The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Portland Trail Blazers behind the best game of Jarrett Allen’s career.
WINNER – Jarrett Allen
Last game, I gave Allen a WINNER for his dominant first half—a first half that never translated to anything in the second as the Cavs let the Suns pull away from them. I’m glad to say I can give him a proper WINNER for a complete performance this time.
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Allen was dominant start to finish. Portland had no reprieve as he ran the floor and finished every opportunity in sight. He was too fast for Donovan Clingan—and too big for anyone else on the court. Allen had 25 points and 10 rebounds at halftime and felt little resistance for the rest of the game.
It wasn’t just transition dunks or dump-off layups. Allen put on a show with his spin moves and crafty finishes. He even unleashed a textbook dream shake in the third quarter
Allen finished with a career-high 40 points to go with 17 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 blocks. That’s a statline that’s never been done before in under 30 minutes.
WINNER – Jarrett Allen (again)
Yeah, that’s right. We’re making history with the first-ever double WINNER.
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While Allen’s performance tonight was special, I wanted to take an extra second to appreciate what goes into a game like this. Because the Cavs roster construction isn’t built in a way that benefits someone like Allen. At least, not traditionally.
NBA teams typically build around one rim-running big, not two. Being paired with Mobley could have been a deal breaker for Allen. Or a major hindrance to his production. But it hasn’t been. Allen has consistently shown up to do his job (save for a playoff series in 2023) and has always stepped up when Mobley is out. Tonight is another example of this.
For as much as we talk about Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley, it remains great that the Cavs have an option like Allen, who can deliver performances like this throughout the season.
Most teams aren’t able to lean on their fourth-best player in the way Cleveland can. And, most players of Allen’s caliber aren’t willing to be the fourth rung on the ladder. Yet he’s never once complained, made excuses, or succumbed to the rampant online criticism. Allen has always been unapologetically himself, and that’s worthy of my respect.
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WINNER – Craig Porter Jr. and Sam Merrill
Let’s just lump these two together.
Porter dished out 12 assists in 27 minutes tonight. He’s provided a huge boost of playmaking off the bench with Darius Garland on the sidelines. He’ll never be a volume scorer, but Porter has found a way to stuff the stat sheet and flirt with a 5×5 multiple times this season. He had 3 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks to go with his 12 assists. Truly a unique player in today’s NBA.
As for Merrill, this is the type of game that has become familiar. Merrill hit on 6-of-8 three-point attempts, pouring in 22 points in 29 minutes. He was Cleveland’s second leading scorer and helped blow this game open in the third quarter.
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The Cavs need players to step up during this road trip. Big-time performances from Craig and Sam go a long way to stacking wins.
