Evan Mobley and the Cavaliers are up on the Hornets as AWS Rivals Week 2026 continues on ESPN.
What we know ahead of Wednesday’s games:
AWS Rivals Week 2026 continues tonight with an ESPN doubleheader. We’ve got Cavaliers-Hornets (7 ET) and Thunder-Bucks (9:30 ET), boasting battles between the Ball brothers and SGA and Giannis.
Kon Knueppel, who will feature in the first of our national television contests, stands at the top of the latest Kia Rookie Ladder.
Jaylen Brown is probable. Zion Williamson is questionable. Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein are out.
JANUARY 21, 2026 // 9:33 ET
Cut to space
Jaylon Tyson is a skilled play finisher for the Cavaliers, who have reasserted control over the Hornets late.
🤝 A pair of big JT buckets! #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/W8jeZBRAvR
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) January 22, 2026
JANUARY 21, 2026 // 9:17 ET
Hornets rallying on ESPN
The Hornets have it cut it to 80-73 with 8:08 to go in the fourth quarter on a Ryan Kalkbrenner dunk set up by a slick drop-off pass from Grant Williams.
Get hyped and get to ESPN!
JANUARY 21, 2026 // 8:59 ET
Ja Morant dancing
An Iverson moment on this Wednesday evening.
Masterful handles.
Pure jumper.
Ja and the Grizzlies are tied with the Hawks in Q2… Tap to watch: https://t.co/ukQjAmD4rg pic.twitter.com/Q1gDMl0uZN
— NBA (@NBA) January 22, 2026
JANUARY 21, 2026 // 8:40 ET
Knicks rolling over Nets
60-38 at the half in the battle of New York City. Jalen Brunson (12 pts) and Karl-Anthony Towns (10 pts, 2 3PM) have it going.
SPLASHHHH ☔️ pic.twitter.com/R78NO23ZID
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 22, 2026
JANUARY 21, 2026 // 8:10 ET
Cavaliers have the Hornets on lock down
The Cavs held the Hornets to 26 percent shooting in the first half, leading to a 56-32 advantage. Evan Mobley’s fired up tonight.
Spin. SLAM.
Evan Mobley finished the first half with a double-double (13 PTS, 11 REB) as the Cavs hold a commanding lead on ESPN!
Tap to watch: https://t.co/2XKECqNhlI pic.twitter.com/409p0qNInA
— NBA (@NBA) January 22, 2026
JANUARY 21, 2026 // 7:50 ET
JB at work
Jaylen’s averaging 32.2 ppg against the Pacers over his last five games. Will he surpass that tonight?
All JB knows is tough buckets 💪🏾 pic.twitter.com/AyMHSaTPRZ
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 22, 2026
JANUARY 21, 2026 // 7:20 ET
Allen to the rafters
Starting off Cavs-Hornets with a bang. The Cavaliers have opened the game on a 19-4 run, including this alley-oop to Jarrett Allen.
Surge up for the swat.
Ascend up for the alley-oop.
Jarrett Allen with a splendid sequence as we are underway in Charlotte! pic.twitter.com/kB6iwVnkBR
— NBA (@NBA) January 22, 2026
JANUARY 21, 2026 // 6:00 ET
The Celtics and Pacers, fresh off a thriller, continue a budding rivalry
On Jan. 12, the Pacers defeated the Celtics 98-96 on a floater from Pascal Siakam, adding a new layer to an often-spirited struggle between Eastern Conference foes.
Since the beginning of the 2023-24 season, the Celtics and Pacers have split their last 10 contests, with each team winning five games.
That doesn’t include the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals, which the Celtics won in four close games, including Jaylen Brown’s dramatic game-tying 3-pointer to take Game 1 to overtime.
These teams have been going back-and-forth for years, based on similar principles of open, flowing offense, strong rim protection and talented isolation scorers.
Pascal Siakam and Brown win one-on-one matchups with skilled midrange games and strength; Andrew Nembhard and Derrick White are two of the best two-way guards in the league; Jay Huff and Neemias Queta provide stalwart rim protection on small contracts.
Both team boast benches full of two-way prospects, allowing them to fire 3-pointers while maintaining defensive structure.
Tune in to see the next chapter between two of the historic powers in the East at 7:30 ET tonight on League Pass, as well as the the NBA Strategy Stream.
The Pacers head to Boston to take on the Celtics in tonight’s NBA Strategy Stream powered by AWS!
Join @NateDuncanNBA and @DannyLeroux as they go beyond the box score to break down the schemes, metrics, and moves that change the game at 7:30pm/et on the NBA App.
➡️… pic.twitter.com/NJGFGW81iW
— NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2026
JANUARY 21, 2026 // 5:30 ET
Welcome to an eight-game night in the NBA!
LaMelo Ball’s Hornets host Lonzo Ball’s Cavaliers to continue AWS Rivals Week 2026 at 7 ET on ESPN.
AWS Rivals Week 2026 continues tonight with an ESPN doubleheader featuring a battle between LaMelo and Lonzo Ball, as the Hornets host the Cavaliers (7 ET) and a showdown between two of the game’s great international superstars as Shai Gilgeous Alexander’s Thunder take on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks (9:30 ET).
Here’s tonight’s complete schedule: