Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Jarrett Allen

Jarrett Allen Fractures Finger, Out Indefinitely

March 7th, 2022 at 2:29pm CST by JD Shaw

MARCH 7: The Cavaliers have confirmed that Allen, who left Sunday’s game due to a left quad contusion, was later diagnosed with a fracture in his left middle finger (Twitter link). That’s his non-shooting hand.

The big man will undergo additional evaluation and treatment, according to the Cavs, who add that no timetable has been set for his return to basketball.

MARCH 6: Cavaliers All-Star center Jarrett Allen has sustained a fractured finger and is expected to be out indefinitely, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Allen suffered the injury during Cleveland’s game against Toronto on Sunday. He exited the contest due to a left quad contusion, however, finishing the night with six points and two rebounds in 10 minutes. The Cavaliers ended up winning the game 104-96.

Allen has appeared in 55 of the team’s 64 games this season. He has averaged a career-high 16.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks during his first All-Star campaign, shooting an efficient 68% from the floor.

The Cavaliers have upcoming games against the Pacers on Tuesday, Heat on Friday and Bulls on Saturday. Should Allen miss multiple games, big men Kevin Love, Dean Wade and Ed Davis are candidates to receive more playing time.

Retweet 6 Share 0 Send via email0

Central Notes: LaVine, Thompson, Haliburton, Allen, Williams, Smith

February 20th, 2022 at 8:04pm CST by JD Shaw

The Bulls officially signed veteran center Tristan Thompson on Saturday, adding a former NBA champion to their rotation. Thompson, who is expected to provide depth behind star center Nikola Vucevic, drew praise from new teammate Zach LaVine this weekend.

“He’s going to bring another championship-level guy where he’s been in these games before,” LaVine said, as relayed by Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune. “He can help us in these situations.”

Chicago is tied with Miami for the best record in the East at 38-21. The team won its final five games entering the All-Star break and has added Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso and others over the last calendar year.

“With AK [Arturas Karnisovas] and Marc [Eversley], obviously, they’re going for it,” LaVine said of the Bulls’ front office. “They trust in me, they trust in DeMar, they trust in this group, and it just means a lot going into the last year of my contract that they’re putting a team around us that can compete.’’

There’s more from the Central Division tonight:

  • Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton finally enjoyed his Rising Stars moment on Friday, Scott Agness of FieldHouse Files examines. The 21-year-old was acquired by Indiana before this season’s trade deadline. In four games, he’s averaged 20.8 points and 11.0 assists per contest.
  • Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has enjoyed every moment of All-Star Weekend, Kelsey Russo of The Athletic writes. Allen is a major reason why Cleveland owns the fourth-best record in the East at 35-23. This is his first All-Star appearance. “It’s still a lot to take in,” Allen said. “I don’t think I’ve fully grasped the moment that I’m in. I’m part of the top 24 players in the NBA at this All-Star Weekend, so I’m just excited, I’m ready to take it all in and just absorb every moment. It’s been a one-of-a-kind weekend that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”
  • Suns head coach Monty Williams is happy to see Jalen Smith get a new opportunity with the Pacers, as relayed by James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). Smith was traded from Phoenix to Indiana earlier this month. “I’m happy for him,” Williams said as part of a larger quote. “He’s a guy that worked his tail off every single day with us. He just couldn’t crack the rotation.” Smith has appeared in four games with the Pacers, averaging 12.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in 21 minutes per contest.
Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Jarrett Allen To Replace James Harden In All-Star Game

February 14th, 2022 at 3:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has been named an All-Star replacement, the league announced today in a press release. Allen will sub in for Sixers guard James Harden, who will miss Sunday’s All-Star Game due to a left hamstring injury.

It’s a deserving honor for Allen, who is enjoying a career year in his first full season as a Cavalier after signing a new five-year contract with the team in the offseason. In addition to anchoring the Cavs’ defense, which ranks third in the NBA, the 23-year-old is averaging 16.2 points and 11.1 rebounds per game in 49 appearances (32.6 MPG). His 66.5% shooting percentage is the league’s second-best mark.

Allen is the second All-Star representative for a Cavaliers squad that ranks third in the Eastern Conference with a 35-22 record, joining teammate Darius Garland. Allen and Garland will play in their home arena on Sunday, as this year’s All-Star Game will take place in Cleveland.

Harden, the final player selected in last Thursday’s All-Star draft, was part of Team LeBron, so Allen will join LeBron James‘ roster for Sunday’s game.

