The Sacramento Kings travel to Cleveland for an interconference matchup against the Cavaliers on Friday, January 23, 2026. The Kings, mired in a seven-game road losing streak and sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference, aim to snap a three-game skid overall amid a dismal season plagued by injuries and inconsistency. The Cavaliers, fifth in the Eastern Conference, look to build on a recent win and capitalize on their strong home form (14-9) against a struggling Sacramento squad. This is the first meeting between the teams this season; the Kings swept the series 2-0 last year with wins on March 19 (123-119 in Sacramento) and April 6 (120-113 in Cleveland).
Venue Location
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Cleveland, OH
Capacity: 19,432
(Opened in 1994 and renovated in 2019, this iconic arena is home to the Cavaliers and known for its electric atmosphere during playoff pushes and high-stakes games.)
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET (4:30 PM PT)
Broadcast: FanDuel Sports Network – Ohio (Cavaliers local), NBC Sports California (Kings local)
Radio: WTAM 1100 / WMMS 100.7 FM (Cleveland), Sactown Sports 1140 AM (Sacramento)
Streaming: NBA League Pass, Fubo (regional restrictions apply)
Injury Report
Injuries are impacting both teams, with Cleveland missing key backcourt players and Sacramento potentially without their star big man.
Sacramento Kings:
Keegan Murray (F): Out (Left ankle sprain)
Domantas Sabonis (C): Day-to-day (Knee; bone contusion – monitor closely as he’s missed recent games)
Daeqwon Plowden (G): Out (G League – Two-Way)
Isaiah Stevens (G): Out (G League – Two-Way)
If Sabonis sits, the Kings will rely on Alex Len or Orlando Robinson in the frontcourt, exacerbating their rebounding issues (ranked 26th in RPG).
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Darius Garland (PG): Out (Right great toe sprain)
Sam Merrill (G): Out (Right hand sprain)
Max Strus (SF): Out (Left foot; surgery – Jones fracture)
Chris Livingston (F): Out (G League – Two-Way)
Luke Travers (F): Out (G League – Two-Way)
The Cavs will lean on Donovan Mitchell for playmaking, with Ty Jerome or Craig Porter Jr. seeing expanded roles. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen remain healthy to dominate the paint.
Key Player Matchups
This game pits Sacramento’s guard-heavy offense against Cleveland’s elite frontcourt defense (No. 3 in opponent PPG). Without Garland and Strus, the Cavs’ perimeter D could be tested.
De’Aaron Fox (SAC) vs. Donovan Mitchell (CLE): A high-scoring guard duel. Fox (26.2 PPG, 5.8 APG) thrives in transition but faces Mitchell (28.4 PPG, 6.1 APG), who’s averaged 31.5 PPG over his last five. Mitchell’s two-way play could exploit Fox’s defensive lapses.
DeMar DeRozan (SAC) vs. Dean Wade/Isaac Okoro (CLE): DeRozan (22.1 PPG on 48.7% FG) uses mid-range mastery to score, but Cleveland’s wings (Wade’s length, Okoro’s athleticism) rank top-10 in defending isolations. DeRozan averages 24.0 PPG vs. Cavs historically.
Domantas Sabonis (SAC, if active) vs. Jarrett Allen/Evan Mobley (CLE): A battle of versatile bigs. Sabonis (19.8 PPG, 13.2 RPG, 8.1 APG in limited games) brings passing, but Cleveland’s duo (Allen: 13.4 PPG, 10.8 RPG; Mobley: 16.2 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.1 BPG) leads the league in paint protection (No. 2 in blocks).
Malik Monk (SAC) vs. Caris LeVert (CLE): Bench spark plugs. Monk (15.6 PPG, 42.1% 3PT) provides scoring off the pine, while LeVert (14.8 PPG) could match his energy in second units.
Other notes: Cleveland’s defense (No. 3 efficiency) stifles opponents under 108 PPG at home. Sacramento’s offense (29th in PPG) struggles without Sabonis, averaging just 104.8 PPG recently.
Team Rankings
| Category | Kings Rank (League) | Cavaliers Rank (League) |
| Points Per Game | 104.8 (29th) | 112.5 (20th) |
| Opponent PPG | 115.1 (25th) | 107.3 (3rd) |
| Rebounds Per Game | 42.3 (26th) | 46.8 (10th) |
| Assists Per Game | 22.9 (24th) | 25.4 (15th) |
| Field Goal % | 44.1% (28th) | 46.2% (17th) |
| 3-Point % | 34.2% (23rd) | 35.8% (12th) |
Recent Team Forms
Cleveland has been competitive despite injuries, while Sacramento’s form reflects their season-long struggles.
