Cavaliers-Jazz Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Jan 09 2012 1:50PM

The Utah Jazz just earned their first road win of the season. Winning is all they've done in Salt Lake City in 2011-12.

Looking to extend its overall run to five games, Utah can open 5-0 at home for the first time since 2008-09 when it faces the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.

After losing by an average of 19.0 points in its first three road contests, Utah (5-3) defeated Golden State 88-87 on Saturday behind a season-high 18 points from Gordon Hayward, who hit the go-ahead free throw with 11 seconds left.

The Jazz trailed by seven in the fourth quarter after leading by 12 less than six minutes into the game.

"When we got down, we didn't break at all," coach Tyrone Corbin said. "The guys kept encouraging each other, 'Come on, man, we right in there.'

"It was just great to be a part of."

Utah is enjoying its longest win streak since a 7-0 run Nov. 20-Dec. 1, 2010, and is beginning a stretch of 10 of 12 at home. The team's last 5-0 start in Salt Lake City was in 2008-09 when it opened 6-0.

Utah has won four of five at home over the Cavaliers after a 121-99 victory Jan. 14.

Cleveland (4-4) committed 21 turnovers in that contest - its second-highest total of the season - and gave it away a season-high 24 times in a 98-78 loss at Portland on Sunday.

"I didn't think that we had the focus that we needed mentally, for whatever reason, especially on the offensive end," said coach Byron Scott, whose team went 3 of 24 from 3-point range and shot 36.7 percent overall. "I've never seen us that flip with the ball, kind of throwing it everywhere like a hot potato."

Despite a season-high 21 points along with four assists, rookie Kyrie Irving had four turnovers. The 19-year-old point guard has committed 13 turnovers as the Cavs have dropped two of three to start their seven-game trip.

"We have to limit our mistakes going forward," Irving said.

Devin Harris will match up with Irving as he faces Cleveland for the first time in a Jazz uniform. Acquired from New Jersey on Feb. 23, Harris totaled 45 points and 19 assists in his last two games against Cleveland last season.

The Jazz could use another solid effort from shooting guard Raja Bell, who had nine points Saturday after scoring that many in his previous five games combined.

Bell averaged 17.0 points and went 7 of 8 from 3-point range as the Jazz swept Cleveland last season for the first time since 2001-02.

Antawn Jamison, leading the Cavs with 16.0 points per game, posted his second straight double-double in Salt Lake City with a 26-point, 11-rebound effort Jan. 14.

Jazz forwards Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap combined for 26 and 10 in that contest. They had 35 and 20 as Utah won 101-90 at Cleveland on Dec. 20, 2010.

Jefferson scores 30, Jazz beat Cavs 113-105

By LYNN DeBRUIN
Posted Jan 11 2012 1:20AM

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Al Jefferson had just scored a season-high 30 points. Yet he was hardly celebrating Utah's 113-105 win Tuesday night over Cleveland, which extended the Jazz's win streak to five.

There were two reasons.

The Lakers will be in town Wednesday night. And he remembers what happened last season.

"We were here last year and let it go," Jefferson said of a 15-5 start that ended with Utah missing the playoffs.

"That's why I'm not as excited. We play every game like we're last in the West and that's what we are going to continue to do until all is said and done. Everybody's got to keep that same attitude. We got to stay hungry."

It won't be hard to get up for the Lakers.

Kobe Bryant and the rest of the Lakers handed the Jazz a 96-71 thrashing in Utah's opener Dec. 27, even with Andrew Bynum suspended.

"It was embarrassing to get beat like that," Jefferson said.

"We are a better team than the first time we played them, but we still got to come because they're a great team and will be ready to play."

It should help that the Jazz (6-3) are playing at home, where they are 5-0 this season - their best start at home since beginning the 2008-09 season at 6-0.

After losing their first two, the Jazz have found their rhythm. And it starts with their big men.

Jefferson finished 13 of 17, with 12 rebounds and two blocks.