Allen beat out other All-Star candidates such as Pascal Siakam, Jrue Holiday, and Jaylen Brown to take Harden’s place. It’s possible another replacement player will be necessary if Zach LaVine is forced to miss Sunday’s game due to his knee injury. If LaVine bows out, the replacement would again come from the Eastern Conference and would join Team Durant.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

NBA Announces Slam Dunk, Three-Point, Skills Challenge Contestants

February 8th, 2022 at 6:56pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The NBA has announced a full list of the participants for its three-point, slam dunk and skills challenge competitions ahead of the upcoming 2022 All-Star Weekend in Cleveland.

Per the NBA (Twitter link), the following players will partake in the Mountain Dew Three-Point Contest, which appears to have outpaced the dunk contest as the premiere event for established stars at All-Star Weekend. Four 2022 All-Stars will compete:

According to the league (via Twitter), these are the contestants in the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest:

Below are the NBA’s announced players for the newly revamped Taco Bell Skills Challenge (Twitter link). This year, the Skills Challenge will be divvied up into three teams: Antetokounmpo brothers (“Antetokounmpos”), Cavaliers players (“Cavs”), and rookies (“Rooks”).

These three events will take place on All-Star Saturday on February 19.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Central Notes: Grant, Cunningham, Allen, Lopez

February 5th, 2022 at 10:37am CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons head coach Dwane Casey said he’s spoken with Jerami Grant about all the trade rumors surrounding him. Casey advised Grant to take them as a compliment.

“My thing to him was if your name is being mentioned, it’s a badge of honor,” Casey said. “If you don’t see your name, nobody else wants you, that should tell you something. He understands. There’s no change in his personality, no change in his approach. He’s a pro.”

We have more from the Central Division:

  • Pistons rookie Cade Cunningham has missed two games with a right hip pointer, but it’s not a serious issue, according to Casey. “He’s just got to get those muscles in his behind firing the right way and the soreness out,” he said. “Those hip pointers are painful. … We’ll see how it goes (Saturday). It’s going to be a day-to-day thing to see how the soreness goes away.” The Pistons play at Minnesota on Sunday.
  • The Cavaliers feel Jarrett Allen deserved a spot on the All-Star team. Allen wasn’t chosen as an All-Star reserve and he responded with a career-high 29 points and 22 rebounds against Charlotte on Friday. “I think Jarrett got snubbed,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said to Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “You look at what he’s done over the year and there’s no real way to justify him not making it. It’s difficult because there are a lot of talented players out there, but if we respect winning the way we say we respect winning, there’s no way that Jarrett Allen doesn’t make the All-Star team. I’ll speak on his behalf. We’re extremely disappointed that he didn’t make it.”
  • The Bucks expect Brook Lopez to return sometime during the regular season but it won’t be in the near future, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Lopez underwent back surgery in early December. “On the most basic level, we’re going to be in L.A. and that is where his surgery was,” coach Mike Budenholzer said this week. “I think it’s time for his four-week, three-week, I don’t know, however many weeks it has been, check-up. But having said that, he’s been doing some work on the court individually. He’ll continue to do that stuff.”
Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

COVID-19 Updates: Payton, Nader, Lopez, Ross, Cavs, Duke

December 30th, 2021 at 9:38am CST by Luke Adams

It has been an unusual week for Suns guard Elfrid Payton, who entered the health and safety protocols on Sunday, then exited them on Monday after what appeared to be a false positive. On Wednesday, prior to Phoenix’s game vs. Oklahoma City, Payton reentered the protocols, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic writes.

The specifics of Payton’s situation are unclear, but he’ll now remain in the protocols for at least six days unless he can once again return two consecutive negative COVID-19 tests at least 24 hours apart.

According to Rankin, Payton wasn’t the only Sun to be placed in the protocols on Wednesday — Abdel Nader has also joined that list. However, Nader has been out of Phoenix’s lineup since November 19 due to what the team has called “right knee injury management,” so his placement in the protocols had no real impact on the rotation.

