Hayward, Hood lead Jazz over Cavs
SALT LAKE CITY -- Gordon Hayward scored 28 points and collected nine rebounds, and Rodney Hood added 18 points to lead the Utah Jazz to a 100-92 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.
Six players scored in double figures for the Jazz, including Rudy Gobert, who had 11 points and 14 rebounds for his 27th double-double of the season. Utah (24-16) won a third consecutive home game.
LeBron James scored 29 points and Kyrie Irving added 20 points to lead Cleveland. Tristan Thompson chipped in 12 points and 12 rebounds. The Cavaliers (28-9) saw a three-game road winning streak snapped.
Cleveland and Utah set a fast pace throughout the first quarter. The two teams traded transition baskets at light speed, combining for 17 fast-break points and 24 points in the paint in the quarter.
The Cavaliers scratched out an early 12-6 lead behind a pair of baskets from Irving. Utah quickly made up ground and took its first lead on back-to-back baskets from Hayward. He buried a 3-pointer and then followed up with a transition dunk a possession later to put the Jazz up 15-14.
Cleveland matched Utah shot for shot and the lead changed hands for much of the first half. The Jazz built up a 29-25 lead after Hayward scored a finger-roll layup and Trey Lyles followed with a floater on the next possession. The Cavaliers surged back in front, taking a 33-30 lead early in the second quarter after Kay Fielder drove for a layup to cap a quick 8-1 spurt for Cleveland.
Gobert scored on a pair of dunks to put the Jazz back in front to fuel a 14-4 run. He capped it off with a buzzer-beating contested jumper, giving Utah a 46-37 lead. The Jazz did not ease off the gas pedal as the half wound down. George Hill and Rodney Hood buried back-to-back 3-pointers to ignite a 10-0 run to close the second quarter and give Utah a 56-41 halftime lead.
Cleveland totaled just 12 second quarter points after shooting 5-of-23 (21.7 percent) from the field during the quarter.
James rallied the Cavaliers with blistering shooting early in the third quarter. He scored on three straight possessions -- draining a pair of 3-pointers and throwing down a transition dunk -- to give Cleveland a 60-58 lead midway through the quarter.
Hayward answered with a series of baskets to fuel a 16-0 Utah run. He scored on three straight possessions -- highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers -- to help the Jazz retake the lead. Hayward capped the spurt with a turnaround jumper in transition, putting Utah ahead 74-60 with 2:14 left in the third quarter.
Cleveland closed the gap again late in the fourth quarter. A soaring dunk from Imam Shumpert cut Utah's lead to 96-90 with 2:36 left. Hood answered by burying a corner 3-pointer over James on the other end to put Utah back up by nine going into the final two minutes.
NOTES: Jazz C Rudy Gobert is one of only five NBA players since 2010-11 to finish with 10-plus rebounds in 24 or more straight games. Gobert owns Utah's franchise record with 24 straight 10-plus rebound games entering Tuesday's contest. ... Cavs F LeBron James needed seven assists (7,089) entering Tuesday to pass Tim Hardaway (7,095) for 15th on the NBA's all-time list. ... Cleveland is the only NBA team that is undefeated (24-0) this season when tied or leading after three quarters. ... Jazz F Gordon Hayward scored 20 or more points in 23 of 32 games this season. He is one of 15 players to reach that mark in 2016-17. ... The Cavaliers-Jazz game was broadcast live in virtual reality through NBA League Pass. It is the first of two Jazz games on the VR broadcast schedule. The second one is Utah's game at Oklahoma City on Feb. 28.