Jan. 12, 2026, 11:52 p.m. ET
Rookie Ace Bailey was commended for his efforts on Monday in helping the Utah Jazz begin a five-game road trip with a victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Bailey finished with four points, three rebounds, two assists and one blocked shot in the 123-112 win at Rocket Arena. Playing for just the second time in nine games because of a hip injury, Bailey logged 15 minutes, 17 seconds of action off the bench.
The fifth pick came up with several key plays in the fourth quarter, including an offensive rebound and assist to Kevin Love and a block on Darius Garland. He was among the players singled out by coach Will Hardy after the game.
A ton of really, really good individual performances that deserve to be highlighted: First of all, I thought Ace had some really big possessions late in the game. He had a couple of offensive rebounds that were big plays for us. Really contributed to the win tonight.
Bailey is averaging 9.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 34.9% from 3-point range in 32 appearances with the Jazz. He is 12th in scoring among rookies and is one of 10 first-year players with at least three 20-point performances.
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The 19-year-old has scored in double figures 16 times, including a season-high-tying 21 points, five rebounds and three assists on Nov. 13 in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks. He had appeared in every game for the Jazz before first suffering his injury on Dec. 26.
The Jazz welcomed Bailey back to the lineup on Monday, and the former Rutgers forward responded with a productive effort. They will likely ramp up his workload over the coming games, though the group has been pleased with his year thus far.