The streak continues.
The Utah Jazz have now won six straight games after cruising to a 115-99 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Friday night.
The Jazz (26-21) sat in seventh place in the crowded Western Conference standings after the victory, the team’s eighth win in its last nine contests.
“It’s all about habits right now,” veteran Kyle Korver said afterward. “It’s easy to kind of get comfortable, but we’ve got a lot of big games coming up.”
Once again, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert led the way for Utah.
Mitchell, running the offense with the team’s three point guards still sidelined with injury, finished with 24 points, four rebounds and four assists. Gobert, meanwhile, had 19 points, 15 rebounds and 2 blocks. Oh, and the Jazz’s star duo did all of that in just three quarters of action.
With the Jazz up 93-60 after three quarters, head coach Quin Snyder sat Mitchell and Gobert for all of the fourth. Most of the remaining starters joined them on the bench before long. Still, Snyder was disappointed with his team’s effort in the final 12 minutes, a period the Jazz lost 39-22.
“We want to play 48 minutes,” Korver said. “If you want to be a great team, you’ve got to be able to play 48 minutes.”
The sellout crowd of 18,306 welcomed former Jazz guards Rodney Hood and Alec Burks back to Salt Lake City with loud ovations. But that’s where the warm welcome ended for the Cavaliers.
Royce O’Neale had a big night, scoring 16 points to go along with 11 rebounds and five assists. Derrick Favors finished with a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double. Crowder had 11 points off the bench and Korver added seven more.
Point guard Collin Sexton led the Cavs in scoring with 15. Burks had 6 points in his return to Utah and Hood had 4. The Cavaliers were missing a number of players to injury, including big men Larry Nance Jr. and Tristan Thompson. The loss dropped Cleveland to 9-37 on the season.
Friday's Best
Rudy Gobert’s 20-20 streak came to an end as he watched the entire fourth quarter from the bench. But Gobert has still recorded at least 15 points and 15 rebounds in each of his last four games.</
Key Stretch
A trio of 3-pointers—one each from Joe Ingles, Jae Crowder and Kyle Korver—helped make it 29-20 after one quarter. By halftime, the Jazz’s advantage had expanded to 62-37. Utah would go on to lead by as much 38 at one point in the second half.
Significant Stats
24
Donovan Mitchell’s 24 points marked his lowest scoring output in his last eight games, a sensational stretch that has included a Western Conference Player of the Week award.
The Cavs went 0-for-8 from behind the arc in the first quarter. The Jazz, meanwhile, built up an early lead behind five first-quarter triples.
Coach's Quote of the Night
Jazz head coach Quin Snyder
Notable
Royce O’Neale has scored in double figures in three of his last five games. “We are all sharing the ball on offense, getting everybody incorporated and making easy passes for easy buckets,” he said.
Up Next
The Jazz will stay at home to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. Tipoff is set for 7:00pm MT.
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