Here are a few more COVID-related updates from around the NBA:

  • Magic center Robin Lopez has entered the COVID-19 protocols, the team announced on Thursday morning (via Twitter). However, Terrence Ross is listed on Orlando’s latest injury report as out due to “return to competition reconditioning,” which suggests he has exited the protocols. With Lopez in and Ross out, there are still five Magic players in the protocols.
  • The Cavaliers‘ latest injury report lists Jarrett Allen, Dylan Windler, and Lamar Stevens as going through return to competition reconditioning, so they’ve cleared the protocols. Allen is considered doubtful for Thursday’s game in Washington, while Windler and Stevens are questionable.
  • Nets rookie David Duke has exited the health and safety protocols, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Brooklyn’s list of players in the protocols was in the double-digits earlier this month, but is now down to just two — Kessler Edwards and Day’Ron Sharpe.
  • Our running list of players in the protocols can be found right here.
Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Five More Cavaliers Players Enter Protocols

December 19th, 2021 at 12:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

12:28 PM: The five players who have entered the protocols are Allen, Lamar Stevens, Dylan Windler, Denzel Valentine and RJ Nembhard, the Cavaliers announced (via Twitter). Their game with the Hawks Sunday has been postponed due to the outbreak.

11:24 AM: Tonight’s game between the Cavaliers and Hawks is expected to be postponed, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). It would be the third game of the season to be called off, following the Bulls’ games this week against the Pistons and Raptors.

11:21 AM: Center Jarrett Allen is among the five players being placed in the protocols, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Allen has been among the reasons for Cleveland’s turnaround, averaging 16.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 28 games.

10:30 AM: Five Cavaliers tested positive for COVID-19 today and there are concerns that the team may not have eight available players for tonight’s game in Atlanta, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Cleveland is already without Evan Mobley and Isaac Okoro, who both entered the protocols this week.

Most players who would be eligible to join the team under the hardship provision are currently in Las Vegas for the G League Showcase, explains Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). Travel issues would make it difficult for any of them to be in Atlanta by game time.

The Cleveland players haven’t been identified yet, but because they tested positive, they will have to spend 10 days in the protocols unless they can submit two consecutive negative tests for the virus at least 24 hours apart. The Cavaliers, one of the season’s early surprises with a 19-12 record, are scheduled to play four times in the next 10 days, including tonight’s game.

Follow all the latest COVID-19 updates in our daily tracker.

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Central Notes: Dosunmu, Jarrett Allen, Pistons

December 10th, 2021 at 3:27pm CST by Rory Maher

Rookie guard Ayo Dosunmu has started the past two games for the shorthanded Bulls, and Sam Smith of Bulls.com writes that he’s earned that opportunity. A Chicago native, Dosunmu played well in his first start, notching 11 points, six rebounds, and eight assists in nearly 42 minutes during the team’s win over Denver on Monday.

Coach Billy Donovan is a big fan of the rookie and says he possesses an innate desire to improve his game.

“I really love coaching him because you can really, really talk to him in a way he wants the truth,” said Donovan. “He wants to get better, he wants to grow, he wants to hear what he has to do to improve. For me as a coach, when you see a young man with that much hunger and desire to want to be good… he wants to hear it all and I really respect that about him. There’s a lot on his plate and he did a great job not only starting (Monday) but playing the number of minutes he did.”

Smith relays that Dosunmu, who went to the University of Illinois, located in Champaign, asked to be announced as “From Chicago” in his first home start, like former Bulls MVP Derrick Rose.

“I like to be proud to say I’m from Chicago because I know the ups and downs of the city,” said Dosunmu. “I’ve been here my whole life. I’ve seen so many things, so much tragedy. For me to be in this position, doing what I love at the highest level, anytime I get an opportunity to show love to where I came from, I always love to do that. I’m from Chicago. Chicago, Illinois. I love Champaign, but I’m from Chicago.”

Here’s more from the Central:

  • Bryan Fonseca of BasketballNews.com makes the case for Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen to earn his first All-Star nod this season. Fonseca notes that Allen has posted career-high numbers in several categories for the 14-12 Cavs, including a ridiculously efficient 71.7% true shooting percentage, which ranks third in the league.
  • Speaking of the Cavaliers center, Joe Vardon of The Athletic tweets that Allen will be strongly considered for the next Team USA squad under new head coach Steve Kerr. The World Cup takes place in 2023, with the Olympics in 2024.
  • With a record of 4-20, the Pistons rank dead last in the NBA. However, Rod Beard of The Detroit News believes that coach Dwane Casey‘s job should be safe. He notes that the Pistons have struggled to make open shots all year, which is a player problem, not a coaching issue. The team believes in Casey’s ability to work with and develop young players, Beard adds.
  • The results might not be showing it yet, but James L. Edwards III of The Athletic says the Pistons are in a much healthier place this season compared to the last few. He points to several young players on rookie contracts, another potential top pick this summer, and cap flexibility moving forward as reasons why the outlook is brighter in Detroit than it might appear on the surface.
Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Cavaliers Notes: Windler, LeVert, Wade, Allen

December 8th, 2021 at 6:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers, who have assigned Dylan Windler to the G League to give him some playing time, still believe in the third-year forward, writes Ashley Bastock of Cleveland.com. Windler has appeared in 17 NBA games this season, but his minutes have declined as injured teammates returned to action. He’s playing just 10.8 minutes per night and averaging 2.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists.

