Love returns, Irving exits as Cavs beat Jazz
CLEVELAND -- LeBron James went over 30 points again, and Kevin Love returned from knee surgery in the Cleveland Cavaliers' 91-83 win over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night.
James scored 17 of his game-high 33 points in the fourth quarter while the Cavs were reeling from a fresh slate of injuries. Love, who hadn't played since Feb. 11 and underwent knee surgery Feb. 14, scored 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds in 20 minutes.
Cleveland guard Kyrie Irving scored 21 points, but he did not play in the fourth quarter because of left knee tightness.
Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert left the game with 4:30 remaining in the third quarter with a left arm injury and did not return. He had just tried to dunk over Rudy Gobert (with his right hand) and also collided with him on Utah's next possession. Shumpert scored nine points.
Shumpert also missed the fourth quarter.
Utah (43-26) was led by Gobert's 20 points and 19 rebounds. Gordon Hayward scored 13 points, and Joe Ingles and Joe Johnson added 12 apiece. The Jazz played and won Wednesday in Detroit and had won six of their previous seven, but they haven't won in Cleveland since March 5, 2012.
James, who finished with 10 rebounds and six assists, passed Tim Duncan (10,285 field goals) for 13th place in NBA history in field goals. He has scored at least 30 points in 17 games this season.
Irving posted his 17th consecutive game with at least 20 points.
The Cavaliers (45-22) set a team single-season record for 3-pointers (887), surpassing the old mark set last season of 880. Cleveland's J.R. Smith scored 12 points, all on 3-pointers.
NOTES: Cavs SG Kyle Korver (sore left foot) missed his fifth consecutive game, but coach Tyronn Lue said Korver is close to a return and should be back early during the team's upcoming four-game road trip that begins Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers. Lue said that once Korver returns, SG J.R. Smith will move into the starting lineup with G Iman Shumpert sliding into the second unit to split Smith and Korver -- who have many of the same qualities. ... Cavs F Derrick Williams (right quad contusion) missed his first game since signing as a free agent Feb. 9. He is averaging 8.7 points for Cleveland. ... Jazz G Rodney Hood (right knee) missed the game. He left Utah's win over Detroit on Wednesday night with right knee soreness and did not return.