Despite the many injuries the Cleveland Cavaliers have dealt with all season, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is too blessed to stress. That's because, to Bickerstaff, they're never out a game because of big man Jarrett Allen whenever the Cavs are down players in their rotation.
“The greatest talent in the NBA is dependability,” Bickerstaff said to ClutchPoints. “And Jarrett Allen is dependable. For a coach to wake up in the morning and know that you’ve got Jarrett Allen on your team eases your soul because you know every single night he’s gonna go out and give you everything he has. And that’s enough to help you win.”
Allen has started 58 consecutive games this season for Cleveland after missing the first five due to an ankle injury. Allen’s scored in double-digits in 52 games, grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 33 games and secured a double-double in 31. He’s watched Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Donovan Mitchell all miss time, sometimes all at once, and respond the same way every time, no matter who is or isn't available.
“Coming up in this league, I feel like I wasn’t the most dependable,” said Allen to ClutchPoints. “I’d go out and have a double-double one game, then another game I’d have five and four. It was something I wanted to expand on to be more reliable, whether it’s going for a double-double every night or being consistent on the defensive end. It was a growth I wanted.”
Cleveland is 39-19 with Allen in the lineup this season, which includes 25 games without Mobley, 15 games without Mitchell and 20 games without Garland. Without Allen out there, the Cavs are 2-3 – which further drives home how Allen's dependability has become vital for Cleveland's overall success. Without him on the floor, the Cavs would be a mess since Allen has put the Cavs on his back whenever Cleveland is missing their other stars.
“He’s just been consistently dominant,” Bickerstaff said. “We’ve been saying this since before the All-Star break when we thought he was deserving to be an All-Star because I can’t tell you bigs that are playing better than Jarrett Allen. He’s just been phenomenal. It’s a testament to him as a human being, as a basketball player, to want to do more to help the team win. And that’s who J.A. is.”
This season, Allen is putting up career-best numbers in terms of scoring and assists. He's also matched his career-best marks for rebounds, blocks and steals. Allen is in elite territory, matching the production of Nikola Jokic, Anthony Davis, and Domas Sabonis, and he should be recognized for his growth after the disastrous end of last season.
Mitchell Robinson and the New York Knicks made Allen look incredibly small despite being 6'11”. When the series wrapped in five games, people questioned Allen's toughness, drive, and whether or not he was motivated enough to push through adversity. Fast forward to now, Allen looks nothing like he did, erasing much of the doubt surrounding him and the Cavs.
With how banged up Cleveland is, it's going to have to remain that way as the season keeps rolling along. Eventually, the Cavs will be healthier and the need to lean on Allen so much will lessen. But, when the chips are down, Cleveland knows that their most dependable player has their back.
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