Utah
Cavs lose to floundering Utah Jazz in Kevin Love’s latest return, 123-112
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Emotion filled the arena Monday night.
Love. Appreciation. Nostalgia. Joy. Excitement.
But by the end of the game, there was an overriding feeling: Disappointment. Perhaps even anger.
The enigmatic Cavs lost to the reeling Utah Jazz, 123-112, at Rocket Arena. Cleveland is now just 2-3 in its last five games.
“They came in and just outplayed us,” Donovan Mitchell said. “But we are at fault as well for not coming out ready to go.”
Fresh off quite possibly their best and most complete win of the season, the Cavs spoke about playing more like themselves, looking like the contender so many expected at the beginning of the season.
So much for that.
The Jazz entered the night losers of six of the last seven. They were days removed from a 55-point rout.
And, yet the Cavs went down 12-2 in the first four-plus minutes. It was 21-4 around the midway point of the first quarter.
That’s when franchise legend Kevin Love, playing just his second game in Cleveland since an unceremonious buyout in 2023, received a warm embrace complete with a sentimental video tribute.
Shortly after that special moment, which led to Love getting a standing ovation and pointing to his ring finger — a nod to the 2016 championship — the 18-year NBA veteran checked into the game for the Jazz.
Another round of applause.
The Cavs welcomed him back by going on a 10-2 run, trimming the Jazz lead back to single digits. But that surge short-circuited. By the end of those mostly lifeless 12 minutes, heavily favored Cleveland was down by a dozen.
The Cavs awoke in the second quarter, seemingly overwhelming the 25-loss Jazz and outscoring them 40-20, securing an eight-point halftime advantage.
But Utah regrouped, pulling even three minutes into the third quarter and then leading by four going into the fourth. It was up by double digits with about nine minutes remaining and the Cavs only got as close as six before the Jazz stifled every comeback attempt, closing out the game with relative ease.
Cleveland, which trailed for nearly 38 minutes Monday night, didn’t lead at any point in the final 17:15.
As the final minutes ticked away, boos started trickling through the crowd. It’s been the soundtrack to this up-and-down season.
Another inexplicable and inexcusable loss.
“I think it’s the psychology of sports,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said following the loss. “I think they took one on the chin — a tough, tough defeat, and they came in here desperate. We scored 146 points against Minnesota, get a little on your high horse, which you have no right to do, and sometimes the psychology of this is the most important thing.
“They were desperate, they were physical. They won the aggressive match. I think they won the mental battle and I guess I could do a better job of putting appropriate fear. It’s the NBA. They’ve got a lot of talent out there. I think they were desperate and we just kind of played. You get your tail handed to you and it’s like that in this league.”
Utah guard Keyonte George finished with a game-high 32 points. Former Cavalier Lauri Markkanen, the centerpiece of the blockbuster deal that brought Mitchell to Cleveland nearly four years ago, added 28 points and 12 rebounds. Love chipped in with 11 points off the bench.
The Cavs were led by Darius Garland who had 23 points and eight assists. Mitchell tallied 21 points, going just 7 of 18 from the field. Evan Mobley nearly recorded a triple-double with 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
Sam Merrill (14 points), Nae’Qwan Tomlin (13) and Jaylon Tyson (11) also hit double figures for the Cavs, who were without Dean Wade (knee contusion) and Max Strus (foot surgery).
“I think we’ve got a good team,” Atkinson proclaimed. “Games like this happen. I hate to say it. We won five out of seven. Like, it’s not like we’ve lost five out of seven, so we just gotta keep perspective.”
Before the game, it was all smiles, hugs and handshakes — a chance to reminisce.
Mitchell with the old franchise that helped mold him into an MVP candidate. Injured Georges Niang, traded by the Cavs at last year’s deadline, with former teammates that miss his leadership and veteran voice. Markkanen with familiar faces that helped resuscitate his career. Love with past mates, coaches and trainers. There were even fans who brought jerseys, asked for autographs and posed for photos with Love.
It was a feel-good night in Cleveland — until the game started.
“We gotta fix it,” Mitchell said pointedly. “Focus on the little details. When we’re in this position, we can’t afford to have the little mistakes. We don’t have the margin for error. That’s the frustrating part is it’s like, it’s there. We see it. We just gotta figure it out.”
Up next
The Cavs will head to Philadelphia for two games against the 76ers. The first is Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
UTAH COUNTY, May 11, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Two males, ages 14 and 19, were transported to area hospitals Sunday after the side-by-side they were riding rolled down the side of a mountain.
Utah County Sheriff deputies and Santaquin police responded to the 6:07 p.m. call. Two medical helicopters were called to the scene, in the Pole Canyon area, as was a Department of Public Safety helicopter with a hoist in case it was needed, Sgt. Austin Edwards, Utah County Sheriff‘s Office, told Gephardt Daily.