Strong forward Paul Millsap started 9 of 9 shooting and finished 9 of 10, with 19 points. And second-year pro Derrick Favors added 14 points off the bench.

Combined they were 27 of 33 for 63 points, as Utah scored 56 points in the paint.

"He was on a roll toward something very special tonight," Jefferson said of Millsap. "When he got in foul trouble, that's when I had to step up and pick it up on the offensive end."

In the third, the Cavs opened on a 13-7 run, with Antawn Jamison scoring 13 in the period. But Jefferson scored 14, and each time Cleveland made a move, Jefferson countered.

Cleveland pulled within six points midway through the fourth quarter before Josh Howard converted a three-point play. Jefferson then added a pair of jumpers, and C.J. Miles hit a late 3 to seal the win.

Rookie Kyrie Irving added 20 points for the Cavs (4-5), who fell to 1-3 on a seven-game road trip, and visit Phoenix, the L.A. Lakers and Charlotte next.

"It's difficult to have one of those guys feeling it throughout the game, but to have both of them start out the way they did really put pressure on our front court," said Jamison, who finished with 22 points and seven rebounds.

"They had us in scrambling mode all night. They got into a rhythm at both ends. Jefferson was able to (sustain) it through the four quarters. It makes a difference."

Such an inside presence opened things up outside for guys such as Howard, who added 17 points off the bench, including the critical three-point play after the Cavs had cut the gap to six points, 91-85.

Howard, Utah's biggest free-agent acquisition, grabbed an offensive rebound and headed for the hoop. Tristan Thompson was called for goaltending, and Alonzo Gee the personal foul.

"I knew it was going up, but didn't actually see where it was going up," Howard said. "Fortunately I got the call and knocked down the free throw."

The Cavs made another push behind Irving, whose driving jumper pulled Cleveland within 106-101 with 57 seconds remaining.

But Miles, who had played only 13 minutes combined in the previous two games and was shooting 30 percent overall, hit a 3-pointer with 36 seconds left to bump Utah's lead back to eight.

"Guys found each other (for open looks)," Millsap said of Utah's 59 percent shooting, including 61.5 percent in the first half.

"We set screens for each other. The ball was moving. We just did a great job on the offensive end moving the ball."

And Jefferson, who dropped 8 pounds since the start of training camp, kept scoring.

"It's the best I ever felt," said Jefferson, who spent all offseason and the lockout working out with specialty trainers in California.

"I like to have a little weight on me because when you're playing against a guy like Andrew Bynum, you've got to be able to be physical with them. But at the same time, I'm quick enough. I feel really good."

He knows not to get ahead of himself.

"We don't want to be a team that's known to play well the first half of the season," Jefferson said. "We want to be that team that stays consistent and is a playoff team. Right now we are, but we got a long way to go. We got to stay hungry. Coach treats us like we done lost six in a row, and that's what we need. It's a young team; that's what we need. We just got to keep rolling."

NOTES: The wife of Utah guard Raja Bell gave birth to the couple's third son at 11:18 a.m. Tuesday. The boy weighed in at 4 pounds, 12 ounces. The couple has yet to announce a name. Bell started 0 of 2 and finished with six points. ... Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin has yet to select a captain. ... Cavs guard Irving entered the game averaging 15 points - most among rookies. ... The 113 points allowed by the Cavs are the most Cleveland has given up this season.

Notebook: Jazz 113, Cavaliers 105

By Andrew Aragon, for NBA.com
Posted Wednesday January 11, 2012 1:22AM

THE FACTS: Al Jefferson continues to be one of the hottest players in the NBA, scoring a season-high 30 points with a season-high 12 rebounds to lead the Utah Jazz to a 113-105 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.

Since missing a game with an ankle injury, Jefferson has averaged 22.3 points and 9.3 rebounds in six contests. The Jazz, who improved to 5-0 at home, won all six of those games. Jefferson shot 13-for-17 against the Cavaliers.

