The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the major surprises in the NBA during the 2021-22 season.
Led by All-Stars in Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen, the Cavs sit at sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 37-27 record, and they are 5 1/2 games behind the Miami Heat for the top seed.
But with roughly over a month to go before the end of the season and beginning of the playoffs, Cleveland has been dealt a significant blow to their postseason aspirations.
Allen, who was an All-Star this season, is now out indefinitely after fracturing his finger during the Cavaliers game against the Toronto Raptors.
Allen also got kneed in the quad tonight during Cleveland’s win over Toronto, but was diagnosed with a broken finger that will now require further evaluation and sideline the star center. https://t.co/cxXy2MaBia
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 7, 2022
A Major Blow
This is a big loss for the Cavs, who have been a surprise contender this season.
They’ve already lost six of their last 10 games, but without Allen, they lose that big presence down in the paint.
In 56 games, Allen is averaging 16.1 points per game and 10.8 rebounds per game this season.
Losing him hurts the Cavs chances of making a deep run in the NBA playoffs.
The Cavs did win their game over the Raptors yesterday by a final score of 104-96.
But now, they are without a key part of their success this season, and there is no timetable for his return, as he is expected to be out the rest of the season.
It’s a shame to see the Cavs lose him, especially when they’ve put together their first winning season since LeBron James departed in 2018.
Allen was a replacement for James Harden in the All-Star Game.
With him out, the Cavs will need to rely heavily on Kevin Love, as he is the most likely candidate to take over in Allen’s absence.
