In past two for Cavs, Jarrett Allen has picked up right where he left off

The Cleveland Cavaliers have gotten terrific play out of Jarrett Allen this season, as he’s really leaned into his role as a heck of an interior presence at both ends.

Now, Allen was given a sizeable new deal this past offseason via the five-year, $100 million variety from Cleveland, prior to him really hitting restricted free agency, but so far this season, he’s further solidified himself as a core piece.

He’s had 15.3 points and 11.2 rebounds per contest, and prior to injury for Evan Mobley, he and Mobley were starting to mesh on both ends, and on the defensive end, they were forming quite the duo there.

Last week, it was tough for the Wine and Gold, that particularly given a number of others banged up or unavailable, that Allen was out for the Cavs’ three contests because of illness, which was not COVID-19-related. The Cavaliers did, to their credit, hang in those games, but they lost those. And after Monday and Wednesday close losses to the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns, two of the league’s best teams, Cleveland has unfortunately lost five straight.

That said, the Cavs are getting some guys back in tow of late, and still can right the ship here; Mobley is reportedly progressing tangibly, too.

A positive from the past two games, though, even with the L’s, was how the aforementioned Allen looked, and for the most part in his games for the year, he’s been dynamite for the Wine and Gold, as KJG’s Robbie DiPaola demonstrated. That was again great to see, and the Cavs seem to be finding him.

Allen was a bright spot for the Cavs in the past two games in his return from a three-game absence, and he continues to get it done in a big way.

In the last two games, Allen was back to his ways, with 20 points and 15 rebounds versus Brooklyn, and on Wednesday, he had 25 points and 11 boards against Phoenix.

I know that the Cavaliers didn’t get it done in those two ultimately, but Allen was impressive, either way. I give Cedi Osman his credit for Cleveland in that game on Wednesday as well, as he knocked in five triples, and had 23 points, helping will the Cavs back, and he had 12 points in the fourth.

Circling back to Allen, however, his presence on the interior, with his finishing abilities, great footwork, and putback prowess, has given Cleveland energy consistently in games. In those three games he was absent, the Cavs were missing what Allen brings, and even more so with Mobley out for more than two of those.

Of course, the Wine and Gold are continually missing what Collin Sexton provides, too, but in these past two outings, it’s just reiterated how Allen looks to have leveled up this season. And he’s seemingly turned a corner this season in Year 5.

His toughness, physicality, screening and play finishing has been outstanding for the Cavs, and with what he’s given Cleveland, with rim protection in mind, too, he appears to be a growing leader for this team.

Hopefully his frontcourt partner in Mobley gets back soon from injury, as those two were starting to form great chemistry, and they are difference-makers, particularly together, on the defensive end, to that point. The effort from other guys, such as Dean Wade, Lauri Markkanen and Kevin Love has been encouraging, but defensively, they’re not Mobley, obviously.

In any case, it’s been good to see Allen pick up right where he left off in the last two contests before his absences due to illness last week; it’s been yet another reminder that he’s a crucial player for the Cavaliers.