Sacramento Kings (Last 10 Games: 2-8)
The Kings have lost eight of their last 10, including a 109-122 home defeat to Toronto (Jan. 21). Wins came against weaker foes like Washington (128-115 on Jan. 18), but they’ve averaged just 104.8 PPG while allowing 117.1.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score | Key Performer |
| Jan. 21 | vs. TOR | L | 109-122 | Fox: 28 PTS, 7 AST |
| Jan. 18 | vs. WAS | W | 128-115 | DeRozan: 26 PTS |
| Jan. 16 | @ NOP | L | 113-116 | Monk: 22 PTS |
| Jan. 14 | vs. CHA | W | 112-109 | Fox: 31 PTS |
| Jan. 12 | vs. LAL | L | 112-124 | DeRozan: 24 PTS |
| Jan. 11 | vs. HOU | L | 101-112 | Fox: 25 PTS |
| Jan. 9 | @ POR | L | 110-117 | Monk: 20 PTS |
| Jan. 7 | @ LAC | L | 98-121 | DeRozan: 18 PTS |
| Jan. 5 | vs. MEM | L | 105-112 | Fox: 27 PTS |
| Jan. 3 | @ DAL | L | 99-119 | Monk: 19 PTS |
Cleveland Cavaliers (Last 10 Games: 6-4)
The Cavs have won six of their last 10, including a 94-87 road win over Charlotte (Jan. 21). They’ve held opponents to 107.3 PPG, with standout wins like 146-134 over Minnesota (Jan. 10).
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score | Key Performer |
| Jan. 21 | @ CHA | W | 94-87 | Mitchell: 24 PTS, 6 AST |
| Jan. 19 | vs. OKC | L | 104-136 | Mobley: 18 PTS, 12 REB |
| Jan. 16 | @ PHI | W | 117-115 | Mitchell: 29 PTS |
| Jan. 14 | @ PHI | W | 133-107 | Allen: 20 PTS, 14 REB |
| Jan. 10 | vs. MIN | W | 146-134 | Mitchell: 28 PTS |
| Jan. 6 | @ IND | W | 120-116 | Mitchell: 31 PTS |
| Jan. 4 | vs. DET | L | 110-114 | Mobley: 22 PTS, 11 REB |
| Jan. 2 | vs. DEN | W | 113-108 | Mitchell: 27 PTS |
| Dec. 31 | @ UTA | L | 112-123 | Allen: 15 PTS, 13 REB |
| Dec. 29 | vs. IND | L | 116-120 | Mitchell: 30 PTS |
Series History
Sacramento holds a slight all-time edge (67-62 in 129 regular-season meetings), but Cleveland has won 9 of the last 15 overall. The Kings swept last season’s series 2-0, both close games. Trends: The over has hit in 6 of the last 10 meetings, averaging 232.4 points.
| Date | Location | Result | Score | Spread Covered? |
| Apr. 6, 2025 | Cleveland | SAC Win | 120-113 | SAC +9.5 |
| Mar. 19, 2025 | Sacramento | SAC Win | 123-119 | SAC +6.0 |
| Feb. 5, 2024 | Cleveland | CLE Win | 136-110 | CLE -4.5 |
| Nov. 13, 2023 | Sacramento | SAC Win | 132-120 | SAC -1.0 |
| Dec. 9, 2022 | Cleveland | CLE Win | 106-95 | SAC +5.5 (No) |
Betting Trends
Against the Spread (ATS): Kings 19-23-3 (45.2% cover rate); Cavaliers 17-28 (37.8% cover rate). Sacramento is 3-7 ATS in last 10, while Cleveland is 4-6 ATS. Over/Under (O/U): Kings games hit over 17-28 (37.8%); Cavaliers 18-27 (40%). Last 10 Cavs games average 229.8 points, trending under in 7 of 10.
Moneyline (ML): Cavaliers 20-9 as favorites (69% win rate); Kings 4-18 as underdogs. Cleveland is 14-9 straight-up at home. Recent Trends: Kings 0-7 straight-up on road last 7; 2-8 ATS last 10 overall. Cavaliers 6-4 straight-up last 10; 15-8 ATS vs. sub-.500 teams. The under is 7-3 in Cleveland’s last 10 home games.
Cleveland’s home strength (14-9) and defensive edge give them an 82% win probability (per models). Sacramento’s road woes (3-17) and potential Sabonis absence seal this. The Cavs win by 12+ in simulations; they’ve covered similar spreads vs. weak offenses (e.g., +26 vs. SAC last meeting). Kings are 3-7 ATS on road. Cleveland’s top-3 defense holds foes under 108 PPG at home; Kings average 104.8 PPG recently. Last 5 meetings averaged 231 points, trending under.
Game Odds
Sacramento Kings 233.5
Cleveland Cavaliers – 11.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, January 22, 2026