For the Cavaliers, Antawn Jamison had 20 points and seven rebounds.

QUOTABLE: "I go back to his work in the summer. He really committed himself to get in better and better shape. He took the whole summer to get his body in shape and it was a huge sacrifice on his part. He understood the sense of urgency for him to get better in order for us to get better. I can't say enough about how pleased I am about the fact that he decided to get better."
-- Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin on Jefferson's emergence so far this season.

THE STAT: The Jazz's shooting percentage was a scorching and season-best 59.2 in their win over the Cavaliers. They shot the ball so well because they executed their offense to create dozens of close-range shots. They shot 65.5 percent in the first three quarters, and finished with 56 points scored in the paint.

TURNING POINT: Utah won the game in the second quarter when Cleveland's shooters went ice cold. In the final five minutes of the first half, the Cavaliers shot 0-for-7, committed three turnovers and scored one point. The Cavaliers couldn't even make shots when no one was guarding them, as they were 1-for-4 from the free-throw line during the span. The Jazz closed the half on an 11-1 run, taking a 52-43 lead into the locker room.

HOT: Paul Millsap had a hot hand for the Jazz before fouling out. He made his first nine shots and scored 19 points. In his last three home games, Millsap has shot 22-for-26 for 84.6 percent. Derrick Favors, also slowed by foul trouble, shot 5-for-6 and finished with 14 points. Josh Howard continues to spark the Jazz off the bench, as he had 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting.

NOT: Jamison rebounded in the second half, but struggled before halftime. He shot just 3-for-12 and scored seven points in the first half. Jazz starters Gordon Hayward (1-for-5) and Devin Harris (2-for-9) as well as reserve C.J. Miles (2-for-8) did not shoot the ball well.

QUOTABLE II: "They had a two-headed monster tonight. They had Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap. We tried to make the adjustments as much as possible. They were really effective."
-- Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving on Utah's big men.

BAD MOVE: Both teams picked up technical fouls in the fourth quarter. For the Jazz, 6-foot-1 Earl Watson was whistled for a technical for elbowing 7-foot Semih Erden while getting past a screen early in the fourth quarter. Cavs coach Byron Scott got a technical while arguing a traveling call on Anthony Parker. Scott's technical was much more costly than Watson's as it came with Cleveland trailing 102-94 with 2:19 left in the game, giving the Jazz a free throw and possession to effectively end the game.

FANTASY WATCH: Either pick up Jefferson or make sure he's in your lineup. His play has been consistent, as he's scored at least 20 points in five of his last six games.

ROOKIE WATCH: Cleveland's Irving played like a No.1 overall pick, finishing with 20 points and five assists in 27 minutes. He was able to create his own shots, and drive to the basket against Utah's overmatched point guards. He also showed off his range, hitting a 3-pointer in the third quarter. Cleveland also got a boost from Tristan Thompson, who nearly matched his season average of eight points per game when he scored seven points in less than three minutes in the second quarter. For the Jazz, Enes Kanter -- taken two picks after Irving in last June's draft -- had two points and four rebounds in nine minutes. Utah's Alec Burks had four points in eight minutes.

NOTABLE: Hayward dished a career-high eight assists. Millsap was the first Jazzman to make his first nine shots since Carlos Boozer did it in January of 2008.

UP NEXT: For the Cavaliers, Thursday @ Phoenix, Friday @ L.A. Lakers, Monday @ Charlotte. For the Jazz, Wednesday vs. Lakers, Saturday vs. Nets, Sunday @ Denver.

• Cavaliers: Eyenga, Thompson
• Jazz: --

• Cavaliers: Scott
• Jazz: Watson

• Lead Changes: 20
• Times Tied: 7

• Arena: EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
• Officials: #33 Zach Zarba, #29 Mark Lindsay, #60 James Williams
• Attendance: 17859
• Duration: 2:14