{"id":98469,"date":"2024-09-29T15:16:08","date_gmt":"2024-09-29T19:16:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=98469"},"modified":"2024-09-29T15:16:08","modified_gmt":"2024-09-29T19:16:08","slug":"cavs-koby-altman-gushes-over-jarrett-allen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/09\/29\/cavs-koby-altman-gushes-over-jarrett-allen\/","title":{"rendered":"Cavs\u2019 Koby Altman Gushes Over All-Star Starter"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Cleveland Cavaliers are hoping to secure their second championship in franchise history. Led by the ever-evolving Donovan Mitchell<\/a>, the Cavs are perennial playoff contenders, at the least. But in order to challenge teams like the Boston Celtics, the reigning NBA champions, they\u2019ll need more than the high-flyer\u2019s hijinks. Darius Garland<\/a>, Evan Mobley<\/a>, Jarrett Allen<\/a> \u2014Cleveland\u2019s other core starters \u2014can\u2019t be let off the hook.<\/p>\n

Garland, who was once primed to be the franchise star, has to find out how to put more pressure on the defense while playing within himself. Under Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson, that could result in him taking more 3s<\/a>. Mobley, who entered the NBA with a lot of hype, has to take his offensive responsibilities as seriously as his defensive assignments. Atkinson plans to unlock him by empowering him to be a more assertive playmaker<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As for Allen?<\/p>\n

Cavs\u2019 Koby Altman Gushes Over All-Star Starter Jarrett Allen<\/h2>\n

\u201cJarrett\u2019s immensely important to us<\/a>. I think we\u2019re almost like a .500 team when he\u2019s not playing, which is remarkable,\u201d Cavs president Koby Altman comments, per Cleveland.com\u2019s Chris Fedor. Since his arrival in Jan. 2021, the Cavs are 139-113 with Allen and 20-33 without him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s the oldest 26-year-old you\u2019ll ever find. It\u2019s incredible that he\u2019s 26 years old somehow, and this is his second extension. The first one was a five-year, $100 million extension that everyone was like, \u2018Whoa, that\u2019s a lot.\u2019 It became one of the best contracts in the league. Now to extend him and tack on another three years, it keeps that continuity.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s the core of our defense, super consistent,\u201d Altman continues. \u201cTo have him locked up for another five years is incredible. It speaks to what we\u2019re building here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fro Under Fire<\/h3>\n

Allen hasn\u2019t had the greatest PR these past couple of years. His toughness has now been questioned in consecutive postseasons, and it was internal on at least one occasion. The first instance came after the New York Knicks bullied he and Mobley with their physicality. This past postseason, his refusal to take pain-killing injections to be available took center court.<\/p>\n

So far as his willingness to put his body on the line, it\u2019s truly a layered subject. Should wins really be more important than long-term health? Though athletes are lionized for playing through injuries, should they be villainized or emasculated when they don\u2019t?<\/p>\n

To someone like Marcus Morris<\/a>, who is now a free agent<\/a> after the Knicks waived him in the wake of the Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a>\u2014Julius Randle<\/a> trade, Allen should\u2019ve been willing to do what it took to be on the floor in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.<\/p>\n

\n

.@MookMorris2<\/a> on Jarrett Allen missing playoff games due to injury.<\/p>\n

“If you put me in that same position, do I play? Yes.” pic.twitter.com\/rmTsVZFKOe<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 24, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n