The alarm bells are now ringing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and they need Jarrett Allen to silence them.
Losing Game 1 to the Indiana Pacers was not something to overreact to. The Pacers shot lights out, the Cavaliers were cold, but overall the game was close and the Cavs had better shot quality, fewer turnovers and few reasons for concern. Tighten up the defensive approach, do a better job on the glass, and trust the shooting variance to normalize.
Then the injury report was published on Monday, and suddenly things went from concerning to terrifying. The Cavaliers host the Pacers in Game 2 tonight, down 0-1 in the series, and faces the very real possibility of going down by two games to start the series, a hole few teams can dig out of -- especially when they lose homecourt advantage.
Darius Garland has missed the last three games with a toe injury that also plagued him down the stretch of the regular season; if he plays in Game 2, it's unlikely that he will be 100 percent. More likely he is forced to miss another game. He is joined on the injury report by Evan Mobley, who is dealing with an ankle injury, and De'Andre Hunter, who injured his thumb in Game 1.
When asked about Mobley and Hunter, head coach Kenny Atkinson used the word "doubtful" and said that there is "real concern" about both players being available for Game 2:
The Cavaliers are facing a difficult foe that just defeated them, and could be without two of its three best players as well as a key rotation player. Things are looking grim, and while the Cavs need Donovan Mitchell and Ty Jerome to be more efficient and for Max Strus and Sam Merrill to hit shots, there is one player who needs to step up and save the day.
Jarrett Allen.
The Cavaliers need Jarrett Allen to save their season
If Evan Mobley misses Game 2, Jarrett Allen will be asked to play 40 or more minutes. The problem we have been pointing to all season is now rearing its head: there is not a viable third center on the roster.
That means Allen will need to play and sustain for extended minutes. He is a low-foul player, which will help him to ramp up, but he is also conditioned for playing 30 minutes, not 40. What's more, he will not have the usual help from Mobley protecting the rim and clearing the glass.
When Allen was aggressive in Game 1, he looked unstoppable. He was rolling to the rim and obliterating the Pacers' help at the rim. Their only recourse was to stiff arm him away from the rim as he dunked -- a dangerous play that was left uncalled by the refs. Allen took a hard fall and didn't quite have the same verve the rest of the game, a half step slow when defending or rebounding.
The Cavaliers will need Allen at his best on Tuesday night. Missing their best defender, Allen will need to step up. Missing their best bench forward, Allen will need to shoulder the load with smaller players beside him. Missing their All-Star guard, Allen will need to take and make more shots.
The Pacers have the defenders to slow down Donovan Mitchell and Ty Jerome. Where they are vulnerable is inside, and that's where Allen has to prove his worth. He is this team's fourth All-Star, the forgotten member of their four-star core. He is not usually a high-volume player, but at times he has ramped up and reached that next level.
If he can do that against the Pacers without Mobley and Hunter and Garland, then the Cavaliers have a chance to right the ship and regain control. If they are short-handed and Allen cannot rise to the occasion, they could fall into an insurmountable hole.
Jarrett Allen, it's time to save the Cleveland Cavaliers' season.