Cleveland Cavaliers' Jarrett Allen has quietly been playing some of the best basketball of the season.
There’s been plenty of attention on the Cleveland Cavaliers' new backcourt duo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden over the last few days, which is very understandable.
In a small sample size, this new partnership has been a can’t-miss TV, but there is one more member of the Wine and Gold who’s been playing some of his best basketball of the season over the last few weeks, and deserves much more recognition, and that’s Jarrett Allen.
Over the last month, Allen has averaged 15.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and nearly 1.0 steals in 15 games. The most impressive part of this stretch has been Allen’s ultra-efficacy in shooting the ball, shooting 65 percent from the field.
This production is directly leading to the Cavaliers' winning basketball, too. In those 15 games, JA has a +/- of +4.5, and Cleveland is 12-3 in that stretch.
The Cavaliers have desperately needed this production, especially with Evan Mobley’s injury, and Allen has answered that call.
When all the attention was on Harden in his Cavaliers debut against the Sacramento Kings, Allen quietly put up a 29-point, 10-rebound performance, and Mitchell made sure to shoutout what Allen was able to do in the paint.
“Shoutout to Jarrett Allen, too. While [Harden and I] were trying to figure it out as a group, he just kept going down on both ends,” said Mitchell.
Feb 1, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) talks to center Jarrett Allen (31) during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn ImagesEven Cleveland’s head coach took notice of what Allen has been doing on both sides of the floor.
“JA is playing great basketball. He’s playing as well as any center in the league right now,” said Kenny Atkinson after Allen's 22-point performance against the Denver Nuggets on Monday.
Allen's impressive stretch started before the trade deadline, and it’s not impossible that he reaches another level before the regular season is over.
Harden has a reputation for elevating the bigs he plays with, and the small sample size of him and Allen leaves a lot to be excited about.
As the Cavaliers continue to figure out how everything will work in the frontcourt, it’s important to keep giving Allen the respect he deserves for what he’s done for Cleveland over the last few weeks.
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