CLEVELAND — After missing the last 10 games with a knee injury, Cleveland Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen is back on the court, cleared to play in Friday's game against the Miami Heat.
Allen has been dealing with right knee tendonitis, sidelined since March 3 when he left their game against the Detroit Pistons in the second half after colliding knees with another player.
On March 16, the Cavs released an update on Allen's injury, ruling him out for Cleveland's three-game road trip and giving him time to continue his treatment and recovery before clearing him for game action.
Before Friday's game, which Allen had been listed as questionable for on the injury report, the Cavs' center was upgraded to "probable" on the injury report.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson said he was hopeful that Allen was going to be able to go, noting where the team has struggled the most in his absence.
"I feel like sometimes without him we become too perimeter oriented," Atkinson said. "We were playing great when he was in the lineup, so hoping he can go tonight."
Atkinson said that if Allen were cleared to play, his minutes would be restricted to around the mid-20s, ramping him back up in his return.
Jarrett Allen, warming up. #Cavs pic.twitter.com/OZeWDJWSbW
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) March 27, 2026
After taking part in pre-game warmups, Allen was cleared to play, making his return Friday night—and the Cavs immediately looked like a team elevated.
The crowd inside Rocket Arena roared a little louder as No. 31 was announced in the player lineups, fans eager to see the big man back on the court.
The pregame festivities didn't end there. Allen has a ritual he does every pregame, just before tipoff. The center makes his rounds, down the baseline, up the sideline, and then to his team, fist-bumping everyone, from security and media to coaches and staff.
When Allen got to his head coach, there was a different reaction this game. Rather than a fist bump or high five, Atkinson, with a look of excitement on his face, threw his arms around Allen. Atkinson, asked after the game about the interaction, had a humorous response.
"Yeah, because I forgot he was on the team," Atkinson said, smiling. "I shook everybody's hand. I'm so not used to him being around. And then I said, 'Oh my God.' Johnnie Bryant's like,' JA!' I'm like, 'Oh my God. I forgot him.' So I had to hug him, like welcome back.”
Atkinson actually gave Allen two hugs in the pregame and even gave him an extra treat upon his return.
"Shout out to Kenny. He drew up the first play for me. It was incredible. I usually don't first play, sometimes, but he wanted to get me going, wanted to get me back in the groove of things. And from there, things just started rolling for me," Allen said.
Allen not only scored the first points of the game, but he also went on to put up 18 points and 10 rebounds in the 18 minutes he played in his return.
"What's kind of cool is that we didn't really miss a beat, right? Because he was playing great before he got hurt and playing, I thought, playing great with Evan and James. So, it looks like that two-big lineup can be potent," Atkinson said.
The return of Allen was a welcome one, for fans, for coaches, for Allen and his teammates.
"Man, just his presence, like athleticism, his offense, his rim-running, everything he brings to our team is what was missing, and I think it was a clear cut tonight. Size, rebounding, all the attributes that he brings to our team is what we were missing. And tonight was a great job, from the beginning of the game," said Cavs guard James Harden.
For Allen, being back on the court was a long time coming and the start of what the Cavs hope leads to a deep playoff run.
"This is one of the injuries that I feel like was a nagging injury for me, especially something I feel like I should have got back quicker than I did, but proud of myself for just keeping on and keep trying," Allen said. "We're a bunch of guys that've played high-level basketball. And James, he's so adaptable to be in any type of system. Me, Ev [Evan Mobley] and Don [Donovan Mitchell], we know how to play basketball with each other. And James, he's just, you can put him into any system in the NBA and he'll be okay."
