Jarrett Allen Exits Wednesday's Game With Knee Injury, Leaving Cavs' Paint Wide Open
Underdog NBA reported that Allen is doubtful to return Wednesday due to a knee injury.
Jarrett Allen is officially doubtful to return to Wednesday's game with a knee issue, which means the Cleveland Cavaliers' interior defense just turned into a layup line.
Underdog NBA dropped the status alert, confirming what Cavs fans were already dreading. When your starting center heads to the locker room and gets slapped with the doubtful tag mid-game, it is never just a quick tape job.
Allen has been dealing with right patellar tendinopathy—better known as jumper's knee—which is exactly the kind of lingering issue you do not want your highly paid rim protector managing. Before the exit, he was anchoring the middle with his usual efficiency, averaging 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds on the season.
Losing a guy who pulls down nearly eight boards a night completely flips the math for Cleveland. Without Allen, the paint is suddenly open for business, and opposing guards are about to look at the rim like it is an all-you-can-eat buffet.
For anyone holding tickets on Allen's rebound props or Cleveland's defensive unders, this early exit is a brutal beat. The live betting markets are going to aggressively adjust to the Cavs playing small, so expect the opposing frontcourt to see a massive bump in usage.
The immediate concern is whether this is just a flare-up of his existing tendonitis or something that requires actual time off. Cleveland needs to survive the rest of Wednesday night, but the real sweat is waiting for the medical update on Thursday morning.