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Cavaliers hand short-handed Jazz fourth straight loss, 111-91

Slumping Utah suffers first wire-to-wire loss in 117 games.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Lamar Stevens (8) shoots over Utah Jazz forward Royce O'Neale (23) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Alex Goodlett)

Lamar Stevens scored 15 of career-high 23 points in the third quarter and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the short-handed Utah Jazz 111-91 on Wednesday night at Vivint Arena.

Darius Garland had his first triple-double with 11 points, a career-high 15 assists and a career-high 10 rebounds. Lauri Markkanen added 20 points, Kevin Love had 16, and Eric Mobley finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Cleveland improved to 3-1 on its current six-game trip.

Jordan Clarkson scored 22 points for the Jazz. Eric Paschall added 18 points, and Donovan Mitchell had 17. Utah lost its fourth consecutive game and suffered a wire-to-wire loss for the first time in 117 games.

With centers Rudy Gobert, Hassan Whiteside, Udoka Azubuike, and forward Rudy Gay in COVID-19 health and safety protocols, the Jazz went with 6-foot-5 Royce O’Neale as their starting center.

Cleveland took advantage of the small lineup and never trailed. The Cavaliers had a 50-32 rebounding edge and outscored Utah 60-36 in the paint.

The Jazz erased an 11-point deficit late in the first quarter with baskets on seven consecutive possessions. Clarkson drove for a layup to kickstart the run and scored back-to-back baskets to help Utah tie it at 24.

Cleveland gradually built up a double-digit lead again before halftime. Love and Markkanen made back-to-back baskets to ignite a 14-4 run that put the Cavaliers up 50-36 midway through the second quarter.

Mitchell and Bogdanovic made back-to-back 3-pointers to cut it to 62-58 early in the third quarter. Cleveland answered with a 21-0 run to keep Utah from erasing a lead once again. Stevens scored on four straight possessions to fuel the spurt and finished it off with a dunk that gave the Cavaliers an 83-58 lead.

The Jazz went 5 1/2 minutes without scoring during the third quarter.

TIP INS

Cavaliers: Rajon Rondo was inactive (right hamstring soreness). ... Stevens scored the Cavaliers’ first 13 points of the third quarter. He singlehandedly outscored Utah 13-6 over the first five minutes of the second half.

Jazz: Denzel Valentine made his Jazz debut after signing a 10-day contract Monday. He had five points and three rebounds in 17 minutes. Valentine appeared in 22 games with the Cavaliers this season. ... Joe Ingles was ejected with 6:24 left in the second quarter after picking up his second technical foul. Ingles picked up his first technical at the 8:32 mark in the first quarter. He missed Utah’s previous four games after testing positive for COVID-19.

UP NEXT

Cavaliers: At San Antonio on Friday night.

Jazz: At Denver on Sunday night.