New Orleans Pelicans vs Cleveland Cavaliers Final Score 77-82 — Jul 15, 2026 | Score, Box Score & Stats
NBA - Las Vegas Summer League · Cox Pavilion
Scoreboard
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pelicans
|
15 | 18 | 16 | 28 | 77 |
Cavaliers
|
16 | 15 | 21 | 30 | 82 |
AI PREDICTIONNeural Network Forecast
AIThis forecast was generated before tip-off — compare it with the final score above.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Pelicans
|
23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 91 |
|
Cavaliers
|
25 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 98 |
Confidence: 62%
Cavaliers favored
Cleveland enters with momentum off a dominant 90–73 win against Miami yesterday, while New Orleans has won two straight but at lower scoring volumes (81–75 versus Phoenix). The Cavaliers' tempo and rebounding—led by the in-form Meleek (28.3 PPG in three Summer League games) and the anchor of Mobley's 8.1 RPG—give them a structural edge in a Summer League environment where depth and pace matter. Meleek's recent explosion, combined with solid contributions from Harden James (19.2 PPG) and Mitchell Donovan (26.0 PPG team-wide), should overwhelm a Pelicans roster that leans heavily on Bufkin's consistency (21.3 PPG) without a true secondary scorer stepping up. New Orleans' two-game win streak does suggest improved defensive discipline, but their 92-point and 95-point outputs in those victories reflect a lower-intensity offensive approach. Home court and momentum favor Cleveland slightly; however, the Pelicans' experience and Bufkin's reliability make this closer than the standings suggest. Expect a grinding first half with defensive intensity, then a second-half swing as the Cavaliers' bench and Meleek's firepower produce separation.
Scoring Dynamics
First Half (Q1-Q2)
92P
Defensive intensity, both teams settling in early
Second Half (Q3-Q4)
97P
Increased pace as rosters rotate, Cavs capitalize
Total Points
189
Range 175-205
Matchup Analysis
Cavaliers
Meleek elite scoring form
Strong rebounding depth
Home court advantage
Inconsistent defense
Limited perimeter spacing
Pelicans
Bufkin consistent scoring
Recent winning momentum
Defensive flexibility
Shallow scoring bench
Turnover issues
Risk Factors
Summer League volatility
Bench depth variance
Players to Watch
T. Meleek
Cavaliers
On fire recently; 28.3 PPG will test Pelicans' perimeter D
Kobe Bufkin
Pelicans
Steady 21.3 PPG creator; key to keeping Pelicans close late
Mobley Evan
Cavaliers
Interior presence and rebounding anchor drives Cavs control
Statistical Edges
First to Score
Cavaliers
56%
Hottest Quarter
Q3
Game Preview
The first quarter sets a defensive tone, with both teams trading possessions; Meleek's early scoring keeps Cleveland steady at 25–23. The second quarter sees the Pelicans tighten their perimeter defense, slowing Donovan and Harden James, and New Orleans edges slightly into halftime trailing 49–45 after a quiet second stanza (24 points for Cleveland, 22 for New Orleans). The third quarter turns the game; Meleek ignites on both ends, and Mobley's interior control pushes Cleveland to 74–68 entering the fourth. In the final period, the Pelicans rally behind Bufkin's driving attack and H. Dickinson's energy, but Cleveland's depth—featuring solid production from the bench—steadies possession late. Harden James and Mobley combine for crucial late rebounds, and Meleek's final two possessions seal a 98–91 Cavaliers victory, extending their home-court edge in Summer League play.
Cavs' recent form (dominant win yesterday) and Meleek's elite scoring trajectory outweigh Pelicans' win streak; however, Summer League variance and Bufkin's reliability keep confidence moderate at 62%.
