The Cavaliers may have found a late-game answer in a place that doesn’t always get the spotlight.
Against the Knicks on Wednesday, Cleveland leaned on Jarrett Allen when New York tried to load up on Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. Instead of forcing everything through the backcourt, the Cavs let the big man operate, and Allen made the most of it.
That’s the kind of wrinkle Chris Fedor pointed to when talking about Cleveland’s closing options. In his view, Allen could become a bigger part of the solution when defenses start swarming Mitchell and Harden.
“Jarrett Allen was the one who got to play 4-on-3, not necessarily Evan Mobley. So that’s another adjustment.
Jarrett’s got that in his game, and I think he’s better at that than Evan at this stage of his career,” Fedor said. “I would just love to see what would happen if it was Evan on the bench in a late game situation.
Why does it always have to be Jarrett, Jarrett or somebody else as the debate, can’t it be Evan or somebody else?”
Allen backed that up with his play. He scored seven points and added four rebounds in the fourth quarter, helping Cleveland pull away for a 115-107 win.
The contrast with Mobley is part of the conversation, too. Cleveland has leaned on Mobley in these spots before, but Allen’s game looks a little more direct when the offense needs a clean answer.
He’s older, more experienced, and more willing to take the ball and go make a play at the rim. Mobley can score, but he often seems more inclined to kick it back out and reset the action around the perimeter.
If Mobley becomes more aggressive in those moments, that could give the Cavaliers another layer. If not, Kenny Atkinson may simply keep turning to Allen when the game tightens up.
Either way, Wednesday offered a clear glimpse of what that option can look like when it works.
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Cavs Got The Offensive Spark Fans Have Been Waiting For
The Cavaliers finally found the kind of offensive rhythm that has been missing in stretches this season, and it came in a win over the Knicks. James Harden set the tone with 32 points and four assists, while Donovan Mitchell added 23 points and seven rebounds to keep the pressure on New York. Jarrett Allen chipped in 11 points and 14 rebounds, giving Cleveland a steady inside presence, and the overall performance had the feel of a night when the ball moved with purpose and the scoring load was spread more naturally.
Tyrese Proctor also gave the Cavs a useful lift with 15 points, another encouraging sign for a team still sorting out its rotation and looking for reliable secondary scoring. For Cleveland, the bigger question now is whether this was just a strong one-off against the Knicks or the start of a more consistent offensive spark that can carry into the next stretch of games. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Finally Delivered The Kind Of Response Fans Needed
After a shaky stretch that had started to raise questions, the Cavaliers got the kind of road response they needed at Madison Square Garden, beating the Knicks 115-107 and snapping a two-game losing streak. Clevelands offense found enough rhythm to steady things, and Donovan Mitchell was central to that push with 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists as the Cavs moved back to 6-6.
The bigger takeaway was that Cleveland didnt let the night drift away once New York made it uncomfortable in the fourth quarter. James Hardens season-high 32 points gave the Cavaliers a needed scoring lift, and the win offered a cleaner snapshot of what this group can look like when it has to answer a challenge rather than absorb one. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Pressure Is Rising Fast But Kenny Atkinson May Not Be The Problem
A 5-6 start has a way of turning up the heat quickly, and the Cavaliers are already feeling it. Kenny Atkinson is the face of the sideline scrutiny, but the early-season frustration has been shaped as much by the roster around him as by anything happening in the coaching box, with the team not getting the kind of lift it expected from key pieces.
James Harden has been part of that conversation, and so has Peyton Watson, whose play has slipped from what he gave last season. When the production from important additions and veterans falls off at the same time, the pressure inevitably rolls uphill, and Atkinsons margin for error may not stay wide for long if Cleveland cannot find some traction soon. [Read more 🡒]