Cleveland's center is playing at an All-Star level since Evan Mobley's injury, creating what the Wine and Gold Talk podcast calls 'a good problem' for head coach Kenny Atkinson to solve.
is playing the best basketball of his career right now – and that success is forcing the Cavs to confront an uncomfortable question about their frontcourt pairing.On the latest Wine and Gold Talk podcast, cleveland.
com columnist Jimmy Watkins laid out the staggering numbers behind Allen’s surge. “Since Evan Mobile has been out, Jarrett Allen is 22 and 11 on 70.9% effective field goal percentage on 13.2 shots a game,” Watkins revealed. “It’s almost exactly when Evan went out is when Jarrett started playing at a completely different level.” This dramatic improvement in Allen’s production has created what Watkins calls “a good problem” for Cleveland. The frontcourt pairing of Allen and Mobley has been the defensive foundation of the Cavaliers’ success over the past few seasons, but Allen’s offensive ceiling appears significantly higher when he has more space to operate.Reacting to the Cavs’ fifth straight win and mounting momentum ahead of the All-Star break: Wine and Gold Talk podcast Throughout his career, Harden has consistently elevated the centers he’s played alongside through his elite pick-and-roll playmaking. From Clint Capela to Joel Embiid to Ivica Zubac, Harden’s ability to set up rolling big men is unmatched – and Allen is the latest beneficiary. “He’s a pick and roll savant,” Watkins said of Harden. “He is. So I think there’s some of that in there too. But it’s just like it makes a lot of sense that when Evan goes out, Jarrett plays better, there are more opportunities, there’s more space for him.” The podcast discussion revealed another surprising detail: until recently, the Cavaliers had been drastically underutilizing Allen in their offensive schemes. “Kenny said today, that today is the first time that the Cavs have run an ATO for Jarrett Allen all season,” Watkins noted. “I do think the Cavs are coming to this realization that maybe we’ve overlooked this guy a little bit and we have not tended to him with the kind of care that maybe we should have.” This revelation raises questions about Cleveland’s offensive priorities moving forward. Head coach Kenny Atkinson now faces the complex task of maintaining Allen’s offensive involvement while reintegrating Mobley, whose development remains crucial to the team’s long-term plans. “I’m going to be really interested to see how they approach this when Evan Mobley comes back,” Watkins said. “What’s the balance of touches when they’re both on the floor? Do you spend more time? Is it a harder stagger between the two of them so you can get more spacing around both of them, which could benefit both of them?” The traditional narrative around the Allen-Mobley pairing focused on whether Allen’s presence might be hindering Mobley’s development. Ironically, the current situation has flipped that question on its head – now the concern is whether Mobley’s return might limit Allen’s ceiling. Finding the right balance will be critical for the Cavaliers’ championship aspirations. Allen and Harden have already established excellent pick-and-roll chemistry, but maintaining that connection while ensuring Mobley remains engaged and effective presents a significant coaching challenge. As the All-Star break approaches, Atkinson and his staff have homework to do. The solution might involve staggered minutes, creative lineup combinations, or evolving offensive sets – but whatever approach they take will significantly impact Cleveland’s ceiling in the playoffs.
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