Jazz-Cavaliers Injury Report: Pair of Starters Statuses in Question

The Utah Jazz lace them up one last time before the holidays.

Dec 19, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Utah Jazz forward John Collins (20) reacts in the first half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Utah Jazz play their last games before the holidays when they face off against the Donovan Mitchell-led Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. Both teams could have some key contributors missing. 

The Jazz have a pair of starters whose status is in question. Keynonte George (ankle) and John Collins (hip) are questionable. As for the Cavs, Sam Merrill (quad) is also questionable. 

The Jazz are coming off the heels of their only two-game winning streak of the year. They'll have their work cut out for them if they're going to make it three. The Cavs boast a 16-1 record at home this season and are riding a four-game winning streak in which they’ve won all games by double digits. 

Thanks to their back-to-back wins, the Jazz went from having the third-best lottery odds to the fifth. The Jazz can't afford too many more winning streaks if they want to stay in the top five. The highest pick the Jazz have received since starting their rebuild is the No. 9 selection used to pick Taylor Hendricks in 2022. 

This will be the season's first meeting for a pair of franchises headed in different directions. It will also be the fifth meeting since the Jazz parted with Donovan Mitchell in 2022. Cleveland is 3-1 against Utah since the blockbuster exchange.

The Cavs are a heavy favorite. The oddsmakers have the Jazz pegged as a 14-point underdog. The tip-off is at 6:00 pm Mt.

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