Jazz snap road skid as Cavs lose again

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

The Utah Jazz finally found a way to win on the road.

The Cleveland Cavaliers would like to find a way to win, period.

Al Jefferson scored 25 points, Gordon Hayward added 23, and the Jazz snapped a six-game road losing streak with a 109-100 win on Monday night.

Cleveland has lost six straight and four in a row at home.

It’s no surprise the two coaches had different points following the outcome.

“We needed a big road win, so we’re going to hold onto this for the next day and a half,” Utah coach Tyrone Corbin said.

A few feet down the hall, Cleveland coach Byron Scott had the opposite opinion.

“We are hoping sooner or later someone in the locker room gets ticked off besides me,” he said. “That’s what it boils down to.”

Rookie Kyrie Irving, who led Cleveland with 22 points, agrees with his coach.

“I think we’re all ticked off, not just him,” he said. “It has to show on the court. We came out lackadaisical. I’m not surprised we lost the game.”

Irving scored 21 points in the second half, including 13 in the third quarter, after missing all six of his shots in the first half.

Utah won for the fourth time away from home in 17 games. Jefferson was 9 for 16 from the field, had 13 rebounds and a career-high seven assists.

“This was a game we knew we had to win in order to stay in the playoff hunt,” he said. “We need to keep playing like we played tonight. We played great defense and moved the ball.”

Jefferson’s assist total impressed his teammates more than his points and rebounds.

“I’m trying to get Al Jefferson in the skills challenge,” joked guard Earl Watson. “Did you see him out there? That’s why he’s my client.”