After securing their second win of the year Wednesday nightover the New York Knicks, the Cleveland Cavaliers might have picked up another win without touching the court. Heading into their first NBA In-Season Tournament game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, the Cavs may have two new members in their rotation.
Jarrett Allen, who has been sidelined since training camp, and Darius Garland, who has missed Cleveland's last four games with a nagging hamstring injury, are both questionable for the Cavs in Indianapolis.
Granted, this doesn't mean that either Allen or Garland are absolutely certain to play against the Pacers. Due to their status as questionable, Cleveland's All-Star combo will likely be game-time decisions based on how their bodies are feeling.
Allen's bone bruise and Garland's hamstring are tricky to heal and manage. Any assumption or report that says neither injury is serious is incredibly irresponsible. So, if they're feeling safe enough to play, and the Cavs' medical staff gives them the green light, then they'll return to a Cleveland in desperate need of depth. Considering that both have cleared head coach J.B. Bickerstaff's prerequisite for practicing in full, it makes the path to either Allen or Garland playing even clearer.
Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland have been working behind the scenes
Recently, Cleveland Charge head coach Mike Gerrity shared with ClutchPoints that Allen spent two days working with the G League affiliate of the Cavs, going through intense, full-contact scrimmages. Moreover, a league source shared with ClutchPoints that Garland, meanwhile, has been putting in extensive work behind the scenes, showing that he's ready to return to the court.
If both end up playing, they will likely have a minutes restriction to ease them back into action. When Allen went down during training camp, Bickerstaff said that his biggest concern was the All-Star big man maintaining the proper level of conditioning, especially with Allen only able to walk or run on one foot. It was a gradual process for Allen to stay in shape, starting in the gravity pool and eventually going through full-blown contact with the Charge.
Garland, meanwhile, does have the luxury of being able to participate in nearly the entire preseason for Cleveland. Sure, he did tweak his hamstring during the Cavs' exhibition loss to the Orlando Magic. But he was able to play through it in Cleveland's season-opening win over the Brooklyn Nets, finishing the night with 15 points and five assists.
After the win, Garland was shut down, allowing his hamstring to heal properly. While he still will be on a minutes restriction to avoid the possibility of reaggravating it, Garland will likely play more minutes than Allen if both are available.
The Cavs getting back either star player would be a massive boost to a team that has struggled to begin the season. Before their win over the Knicks, Cleveland had lost three games in a row, looking like a shell of the team it was last season, with added depth over the summer no longer serving as a luxury. More importantly, getting Allen or Garland back would be a huge shot in the arm from pure star power alone, jolting the Cavs from a path that takes them from mediocrity to contention just in time for the In-Season Tournament.
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