The Cleveland Cavaliers have been the cream of the crop in the NBA all season long, and their Wednesday night 129-122 win over the streaking Oklahoma City Thunder has only cemented that fact. It was a tough game, as is the case every time any team faces the Thunder, but the Cavs pulled out all the stops needed to grab the victory — with Jarrett Allen playing a starring role.
Allen has proven the Cavs’ decision to keep him despite his heavy involvement in trade rumors to be the correct one at every turn, and in their win over the Thunder, he showed that he is a force to be reckoned with on the interior — even turning games with his presence on the glass. Not only did he score 25 points to lead the team in scoring, he also hauled in 12 rebounds, with eight of them coming on the offensive end, helping secure the possession battle as a result.
And with Allen playing incredible basketball for the league’s best team at the moment, he has a good case to be named to the Eastern Conference All-Star roster when the festivities begin in San Francisco next month. At least his Cavs teammate Donovan Mitchell believes so.
Considering how excellently the Cavs have played all season long, they have a strong case to send multiple representatives to the All-Star Game. But they have many deserving players, and it’s not quite clear how willing the coaches would be to vote in as many as four Cavs players to the festivities.
Nonetheless, one thing’s for sure: Allen is very deserving of such an acclaim. After his monster game against the Thunder, he is now averaging 14.1 points and 10.1 rebounds on 70 percent shooting from the field. His raw numbers are down due to playing fewer minutes, but he definitely passes the eye test.
Jarrett Allen flexes Cavs’ muscle against the Thunder
© Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Floor-spacing may be all the rage in today’s NBA, but rim-protecting, rim-runners who can dominate the glass still have a huge place in the league. Jarrett Allen proved this in a big way as he played a central role in how the Cavs beat the Thunder.
Allen was relentless on the glass, keeping possessions alive for the Cavs on plenty of occasions in the fourth quarter. He was also uber-efficient with his scoring opportunities, and there is rarely any wasted motion from the 26-year-old center. Fans are thankful for the Cavs management’s decision to stick to their guns, considering that it has resulted in an elite 32-4 start to the season.
