Cavaliers Vs Hornets: Cavs Win 118-113 in Tight Back-to-Back Test — Game Recap and Context

The Cavaliers 118-113 Hornets final score capped a closely contested meeting between two teams arriving on the second half of back-to-backs. The result matters because both clubs entered the night with clear momentum and fatigue narratives that shaped the matchup.

cavaliers vs hornets — how pregame rhythm shaped the outcome

The Cavs came into the contest having beaten the Nets at home and extended a winning streak to six games with that victory. Cleveland was able to rest key starters in the blowout over Brooklyn: Donovan Mitchell was limited to just over 20 minutes in that game, scoring 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting with 2-of-4 from three and sitting with a season scoring average of 29 points per game. That short minute load suggested he would be fresher than usual for this back-to-back scenario.

Charlotte arrived after a 105-101 home loss to the Rockets and had recently experienced a shift in form — the Hornets were coming off a nine-game winning streak but had suffered their second loss in three games. Oddsmakers had listed Charlotte as the home underdog for this meeting, setting expectations for a closely fought contest. Those pregame dynamics — Cleveland riding a short-rest advantage for its star and Charlotte coping with the end of a long winning run — help explain why a five-point margin separated the teams at the final horn.

What the scoreline reflected and what to watch next

The 118-113 final underscores a tight game where recent trends and short-term rest mattered. Cleveland’s prior decision to limit starter minutes the night before likely contributed to its ability to close out a one-possession game on the road. Charlotte’s recent stretch of wins followed by a couple of setbacks framed the Hornets as a team still fighting to regain the consistency they showed earlier in their nine-game run.

Matchup history also added texture: the Hornets had taken the first meeting between these clubs in overtime in Cleveland, but the Cavaliers had won the subsequent two matchups by seven points each. That sequence suggested a competitive series of games between the teams, and the 118-113 result continued that pattern of close finishes.

Key pregame indicators that aligned with the final result

• Cavaliers rested starters in a blowout win the night prior, with Donovan Mitchell limited to just over 20 minutes and producing a 17-point effort on efficient shooting.
• Mitchell’s season scoring profile — averaging 29 points per game and posting over 26. 5 in two-thirds of his games — made him a predictable factor in tight contests when available and rested.
• Hornets entered having lost 105-101 to the Rockets and coming off the end of a nine-game winning streak, making their recent form more volatile.
• Head-to-head history showed an initial Hornets overtime win in Cleveland, followed by two Cavaliers wins by seven points, framing the matchup as consistently close.
• Oddsmakers treating Charlotte as the home underdog highlighted expectations for a narrow game, which the 118-113 score validated.

Recent updates and the final score indicate a durable pattern: these teams continue to produce close games where small advantages — rest management, recent minute loads and short-term form — tip the balance. Details about individual performances in this specific 118-113 game beyond the final score are limited in the pregame context, so further statistical breakdowns will clarify which moments decided the outcome as box-score data becomes centralized.

For now, the Cavaliers leave with a road victory in a tight matchup, and the Hornets are left to regroup after a narrow defeat at home. Both clubs face short-term questions about rest, rotation management and how to convert narrow losses and wins into longer-term momentum.