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The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t do enough to get the win, but there were some positives to take away from their narrow 118-116 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Jarrett Allen was far and away the most dominant on the court on a night the Cavs were without three starters in James Harden (thumb), Donovan Mitchell (groin), and Evan Mobley (calf). He controlled every aspect of the game on both ends of the floor, showcasing once again that he’s playing the best basketball of his career.
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There was nothing the Bucks nor Myles Turner could really do to stop Allen, only the final buzzer coming a millisecond before his would-be game-tying shot did. Allen finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds on 10-15 shooting.
Performances like this have been nothing new for Allen this month, but there’s something symbolic of having this kind of game against Turner — someone who significantly outplayed him last postseason when he was a member of the Indiana Pacers.
Allen struggled for most of that series, besides having solid showings in Games 2 and 3. He was a non-factor on offense, allowed Turner to push him off his spots, combined for just six rebounds in the final two games, and made a minimal impact defensively against a Pacers team that had their way with the Cavs. It was the type of series that made you question whether Allen really belongs with this core.
The game he had on Wednesday couldn’t have been more opposite.
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Allen was Cleveland’s offensive engine, consistently bullied Turner in the post, grabbed six offensive rebounds, and helped stabilize what was otherwise a poor defensive effort.
There have long been questions about how Allen fits with this team. Playing with two bigs is challenging in the modern NBA, even if you have two elite guards. That said, this version of Allen should work in any lineup that you put him in. And if you can’t find a way to get consistent production out of a big this skilled, with this much touch and coordination inside, then whatever system you’re trying to run isn’t worth it.
There’s simply no excuse for not prioritizing Allen going forward.
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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/9-takeaways-jarrett-allen-27-110000047.html
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Publish date : 2026-02-26 11:00:00
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