes 20. The hinge was Q4, 43-28: a lead of 5 became 20. SAS trailed 58-60 at the half and won the second half 72-50. Fox was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
12/25 @ OKC 117-102 — SAS notes
SAS won 117-102. SAS shot 54% (45 of 84) to OKC's 39%, 11 of 29 from three. SAS turned it over 12 times to OKC's 7. Fox led with 29 (12 of 19, 3 of 4 from three); Castle added 19, Wembanyama 19. The hinge was Q3, 26-19: a lead of 9 became 16. Champagnie was the night's best plus/minus at +16.
12/27 vs UTA 114-127 — SAS notes
SAS lost 114-127. SAS took 16 more shots (99 to 83), fed by 15 offensive rebounds, but shot 43% to UTA's 54%, 10 of 44 from three. Wembanyama led with 32 (12 of 21, 0 of 4 from three, 8 of 8 at the line); Johnson added 27, Castle 20. Q1 was theirs, 40-32, but the other 3 periods went 95-74 against them. They led by as many as 11. Castle's -30 in 33 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/29 vs CLE 101-113 — SAS notes
SAS lost 101-113. SAS shot 39% (32 of 83) to CLE's 43%, 7 of 31 from three, and went to the line 36 times to CLE's 20 — 30 points from the stripe to their 18. SAS turned it over 18 times to CLE's 12, and CLE turned those into 12 steals. Wembanyama led with 26 (7 of 16, 2 of 6 from three, 10 of 12 at the line); Castle added 15, Fox 14. Q2 was theirs, 29-24, but the other 3 periods went 89-72 against them. They led by as many as 11. Castle's -17 in 34 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/31 vs NYK — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 113, shooting 46 percent and 31 from three, 27 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 21 and Castle at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. One day's rest. New York comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 123, shooting 47 percent and 44 from three, 22 free throws a game; Brunson at 36 and Towns at 20 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Hart (2 straight), Shamet (16 straight). One day's rest.
So: San Antonio wins, and the game turns on the arc, New York at 44 percent from three to San Antonio's 31 and the defense, San Antonio allowing 113 a night to New York's 123. Call it San Antonio 120, New York 116, New York keeping it close.
1/02 @ 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 112 a night and allowing 126, shooting 47 percent and 37 from three, 24 free throws a game; Siakam at 22 and Mathurin at 18 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 10 a night. Without Toppin (31 straight), Isa. Jackson (5 straight). One day's rest. San Antonio comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 117, shooting 48 percent and 33 from three, 28 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 24 and Fox at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. One day's rest.
So: San Antonio wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where San Antonio has been plus-4 a night and Indiana minus-10 and the defense, San Antonio allowing 117 a night to Indiana's 126. Call it San Antonio 120, Indiana 115.
1/03 vs POR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 117, shooting 46 percent and 29 from three, 29 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 27 and Fox at 23 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Without Vassell (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Portland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 116, shooting 45 percent and 38 from three, 22 free throws a game; Avdija at 26 and Sharpe at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. Without Holiday (23 straight), Grant (8 straight), Henderson (35 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: San Antonio wins, and the game turns on the arc, Portland at 38 percent from three to San Antonio's 29 and the line, where San Antonio takes 29 free throws a game to Portland's 22. Call it San Antonio 120, Portland 114.
1/06 @ 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 122 a night and allowing 121, shooting 47 percent and 32 from three, 25 free throws a game; Morant at 24 and Jackson Jr. at 22 a game. That is 4 straight losses. Without Williams Jr. (8 straight), Mashack (5 straight), Prosper (3 straight). One day's rest. San Antonio comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 120, shooting 44 percent and 28 from three, 30 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 30 and Fox at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. Without Vassell (3 straight), Wembanyama (2 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Memphis wins, and the game turns on the glass, where San Antonio has been plus-6 a night and Memphis minus-3. Call it Memphis 119, San Antonio 118, San Antonio keeping it close.
12/22 vs CHA 139-132 — CLE notes
CLE won 139-132. CLE shot 55% (48 of 87) to CHA's 49%, 24 of 44 from three, and got to the line 19 times to CHA's 25. CLE turned it over 13 times to CHA's 19. The glass went 30-44 against them. Mitchell led with 30 (10 of 18, 6 of 11 from three); Garland added 27, Hunter 27. The hinge was Q2, 37-27: CLE came in trailing by 3 and left it ahead by 7, and the lead reached 19. Wade was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
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 — 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.
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.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
SASCB C. Bryant
DF D. Fox
DH D. Harper
DV D. Vassell
HB H. Barnes
JC J. Champagnie
KJ K. Johnson
LK L. Kornet
SC S. Castle
VW V. Wembanyama
CLECP C. Porter Jr.
DG D. Garland
DH D. Hunter
DM D. Mitchell
DW D. Wade
EM E. Mobley
JA J. Allen
JT J. Tyson
NT N. Tomlin
SM S. Merrill
SAS/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
SAN ANTONIO -- — Jarrett Allen had 27 points and 10 rebounds and the Cleveland Cavaliers held on to beat Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs 113-101 on Monday night.
Cleveland had seven players score in double figures. Evan Mobley scored 16 points and Darius Garland added 15 points and 11 assists.
Wembanyama had 26 points and 14 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season for the Spurs, who have lost two straight after winning eight consecutive games.
Stephon Castle scored 15 points for the Spurs and De'Aaron Fox 14 added points after a one-game absence due to tightness in his left adductor.
Both teams were coming off disappointing losses on Saturday, but the Cavaliers responded by snapping a two-game skid.
San Antonio had an eight-game winning streak ended in a 127-114 loss to Utah . Cleveland fell behind by 37 points on the way to a 117-100 loss to Houston .
The Cavaliers trailed by eight points in the third quarter before rallying in the fourth quarter against the Spurs.
Jaylen Tyson hit consecutive 3-pointers to give Cleveland an 87-82 lead two minutes into the final quarter. The lead swelled to 94-84 and the Spurs failed to rally as they did in the first half.
Cleveland took its first double-digit lead at 22-12 on a four-point play by De'Andre Hunter following a Luke Kornet foul on his 3-pointer in the right corner.
Hunter finished with 11 points and Kornet had 10.
Allen shot 6 for 12 while scoring 12 points in the first half, including a pair of buckets he blindly tossed behind him and off the backboard.
The Cavaliers held an early lead, but Wembanyama dazzled the sell-out crowd.
Castle threw the ball off the backboard and Wembanyama came flying through the lane to throw down a two-handed dunk three minutes into the game. Wembanyama later drained a 25-foot, 3-pointer off one foot in the final minute of the first quarter to give San Antonio a 26-25 lead.