INDEPENDENCE — After Jarrett Allen played all 91 games (82 in the regular season and nine in the postseason) for the 2024-25 Cavaliers, the starting center said he felt fine.
“It was more of a mental challenge to get through all 91 like that. The body definitely feels good,” Allen said Wednesday, May 14, during his season wrap-up news conference at Cleveland Clinic Courts.
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Last year, Allen missed Cleveland’s final eight playoff games with a fractured rib. This year, Allen became the only member of the core four to avoid injury through the playoffs, albeit during a shorter run than the top-seeded Cavs anticipated because they were eliminated with a 4-1 series loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
All-Star guards Donovan Mitchell (calf strain, sprained ankle) and Darius Garland (sprained big toe) and All-Star forward Evan Mobley (sprained ankle) dealt with injuries during the playoffs. Mitchell played in every postseason game, Garland missed four of them and Mobley sat out one.
In the end, none of it could be used a legitimate excuse for the Cavs being thoroughly outclassed by the Pacers.
“We could have been more locked in mentally for longer, been more physical for longer,” Allen said.
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“We came into the first game not playing how we usually do and not playing with that force, and it just carried throughout.”
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Jarrett Allen’s stats: Regular season vs playoff comparison
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, left, battles Indiana Pacers forward Thomas Bryant (3) for a rebound during Game 5 of a second-round playoff series May 13, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
In the regular season, Allen averaged 13.5 points on an NBA-best 70.6% shooting from the floor, 9.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.9 blocked shots and 28 minutes.
In the playoffs, Allen averaged 13.4 points on 72.1% shooting from the field, 8.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.9 blocks and 29 minutes.
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Allen characterized his second-round performance against the Pacers as “not enough.”
Here are his game-by-game statistics from the best-of-seven series:
Game 1, Pacers 121, Cavs 112: 12 points (6 of 7), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 30 minutes
Game 2, Pacers 120, Cavs 119: 22 points (7 of 9), 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 38 minutes
Game 3, Cavs 126, Pacers 104: 19 points (6 of 11), 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 31 minutes
Game 4, Pacers 129, Cavs 109: 2 points (0 of 1), 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 20 minutes
Game 5, Pacers 114, Cavs 105: 9 points (4 of 6), 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 30 minutes
Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33), Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) and guard Donovan Mitchell (45) battle for control of the ball during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Pacers defeated the Cavaliers 114-105.
Allen’s lack of production in the final two games stands out. Heading into the series, he explained defending Indiana’s five-out offense would be a challenge because playing on the perimeter is not among his strengths. He still managed to grab 12 rebounds in both Game 2 and Game 3, but his presence on the glass subsequently decreased.
“Positioning is definitely a factor in grabbing the boards,” Allen said. “With those questions, I always think of [Cavs center] Tristan [Thompson], and one of his things to say is, ‘Just go get it, and just go get every ball. No matter how it bounces, no matter where it bounces, just go get it.’
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“And I just didn’t. I just didn’t go get the ball in those two games. And it reflected in the stats.”
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Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) shoots the ball while being guarded by Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) during the first half of Game 5 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
Allen also lamented a lack of physicality hurting the Cavs on defense in Round 2. He said the Cavs were at their best when they played with a “hit-first mentality” but struggled against the Pacers when they didn’t.
“They’re a great offensive team,” Allen said. “They were able to figure out how to get past our defense. [Under Pacers coach Rick] Carlisle, they did a great job playing with force. It’s always been our thing, just playing with force.”
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How will the Cavs respond in the offseason? Will they run it back with Allen and the rest of the core four?
It all remains to be seen.
In the meantime, Allen wants Cavs players to use their unmet playoff expectations in constructive ways.
“It’s going to be something we wake up to, look at every single day and wonder what we could do more,” he said. “When you’re tired, get an extra rep. When you do this, do it more, do it for longer, and that’s just going to stick with us throughout the summer. So I hope it fuels everybody to go back stronger.”
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs’ Jarrett Allen says his playoff performance was ‘not enough’