It’s only the third time Donovan Mitchell has faced the team that made him a star. Mitchell, who spent five seasons in Utah, has thrived since arriving in Cleveland in a blockbuster transfer in 2022.

On the other hand, Lauri Markkanen has always been a bright spot for jazz. Monday marks Markkanen’s fourth game against his former team, and he made the most of the previous three games, scoring over 20 points each time and recording two double-doubles. His length and inside-out scoring arsenal will test Cleveland’s defense, especially in his expected matchup with Evan Mobley.

However, the Jazz have had major problems since Mitchell’s departure. In the two seasons following the trade, they finished 12th in the Western Conference both times and failed to reach the 40-win mark. Utah, ranked 14th in the West, has struggled with consistency, winning just three of its last 10 games. However, two of their seven wins this season came in the last two games, starting a winning streak.

Despite their struggles, the Jazz will bring intensity to this matchup, fueled by the returns of Markkanen and Collin Sexton to Cleveland. Sexton, who spent the first four years of his career with the Cavs, remains a scoring threat and will certainly take over defensive duties over Darius Garland or Mitchell.

For the Cavs, this contest is about maintaining focus and implementing their principles on both sides of the ball against a rebuilding opponent.

With a daunting West Coast road trip looming at the end of the month, Cleveland has an opportunity to take care of business early, manage minutes for key players and maintain their momentum ahead of the difficult stretch before the new year.

Monday’s clash is a look at what was, what is and what might have been. For Cavs fans, the Mobley-Markkanen matchup alone is worth the price of admission.

Here’s what you should know about the matchup:

WHO: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Utah Jazz

Series: First of two meetings in the regular season.

Where: Rocket Mortgage Field House.

When: 7:00 p.m. ET.

The distribution of points: Cavs minus-14.5; O/U 230.5

TV: FanDuel Sports Network – Ohio

Injury report

CAVS:

Out of:

Isaac Okoro (shoulder); Emoni Bates (two-sided); Luke Travers (two-sided).

Questionable:

Sam Merrill (quadriceps); Dean Wade (knee).

JAZZ:

Out of:

Taylor Hendricks (fibula); Oscar Tshiebwe (two-sided); David Jones Garcia (two-sided).

Questionable:

Keyonte George (ankle); Cody Williams (G-League assignment); Kyle Filipowski (G-League assignment).