(Photograph credit score: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Pictures)
The Utah Jazz discover themselves in an uncommon place as they journey to Cleveland on Monday to face Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers.
For the primary time this season, the Jazz are coming off a number of victories in a row.
Whereas there’s little probability they’re going to pull off a highway win in opposition to their former famous person and the red-hot Cavs, it might mark their first successful streak since successful six in a row halfway by means of the season 2023-24.
Whereas it actually does not do the Jazz any favors in relation to their positioning within the upcoming draft lottery, the rebuilding group likes to have picked up just a few highway wins throughout a five-game highway stretch.
Utah adopted up with a 126-119 victory in Detroit on Thursday by beating the Brooklyn Nets 105-94 on Saturday. It was solely the second time this season that the Jazz held an opponent to fewer than 100 factors.
“That’s two video games in a row that we’ve received in ugly trend,” Jazz coach Will Hardy stated. “It’s not simply due to a terrific assault the entire sport.”
Certainly. The Jazz scored simply 19 factors within the first quarter, shot 47.7 p.c total and made simply 14 of 41 3-point makes an attempt.
“The truth that we received these two video games on the highway and fought in opposition to a troublesome offense makes me proud as a coach,” Hardy stated. “The group competes at a excessive stage. They steal, defensively and execute.”
Brooklyn, which can also be clearly in rebuilding mode after buying and selling Dennis Schroder to Golden State final week, had 19 turnovers to Utah’s 18.
“We did not make a single shot within the first half,” stated Jazz ahead Lauri Markkanen, who averaged 24 factors and 10.5 rebounds in back-to-back wins. “However we stayed within the sport with our physicality and our protection.”
Two straight wins are nothing for these Cavaliers, who’ve received 25 of 29 video games and boast an NBA-best 16-1 residence report.
Cleveland is on its second four-game successful streak and has received two in a row one other time – not forgetting, after all, the luxurious 15-0 begin.
Mitchell, who performed the primary 5 seasons of his profession in Utah, is having one other stable season regardless that his scoring common is down a bit at 23.3 factors per sport. Mitchell scored all 19 of his factors within the first half of the Philadelphia 76ers’ 126-99 loss on Saturday.
Former Jazz participant Georges Niang, who scored 13 objectives within the Cavs’ final win over Philadelphia, is likely one of the key contributors off Cleveland’s bench.
The Cavaliers welcomed again sharpshooter Max Strus on Friday, however he was rested in opposition to Philadelphia after scoring 9 factors in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks. He missed the primary 27 video games with an ankle damage.
His standing has not but been introduced for Monday’s contest.
“It was simply enjoyable to play. Clearly it is nice to get the win, however it’s enjoyable to be on the sphere and be part of all of it,” Strus stated. “It will take time, however I felt fairly good, fairly snug. Take every sport, one sport at a time, and attempt to enhance on each.”
The Cavs are keen so as to add Strus to a high-powered offense, which already leads the NBA in taking pictures (50.5 p.c on subject aim makes an attempt) and is second in scoring (121.7 factors per sport).
“He brings one thing that we have been lacking,” Mitchell stated. “And I feel saying that regardless that having the very best report within the league is particular.”
–Discipline stage media
