For years, Jarrett Allen has been a talking point in Cleveland Cavaliers circles. On the one hand, he's a hard-working, easy-going guy who's impossible not to like at a human level. On the other hand, his disappearing acts in big games have been tough to watch at times.
Whatever the case, Allen has gone from criminally underrated to being a scapegoat in the span of days multiple times throughout the course of his days in Cleveland. However, that only speaks volumes about his impact.
That's why it's not much of a surprise to see that, once again, not having him on the court is being a major issue for Kenny Atkinson's team. He's now missed the last five games with a knee injury, and the Cavs are 2-3 during that span.
Cavaliers need Jarrett Allen more than some fans realize
The Cavs just announced that Allen will miss the upcoming three-game road trip as he continues to deal with right knee tendinitis. He suffered the injury in the second half of the Cavs' 113-109 win over the Detroit Pistons.
The defense has struggled mightily in the last three games without him, giving up 128 and 130 points in their last two losses. Per Basketball Reference, they have a defensive rating of 112 when he's on the court, also boasting an offensive rating of 132
Allen is averaging 15.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game on 63.6 percent from the floor. He was playing the best basketball of his career before the injury, looking much more aggressive, demanding the ball in the paint, and showing some newfound physicality on the defensive end of the floor.
While clearly not as gifted as Evan Mobley or as vocal as Donovan Mitchell, Allen's value for the Cavaliers goes way beyond the stat sheet. Having him lurking around the rim allows Mobley to gamble on defense, knowing that Allen can alter shots if he's somehow blown by.
Also, opposing defenses have to deal with his big body, and not having him out there allows them to swarm Mobley in the paint. He's not the savviest passer out there, so that can slow down the offense at times. This team doesn't have much frontcourt depth, and he can't return soon enough.
Allen isn't a superstar by any means, but he's become instrumental to everything this team does on both ends of the floor. Maybe this tough stretch without him will make fans appreciate him a little more, even despite the occasional Houdini act.