Cavaliers 99, Jazz 79
Kyrie Irving recorded the first triple-double of his career and shorthanded Cleveland dominated the second half to knock off visiting Utah.
Irving racked up 21 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who have won eight off 11 overall and four straight against Western Conference opponents.Tristan Thompson finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds and Spencer Hawes added 13 points and 16 boards in the win.
Gordon Hayward led the Jazz with 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Richard Jefferson scored 13 points and Alec Burks added 11 off the bench for Utah, which shot 35 percent and was outrebounded 56-31.
Hayward hit all three of his 3-point tries in the first quarter and the Jazz led by as many as nine early on before settling for a 41-39 halftime lead. Jefferson's trey put Utah up 48-45 early in the third, but Thompson scored on the other end to ignite an 18-3 run as Cleveland carried a nine-point lead into the fourth.
The surge continued from there as Irving scored four quick points and Hawes buried a 3-pointer to make it 76-60 with just over 10 minutes left. Irving and Tyler Zeller combined on a 6-0 push moments later and Utah never threatened again.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Cleveland played without G C.J. Miles (ankle), G Dion Waiters (knee) and C Anderson Varejao for the fifth straight game, and F Anthony Bennett was a late scratch due to a sore right knee. ... Hayward and Jefferson both hit 4-of-7 3-pointers and the Jazz finished 14-of-29 from long range, compared to 4-of-15 for the Cavaliers. ... Thompson has seven double-doubles in his last nine games.