Cavs Score: Cavaliers 118-113 Hornets, cavs score seals fourth straight win

The cavs score was 118-113 as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Charlotte Hornets on Feb. 20, 2026, a result that extended Cleveland's winning streak to four games in the James Harden era and came on the second night of a back-to-back. The margin and timing matter: Cleveland pushed its new-look rotation while Charlotte fielded a severely depleted lineup.

Cavs Score and game details

Cleveland closed the night with a 118-113 victory. The win followed an earlier strong performance against Brooklyn and continued a run that began after the team made a major trade at the deadline, inserting James Harden in place of Darius Garland. Fans have taken note of the new look and of Harden's presence, and the result added momentum to the Cavaliers' stretch of victories.

Hornets' depleted rotation

Charlotte showed its thinness up front and on the bench. The Hornets were missing four players for the game: Moussa Diabate, Grant Williams, Miles Bridges, and Coby White. Two of those absences stem from four-game suspensions handed down after an earlier altercation, leaving the frontcourt depth reduced to Ryan Kalkbrenner, PJ Hall, Tidjane Salaün, and Xavier Tillman Sr. The bench managed just 24 points for the Hornets, with Tidjane Salaün leading that group with 9 points. The limited reserve production and the absence of an explosive scorer off the bench were clear constraints for Charlotte in this matchup.

Harden era momentum and Cleveland depth

The Cavaliers carried forward the feel of their post-trade identity into this game. Cleveland entered the matchup having beaten Brooklyn, and with James Harden now in the backcourt the team has produced consecutive results that pushed the streak to four straight wins. The game came on the second night of a back-to-back, which highlights the Cavaliers' ability to sustain performance across a compressed schedule.

Three takeaways and outlook

• The Cavaliers built a winning streak that now stands at four straight games in the Harden era.
• The Hornets' missing players and limited bench scoring (24 points) were decisive factors in the close loss.
• Suspensions for two frontcourt players create at least a short-term depth challenge for Charlotte, affecting upcoming matchups.

Short-term indicators are concrete: Cleveland's run of wins and the insertion of Harden into the rotation have produced immediate results, while Charlotte faces a measurable shortfall in depth because of absences and suspensions. If those absences remain in place for the next several games, the Hornets will continue to rely on the listed frontcourt options and on reduced bench output. For Cleveland, the team will look to maintain its momentum across the condensed schedule; for Charlotte, returning players and regained bench scoring would be the clearest path back to the competitiveness it showed earlier in its recent 10-of-12 stretch.