A shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers team matched up with the East-leading Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night, winning a nail-biting 113-109 ball game. It should have been the perfect statement game for the Cavs. The problem is with the fallout from that contest.
Jarrett Allen exited the game with a knee injury after 20 minutes played and that was all she wrote for the Cavaliers starting center. Allen was listed as doubtful to return, and he never did. The Cavaliers still managed without him, but a lot of eyes were understandably fixated on what comes next for JA.
Thankfully for him, the Cavaliers, and the fanbase, it does not appear as though Allen's injury is too serious. Despite not returning to the game, there was no immediate concern about his knee when speaking to Tom Withers.
Withers mentioned catching Allen in the hallway after the injury scare. The Cavaliers center said he would be all right when asked on how he was feeling. That immediately allowed a collective sigh of relief from Cleveland. Seeing yet another key player on the injury report would have been tough to swallow. That is especially true considering just how well Allen has played of late.
Perfectly-timed schedule quirk should help Jarrett Allen injury recovery
Maybe the reason that Cleveland did not bring Allen back into the game was similar to why they decided to hold Donovan Mitchell out altogether. The Cavaliers care about the NBA Playoffs. An extra win or two in the regular season does not take priority.
Kenny Atkinson even said if the game against Detroit on Tuesday was a playoff game, Mitchell would have played. If Allen said he would be fine after the matchup, this may have just been a precautionary move from the Cavs' side. Truly, why risk it?
The added timing of what the schedule looks like certainly does not hurt the decision-making process for Cleveland either.
The Cavaliers are off until Sunday, when they will play the Boston Celtics. With so much time off between games, Allen and his knee will get a proper breather. If Cleveland still does not deem him fit by then, they can always kick the can further down the road, should it be truly necessary.
Allen has been an absolute force for the Cavaliers since February. That is a presence they want to ensure is in the lineup when the spring is here. Fortune often favors the bold. However, that is never really the case with injury management.