CLEVELAND (Interstat) — The Utah Jazz defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 123-112 on Monday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, overcoming a 40-point second quarter by the home team. Utah built a 12-point lead after one quarter but was outscored by 20 in the second, trailing 62-54 at halftime. The Jazz responded with a 36-point third quarter to regain control. Keyonte George led Utah with 32 points and nine assists. Lauri Markkanen added 28 points and 12 rebounds. For Cleveland, Darius Garland scored 23 points with eight assists, and Donovan Mitchell added 21 points. Evan Mobley had 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. The Jazz improved to 14-25. The Cavaliers fell to 22-19.

CLEVELAND (Interstat) — On a night when the Utah Jazz were supposed to be overmatched, they authored a stunning and resilient road victory fueled by a career-best performance from their young guard. Keyonte George scored a game-high 32 points and dished out nine assists to lead the Jazz to a 123-112 upset of the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Monday. The Jazz, entering the game with a 13-25 record and facing a Cavaliers squad that was an overwhelming favorite according to predictive models, defied expectations from the opening tip. They raced out to a dominant 34-22 lead after the first quarter, shooting with precision and capitalizing on early Cleveland miscues. The Cavaliers, however, responded with a furious 40-point second quarter, erasing the deficit and taking a 62-54 lead into halftime behind a barrage of three-pointers and transition baskets. The most important part of the game came in the third quarter, as Utah weathered Cleveland’s momentum and decisively seized control. After the Cavaliers extended their lead to 86-80 with just over two minutes remaining in the period, the Jazz closed the quarter on a 16-0 run. The surge was sparked by a Kevin Love three-pointer and punctuated by another from Svi Mykhailiuk just before the buzzer, sending Utah into the fourth quarter with a 96-86 advantage. The run completely shifted the game’s energy, silencing the crowd of 19,432 and giving the young Jazz a critical cushion. Utah never relinquished that lead in the final frame. Whenever Cleveland made a push, the Jazz had an answer, often from George or Lauri Markkanen. The Cavaliers trimmed the lead to 109-104 with just over a minute to play, but George iced the game with a clutch three-pointer off his own offensive rebound with 44.9 seconds remaining, extending the lead to eight and effectively sealing the victory. George’s performance was a stark turnaround from a recent slump, including a four-point outing in a loss to Charlotte two days prior. He was efficient and assertive, making 10 of his 19 field goal attempts and adding five rebounds. He was supported brilliantly by Markkanen, who recorded a double-double with 28 points and 12 rebounds. Center Jusuf Nurkic dominated the glass with 17 rebounds to go with 11 points, helping Utah win the rebounding battle and limit Cleveland’s second-chance opportunities. For the Cavaliers, who fell to 22-19, the loss was a missed opportunity to build momentum. They placed six players in double figures, led by Darius Garland’s 23 points and eight assists. Evan Mobley filled the stat sheet with 15 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and three blocks, while Donovan Mitchell scored 21. Rookie forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin provided a spark off the bench with 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Statistically, the game was won on Utah’s offensive efficiency and their ability to get to the free throw line. The Jazz posted an offensive rating of 117.9, scoring 123 points on just 104 possessions. They were lethal from beyond the arc, hitting 18 three-pointers at a 44 percent clip, and nearly perfect from the charity stripe, making 25 of 28 attempts. Cleveland, while matching Utah’s three-point output with 17 makes, attempted only 13 free throws, making all of them. The Jazz also overcame 16 turnovers by forcing 13 of their own and winning the battle on the boards. The victory improves Utah’s record to 14-25, while Cleveland drops to 22-19. The Jazz will look to build on this performance as they continue a road trip against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, will aim to regroup when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers, also on Wednesday.

Preview: Jazz Visit Cavaliers in Cross-Conference Matchup CLEVELAND (Interstat) — The Cleveland Cavaliers, riding a potent offense, will host the struggling Utah Jazz at Rocket Arena on Monday night in a cross-conference NBA matchup. The Cavaliers (22-18) enter having won three of their last four, including a 146-134 offensive showcase against Minnesota on Saturday. Cleveland has averaged 130.3 points in its last three victories, fueled by All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell is averaging 28.1 points and 6.6 assists over his last 10 games, including a 28-point, 8-assist performance in the win over the Timberwolves. Utah (13-24) snapped a three-game skid with a 116-114 home win over Dallas on Thursday but remains near the bottom of the Western Conference. The Jazz have lost eight of their last 12. The game features a compelling individual matchup between Mitchell and Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen. Mitchell, who spent his first five seasons with Utah, faces his former team. Markkanen has been a consistent bright spot for the Jazz, scoring at least 22 points in 10 consecutive games. He is averaging 29.3 points and 8.1 rebounds over that stretch, including a 33-point, 7-rebound effort in the win over Dallas. Cleveland’s interior duo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, who combined for 40 points and 15 rebounds against Minnesota, will test a Utah defense that has allowed an average of 125.8 points over its last five games. The Cavaliers have won four of their last five at home. Utah is 6-14 on the road this season. Following Monday’s game, Cleveland begins a two-game road trip in Philadelphia on Wednesday. Utah continues a four-game trip in Chicago on Wednesday.