“Eventually, rescue workers were able to make it to the spot on the hill where the vehicle had come to rest, and they were able to secure the victims, stabilize the victims, and get them back down the hill again to where the helicopters were waiting,” Edwards said.
“The 19-year-old male was transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, and the 14 year old was transported to Primary Children’s in Lehi.”
Both were said to have critical injuries, which were not considered to be life threatening, Edwards said.
“The cause of the rollover is still under investigation, so we don’t have that information available just yet.”
Photos: Utah County Sheriff
In what has a chance to be one of the most important nights in Jazz history, the Utah Jazz jumped in the NBA Lottery to the #2 spot for the upcoming NBA draft.
Here are the final results, which show all the movement.
Aside from it being a massive night for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls, it was a devastating night for a few teams, but no one more than the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, in their trade for Ivica Zubac, had a stipulation on their pick that if the pick was top-4 they kept it. But if it fell below 4, they would give it to the Clippers which is exactly what happened. Now, the Clippers, who are without Zubac, find themselves with a #5 pick to build around.
For the Jazz this is a culmination of four years of rebuilding that ends with an extremely satisfying end. Utah will now have one of the tier-1 players from this draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. The player Utah drafts will be one of their cornerstone pieces and will have the chance to not only play, but be a part of a team that will be competing for the playoffs this season.
The Utah Jazz now have a Sinister Six core: Darryn Peterson (If AJ Dybantsa goes #1), Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (if he signs). It’s quite the core with a mix of youth and veterans in their prime. With this group, the Jazz will have a chance to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Yes, the Thunder and Spurs are going to be difficult to beat, but Utah has the mix of talent, coaching, and depth that could absolutely do the trick.
Now the Utah Jazz look forward to the NBA Draft that be on June 23rd. Let the posturing begin!!
PROVO — An organization that has been a beacon of hope for Utah children and families just got a big upgrade in Provo.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County on Friday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newest facility, marking the start of a new chapter in providing support for those who need it the most.
The new Kent B. Nelson Clubhouse, 131 N. Olympic Blvd., replaces the organization’s former Provo clubhouse, which had been in operation for more than 50 years. Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County leaders said they had outgrown the aging facility and needed a larger, more modern space to support more community members.
“This new clubhouse is more than a building — it’s a central place where we can coordinate programs, support our staff, and amplify our impact across the region,” said David Bayles, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County, in a statement.
The organization’s mission was something the late former Utah County Commissioner Tom Sakievich was passionate about. His wife Marji and daughter Emily Sakievich attended Friday’s grand opening ceremony just as if he would’ve wanted to.
“He loved this project, and it meant the world to him,” Emily Sakievich told KSL. “This was actually one of the last places he went before he passed. (He) and my mom stopped by to just see how progress was going; he would be so excited to see this come together.”
The former commissioner died last December at the age of 72. Tom Sakievich resigned from the seat in September 2024 after being diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer.
Emily Sakievich said her father was a big supporter of helping children in the Boys & Girls Clubs feel supported while he was in office.
“He would have all of them come to his office and talk about how government works and how they can be a part of it someday,” she said.
The new 20,000 square-foot facility expands on resources and programs offered at its previous site for community youth and families experiencing hardships.
The clubhouse will provide safe, engaging, and educational programs in a modernized building fit to serve more than 14,000 Utah children and teens.
A variety of programs including after-school, summer activities and STEM learning will be offered at the new facility. Other resources include internet safety programs, mental health support, nutrition initiatives, and housing assistance for families experiencing homelessness.
“We’ve been able to increase the capacity so much and add preschool and other things; we can even benefit more families — and we can benefit them for a longer period of time, from younger to older, where there are no gaps.” Provo City Council Chair Katrice MacKay told KSL. “So I’m really excited. It’s a fantastic thing for the city and for our residents.”
Leaders of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County say the new $6 million Provo clubhouse was designed as a welcoming space where children and teens can explore new interests, build life skills, and receive mentorship from caring staff.
“The Boys & Girls Clubs have been a cornerstone of youth development in Utah County for decades,” said Janet Frank, board president, in a statement “This new clubhouse strengthens that mission, allowing the organization to extend its reach and impact across the entire region.”
Friday’s event took place while children who attend the Boys & Girls Clubs were in school, so another ceremony for kids and their families is planned for the end of the month.
“The Boys & Girls Club is for every kid out there,” Bayles said. “We want to accomplish what every parent wants for their kids — we want them to have a safe place to learn and grow, to be successful in school, to build social skills and to go on and be great members of society.”
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
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