What to Watch For: Utah Jazz vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Rudy Gobert (27) blocks a shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Utah Jazz extended their win streak to five games after back to back wins against the Memphis Grizzlies over the weekend. The Jazz will play the final game of a four-game homestand against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night.
Jazz vs Cavaliers Throwback:
In the 107-game history between these two teams, the Jazz lead the all time record 59-48. Utah is also currently on a five-game winning streak against the Cavaliers with their latest win being on January 12, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio.
The last time these two teams met, the Jazz won 117-87. Donovan Mitchell led the way for the Jazz with 27-points while Mike Conley chipped in 5-assists. The win would be their third in a row, as they would eventually string together 11-wins in a row before losing to the Denver Nuggets.
Key Players:
Donovan Mitchell and Collin Sexton are the two young signal-callers on their respective teams.
Donovan Mitchell (45) dishes a pass against the Cleveland Cavaliers
Mitchell leads the Jazz in points (25.9) and assists (5.5) per game. He is also second on the team in steals (1) per game. Mitchell has been scorching hot during the last six-games, averaging over 30-points during that time. Last time out, Mitchell had 42-points, 4-rebounds, and 6-assists in the Jazz win over the Grizzlies.
Sexton leads the Cavaliers in points (24) and is second on the team in assists (4.3) per game. During the last Cavs game, Sexton had 26-points, 6-rebounds, and 4-assists against the Sacramento Kings.
Fun Facts:
The Jazz will wear their 'City Edition' uniforms against the Cavaliers on Monday. They are 7-2 when they wear their black and gradient jerseys, and will look to add their eighth win to that record later this evening. Utah's last win in the City Jersey's came this past Wednesday against the Brooklyn Nets.
Donovan Mitchell has been on fire recently, scoring 200-points in his last six games. According to Jazz statistician Tyson Ewing, this is the most points in a six-game span since Karl Malone scored 219 in 1998. During that same stretch, Mitchell has averaged 33.3-points, 4.67-rebounds, and 6.3-assists per game.
The Utah Jazz acquired former Toronto Raptor Matt Thomas for a future second round pick during last Thursday's trade deadline day. Thomas is a former college teammate of Georges Niang and is known for his three-point shooting.
Assistant Coach Alex Jensen has decided to remain with the Utah Jazz after interviewing for a head coaching position with the University of Utah. Jensen has been on staff since 2013 and has helped the Jazz rise to hold the best record in the NBA in his eight seasons with the team.
The Utah Jazz looked dominant during two games against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday and Saturday night. The Jazz currently own a 34-11 record, and are in first place in the NBA. Utah leads the Phoenix Suns by three games and the Los Angeles Clippers by four games in the Western Conference. They also lead the Philadelphia 76ers by two and a half games and the Brooklyn Nets by three and a half games in the Eastern Conference.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are 17-29 during the 2020-2021 season and are in twelfth place in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is 2-3 in their last five games with wins over the Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls. Their losses during that time have come against the Sacramento Kings (x2) and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Mike Conley (tight right hamstring) sat out of Saturday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies due to injury management, and as of Monday morning, it is unknown to whether or not he will play against the Cavaliers. Conley is the only active Jazz player on Utah's injury report. Matthew Dellavedova (appendectomy), Jarrett Allen (concussion), and Kevin Love (calf) are listed as 'out' while Taurean Prince (shoulder) is questionable for Monday night's matchup with Utah.
How to Consume:
The Utah Jazz will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night, in hopes to extend their winning streak to six games. Utah's matchup against Cleveland will tip-off at 7pm MST, and Jazz fans can watch on AT&T SportsNet. They can also tune into the games on 97.5FM or 1280AM.
Miye Oni (81) goes for a layup against the Cleveland Cavaliers
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