Team Stats
Pelicans
STAT
Cavaliers
| Team | FG | FG% | 3P | 3P% | FT | FT% | REB | OREB | DREB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelicans |
20/42 | 48% | 6/30 | 20% | 10/14 | 71% | 39 | - | - | 16 | 11 | 5 | 14 | - |
| Cavaliers |
19/37 | 51% | 8/33 | 24% | 14/18 | 78% | 40 | - | - | 15 | 6 | 6 | 16 | - |
New Orleans Pelicans vs Cleveland Cavaliers — Game Recap
Cleveland Cavaliers beat New Orleans Pelicans 82-77 in NBA - Las Vegas Summer League play on July 15, 2026 at Cox Pavilion.
New Orleans Pelicans led 33-31 at halftime, but Cleveland Cavaliers finished the job with a 5-point margin.
M. Nowell led New Orleans Pelicans with 20 points. Branham Malaki led Cleveland Cavaliers with 23 points.
Before tip-off, our AI model predicted Cleveland Cavaliers to win 98-91 — the pick was correct. The forecast projected 189 total points against 159 actually scored; the full quarter-by-quarter prediction for this game is free to view on this page.
Follow New Orleans Pelicans vs Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA - Las Vegas Summer League with live scores, a quarter-by-quarter scoreboard, full box score, and team statistics. Basketball Predicts combines real-time data with AI-powered analytics — team form, head-to-head history, and scoring trends — to give you the complete picture of every matchup.
New Orleans Pelicans — Players
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3P | FT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 M. DiaS |
21:09 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 2/7 | 1/4 | 1/1 |
 M. CouncilS |
26:09 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 3/6 | 1/3 | 0/1 |
 C. ShumateS |
28:54 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 4/7 | 0/1 | 0/0 |
 D. Daniels JrS |
22:16 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 3/9 | 0/4 | 0/0 |
 N. MensahS |
25:10 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 2/2 | 0/0 | 0/2 |
 M. NowellB |
24:06 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 1/2 | 2/11 | 6/7 |
 C. BellB |
17:03 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 3/4 | 1/3 | 2/2 |
 S. WashingtonB |
21:20 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 0/1 | 1/2 | 1/1 |
J. RileyB |
13:54 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2/4 | 0/2 | 0/0 |
Cleveland Cavaliers — Players
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3P | FT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Branham MalakiS |
27:57 | 23 | 4 | 3 | 5/9 | 2/7 | 6/6 |
 MinixS |
32:13 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 3/4 | 1/7 | 4/5 |
 J. RobinsonS |
25:42 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 2/3 | 3/7 | 0/0 |
 X. LeeS |
28:33 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2/7 | 0/3 | 2/2 |
 E. UdehS |
21:32 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0/2 | 0/0 | 0/1 |
 R. AgeeB |
18:28 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 4/6 | 0/1 | 1/1 |
 I. MartinezB |
09:26 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1/3 | 1/1 | 0/0 |
 D. GoodwinB |
15:39 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1/1 | 0/4 | 1/2 |
 T. SpillersB |
09:03 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0/0 | 1/2 | 0/0 |
 S. East IIB |
11:27 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1/2 | 0/1 | 0/1 |
Season Comparison
Pelicans
STAT
Cavaliers
2-2
Record
2-2
.500
PCT
.500
16
Position
14
345
Points For
359
353
Points Against
352
4
Games Played
4
-
Streak
-
93.5
Points Per Game
93.0
98.0
Opp. Points Per Game
99.0
Head to Head
0
2
Mar 21, 2026
Cavaliers
111 - 106
Pelicans
Dec 24, 2025
Pelicans
118 - 141
Cavaliers
Pelicans Recent
Jul 12
vs Phoenix Suns
75-81
W
Jul 11
@ Hornets
95-91
W
Jul 9
vs Timberwolves
105-92
L
Apr 13
@ Timberwolves
126-132
L
Apr 10
@ Boston Celtics
118-144
L
Cavaliers Recent
Jul 14
vs Miami Heat
73-90
W
Jul 12
@ Pistons
94-103
L
Jul 10
@ Indiana Pacers
93-99
L
May 26
vs Knicks
130-93
L
May 24
vs Knicks
121-108
L
