CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Utah Jazz answered the most lopsided defeat of their season by erasing a double-digit second-half hole and beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 123-112 Monday night. Keyonte George poured in 32 points and keyed the turnaround with a 16-point third quarter as Utah steadied its defense, lived at the foul line and closed with timely shots, Jan. 12, 2026.
Two nights earlier, the Utah Jazz were routed 150-95 at home by Charlotte — a 55-point thumping that left the franchise searching for a response. They found it in the final 24 minutes, opening a five-game road trip with a win that came only the second time in eight games they left the floor celebrating.
What the Utah Jazz showed in the second half
Utah trailed 62-54 at halftime after Cleveland closed the second quarter on a 26-8 run, but George flipped the game coming out of the break. He scored 16 in the third, went 12-for-12 at the line and consistently bent the Cavaliers’ defense, according to a Reuters recap.
Utah led by as many as 17 early before turnovers crept in, and NBA.com’s live game tracker noted the Jazz gave it away 14 times in the first half. The second half was cleaner: Lauri Markkanen scored 28 points with 12 rebounds, and a late pair of free throws pushed Utah’s cushion to 12 with 3:38 left before George’s closing 3-pointer helped shut the door.
For the Utah Jazz, the details behind the surge were simple and loud. They owned the glass and spaced the floor, finishing with a 50-30 rebounding advantage and 18 made 3-pointers, as shown in ESPN’s box score.
The bounce-back also carried historical weight. The Jazz were coming off their worst loss since the franchise moved to Utah in 1979, the Associated Press reported in its game story.
Utah Jazz-Cavaliers ties run deeper than one night
Mitchell, now Cleveland’s centerpiece, spent his first five NBA seasons with the Utah Jazz before the Cavaliers acquired him in a 2022 blockbuster that also sent Markkanen to Salt Lake City, according to The Associated Press’ report at the time. Monday’s outcome added another layer to a series shaped as much by those roster moves as by the standings.
And it was a reversal from the last time these teams met in Utah, when Cleveland rolled 120-91 in March 2025, as recapped by ESPN.
Darius Garland led the Cavaliers with 23 points and eight assists, and Mitchell scored 21. Evan Mobley added 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, but Cleveland struggled to match Utah’s tempo late as the Utah Jazz turned stops into free throws and open 3-pointers.
Svi Mykhailiuk and Kevin Love scored 11 apiece for Utah, and Jusuf Nurkic delivered 17 rebounds in his return. If the Utah Jazz are going to salvage momentum on this trip, Monday’s formula — defend without fouling, rebound everything and let George pressure the rim — is a start.