“We know who Dylan is and we believe in what Dylan can bring and how he can help this team,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “We just have to continue to support him and help him, and giving him those minutes is our way of helping.”

Injury problems have plagued Windler since he was selected with the 26th pick in the 2019 draft. He missed his entire first season with a stress fracture in his lower leg that ultimately required surgery. He made his NBA debut last December and fractured his hand nine minutes into his first game. He later developed pain in his knee and had to again undergo season-ending surgery.
With the Cavaliers in a playoff race this season, Bickerstaff doesn’t have the luxury of working Windler back into the lineup.

“I think it’s good for him to get reps,” Bickerstaff said. “It’s tough when you’re not playing a whole bunch of minutes to kind of catch a rhythm and figure out where your need is. So you lose a little bit of that rhythm. Going out, getting reps gives you that rhythm and allows you to gain confidence and remember what it’s like to play five-on-five.”

There’s more from Cleveland:

  • The Cavaliers should be considered a “strong suitor” for Caris LeVert, whom the Pacers are reportedly putting on the trade block, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. LeVert offers many of the same qualities as Collin Sexton, who has been lost for the rest of the season after meniscus surgery. The front office is looking for upgrades at shooting guard and the team has assets to offer Indiana, Fedor adds, while noting that many people in the Cavs’ organization like LeVert.
  • Dean Wade has been cleared to return from a calf injury he suffered while being kicked during a game, according to Fedor (Twitter link). Wade has been sidelined since November 24, but he may not play tonight because the injury has prevented him from practicing.
  • The Cavaliers have been rebuilding since LeBron James left for Los Angeles, but they may finally have the right combination in place to get back to the playoffs, per Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (subscription required). Part of the turnaround has been the rapid improvement of center Jarrett Allen, who was acquired from the Nets in a January trade. “It’s leadership,” Bickerstaff said. “He and I had a conversation last year about where I thought he could go, and the job we needed to do to get him there. Coming from where he was in Brooklyn, that wasn’t his role or responsibility, but we knew that moving forward that we were going to need that from him. We knew that was in him.”
Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Harris, Carmelo, Rose, Allen

November 23rd, 2021 at 5:46pm CST by Rory Maher

Sixers center Joel Embiid has been working out at the team’s practice facility, head coach Doc Rivers said on Monday, per Rich Hofmann of The Athletic (Twitter link).

“He passed one of the tests, I think he has another big one today. Then after that, we have to decide what we want to do. But the fact that he’s out working again is huge,” Rivers said.

Embiid has been sidelined since contracting COVID-19 on November 8. Appearing on ESPN’s NBA Today with Malika Andrews, Adrian Wojnarowski says the Sixers are optimistic that Embiid could return as soon as Saturday, Nov. 27, versus Minnesota (video link).

Here’s more from the Atlantic:

  • The Sixers were missing four of the team’s five starters on Monday against the Kings but still managed to emerge victorious. Tobias Harris (strained hip) is the latest addition to the list of injured players, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Seth Curry (back stiffness), Danny Green (hamstring) and the aforementioned Embiid were also sidelined. Harris, Curry and Green are listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Warriors, while Embiid is out, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
  • Ex-Knicks star and current Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony believes the Leon Rose regime deserves more credit for the job they’ve done, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv. “It’s very hard to come in and do what they’re doing, what they started, what they created as far as starting from the ground up,” Anthony said. “When I say that, it’s getting everything out, clearing everything out, bringing in the right people. But not doing it in a frantic way, not doing it in [by] taking advantage of power. It’s just coming in, talking to people, getting to know people, understanding people, understanding what was happening before and being able to clean that up and build on that. I think people need to talk about that a lot more.” Team president Rose was Anthony’s agent prior to working for the Knicks.
  • Nets coach Steve Nash said part of the reason Jarrett Allen was traded last season was the team realized they probably couldn’t afford to keep him long-term due to luxury tax concerns, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “We loved him and wish him a lot of success, and happy for him to get a contract. I mean, the reality is he was probably out; we couldn’t probably resign him anyways,” Nash said. “Looking at the marketplace, he probably would’ve gotten a lot of money. And it would’ve been a huge cap hit compared to some of the priorities. So that was part of the decision in being able to let something like that go.”
Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0