In the first-round playoff battle between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic, Jarrett Allen has been playing like a big man possessed.
Through two games, Allen has averaged 16.0 points on 60.0% shooting, 19.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 blocks in 37.0 minutes per game. Allen has become the arbiter of Orlando’s fate, preventing the Magic from gathering any second-chance opportunities with his rebounding prowess.
“He’s unbelievable,” Max Strus said of Allen’s play. He’s shown and proven that he’s one of the best bigs in the NBA. He’s continuing to do that. He’s been awesome and sensational all year for us, and we continue to play off his coattails.”
Allen’s been crashing the glass so well that if you squint hard enough, you might be quick to confuse Allen for another Cavs franchise legend: Anderson Varejao. While some of that has to do with similar, iconic hairstyles, it’s more so Allen’s drive to gobble up rebounds like Varejao used to during his time with Cleveland.
When asked about his mentality after tying a franchise record for the second-most rebounds in a playoff game on Monday, Allen shared his muse.
Jarrett Allen’s transformation from ‘FrOhio’ to ‘Wild Thing 2.0’
It wasn’t just pure happenstance that Allen looked like a prime Varejao on the court in Game 2, when he pulled down 20 boards. Instead, Varejao was the source of inspiration behind Allen’s spirited play.
“The perfect guy I always look to with stuff like this is Andy,” he said after Cleveland’s 96-86 victory. “He was an excellent rebounder all throughout his career. Was he the best overall? No. But every time he went on the court, he wanted it. I just look to that and I try to replicate that.”
This stroke of inspiration from Allen studying Varejao is why the Cavs have a commanding 2-0 lead over the Magic. The harder Allen hits Orlando, the more the Magic look overwhelmed and overmatched by Cleveland’s physicality. It’s almost as if Allen is an artist whenever he dictates the rebounding edge against Orlando, forcing the labels applied to him last postseason onto the Magic.
After building a commanding early lead in the series, Allen and the Cavs no longer look timid and overwhelmed by the gravity of postseason play. Instead, with Allen spearheading such a physical approach, Orlando looks timid and overwhelmed, possibly thinking the lights in the postseason are brighter than they expected—just like Cleveland this time last year against the New York Knicks.
“I think he’s a prideful individual, and I think the way it happened last year, you could see it’s a motivating thing,” Donovan Mitchell said of Allen when asked about last season’s labels. “I think he’s shown it himself to us all season. I had no doubt that this was who he would be. I think sometimes you have a bad playoff series.
“Believe me, I know how that is. For him to respond this way, it’s phenomenal to see. He’s been phenomenal and he’s been huge for us in so many different ways. “I don’t think he’s a soft individual. I think people are going to say what they’re going to say. I think he said he had no regret saying [the lights are too bright]. You stand on it. That’s what he said. He’s going to go out there and just be him.”
The Cavs have held the Magic to a miserable 84.5 points on 34.3% shooting over the first two games of the first round. Cleveland has also won the rebounding battle 102-81. Allen alone has 38 boards, while Orlando’s starters have combined for 49.
This series has helped Allen and his team regain their defensive-first approach, and Cleveland now has the postseason’s No. 1 overall defense. More importantly, it seems that Allen and the Cavs have broken the Magic’s spirit and are going for the jugular as the series shifts to Orlando. It won’t be easy, but with how well Allen has played, Cleveland has to feel good about their chances.
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