Cavaliers at Jazz
The Cleveland Cavaliers look to stay hot from the outside and complete a perfect road trip when they visit the Utah Jazz on Monday. Since losing at home to a severely shorthanded Memphis squad a week ago, the Cavaliers have averaged 118 points in three straight road wins and have done so with a relentless — and mostly accurate — barrage from the perimeter.
"We came out and took care of business," LeBron James told reporters after he scored 27 points and hit three of his team's 18 3-pointers in Sunday's 114-90 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. "We're getting into form right now. We've got a great rotation going right now." The 18 triples ties a season high and gives Cleveland 47 3-pointers on the trip, during which it has hit at a 40.5 percent clip from beyond the arc. While the Cavaliers continue to hold the top spot in the Eastern Conference, the Jazz are looking to remain a factor in the playoff race in the West after picking up two straight victories for the first time since before the All-Star break. Sunday's 108-99 win in Sacramento leaves Utah two games out of a playoff spot.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN Ohio (Cleveland), ROOT (Utah)
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (47-18): Channing Frye has been one of the primary catalysts in Cleveland's long-range attack, making 10-of-14 3-pointers during the last two games. "Channing coming out and making those 3s kind of became contagious," coach Tyronn Lue told the media after his veteran forward improved to 17-of-36 from 3-point range since joining the Cavaliers at the trade deadline. Cleveland has scored at least 100 points in seven straight games and is 36-4 when hitting that mark on the season.
ABOUT THE JAZZ (30-35): Derrick Favors scored 28 points and Gordon Hayward added 27 in the win over the Kings as Utah started fast and held on down the stretch in a wire-to-wire win. Shelvin Mack, who was coming off a career-high 27-point performance in a defeat of Washington, continued his solid play since joining the Jazz last month by recording 14 points and eight assists. The veteran hit 4-of-6 3-pointers and is 11-of-19 in that department in a six-game hot stretch.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. James needs 11 assists to move past Muggsy Bogues (6,726) and into 18th place on the all-time list.
2. Jazz C Rudy Gobert has one made field goal in 50 minutes during his last two games.
3. Cleveland is 20-6 against the West, including 10-4 on the road.