Jarrett Allen Ruled Out Friday After Knee-to-Knee Collision
Kenny Atkinson just said it was a knee to knee.
is officially out for Friday night's game against the Orlando Magic, leaving the without their primary rim protector.
According to Underdog NBA, the big man is sidelined with a knee issue. Head coach Kenny Atkinson confirmed it was a knee-to-knee collision that initially looked like something Allen could jog off before he was abruptly pulled from the floor.
A knee-to-knee hit is the basketball equivalent of hitting your funny bone on a doorframe, except you weigh 240 pounds and the doorframe is another professional athlete. You try to walk it off to save face, but your body immediately files a grievance.
This leaves a massive crater in the middle of the floor for . Allen is the guy who makes the entire defensive scheme work, and without him, the paint is suddenly open for business. Orlando has enough size to make this a miserable night for whoever Atkinson throws into the rotation to soak up those minutes.
If you are holding Allen in fantasy, this is your cue to start frantically refreshing the waiver wire. For the betting crowd, the total on this game just got a lot more interesting now that is missing the guy who usually turns opposing layups into transition fast breaks.
The immediate hope is that sitting him Friday is just a precaution to keep a bruised knee from turning into a structural nightmare. Until we get a clean scan, fans and fantasy managers will be holding their collective breath.