The Cavs got exactly what they wanted. In a pre-Christmas matchup with the woeful and undermanned Utah Jazz, who entered the game as 14-point underdogs, Cleveland avoided a collapse and held on for a 124-113 victory.

Darius Garland scored 23 points and Evan Mobley had 22 points and 10 rebounds as the NBA-best Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Utah Jazz 124-113 for their 17th victory in 18 home games.

The Jazz selected Malone with the 13th pick in the 1985 Draft. He made 14 All-Star teams in his career and won two MVP awards. Known for his scoring and rebounding, Malone never averaged fewer than 1.0 steals per game. Across 18 years with the Jazz, Malone averaged 1.4 steals.

The Utah Jazz play against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. The Utah Jazz are spending $20,979,023 per win while the Portland Trail Blazers are spending $18,758,070 per

After a two-day break, the Utah Jazz are looking to etch another win on the season Thursday as they continue their road trip to take on the Portland Trail Blazers. Similarly to the Jazz, the Blazers have gotten off to a rocky start for their 2024-25 campaign.