The Cleveland Cavaliers improved to 22-8 on the season with a 109-100 win over the Utah Jazz at the Quicken Loans Arena Saturday night. They shot 53 percent from the field in a game which was close throughout as neither team led by more than 10 points. LeBron James continued his MVP-caliber play with another triple-double despite his starting lineup struggling to score.
For the Jazz, Donovan Mitchell continued his breakout season with 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting. Ekpe Udoh, standing in for the injured Rudy Gobert, had a game to remember with a game-high six blocks and three steals.
Cavaliers bench winning games
This Cleveland bench is one of the best in the NBA and Dec.16 they once again proved why. Three different bench players were in double-digit scoring and shot 7-of-10 from beyond the arc combined.
Tristan Thompson's return appeared labored as he hobbled around at times, but threw down a few impressive lobs and contributed further with a block and a steal. Dwyane Wade had a poor shooting night, knocking down just 3-of-11 shots but still commanded the second unit with his experience as Kyle Korver provided his usual firepower from distance, knocking down 2 triples.
Donovan Mitchell can't single-handed lift Jazz to playoffs
This Jazz team came out firing in the first to take their largest lead of the game at eight points and finished the quarter a point ahead.
This would, however, be the last lead they held.
Donovan Mitchell is making his case for all-star votes this season as he has ramped up his gameplay in recent weeks with multiple 20 plus point performances as he attempts to carry the laboring Jazz back to .500. Since Ricky Rubio has never been a shoot first point guard (currently scoring a career-high 12.2 PPG), the Utah forwards are underachieving.
Isolation expert Joe Johnson didn't provide his usual scoring prowess with just 12 points and starting SF Joe Ingles converted 3 of 7 shots, all of which came from beyond the three-point line. Utah needs to get him in the paint more to utilize his 6'8" frame to a greater extent as in recent weeks he has become solely a distance shooter.
This Cavaliers team is starting to look like the team many expected of them before the season started, and all-star Isiah Thomas is still yet to return from his hip injury.
Looking ahead, the Cavs travel to Washington Sunday to take on John Wall and the Wizards as Utah have a day off before traveling to meet MVP candidate James Harden and the Rockets in Houston.
