Jarrett Allen’s dominance vs. Blazers had Kenny Atkinson seeing Hakeem Olajuwon

Cleveland Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen set a new career high with 40 points, taking the Portland Trail Blazers to school on Sunday in the team’s 130-111 win at the Moda Center on the road. He added 17 boards, 5 assists, and 4 blocks as well in the victory, the Wine and Gold’s first of the West Coast road trip that started on a sour note Friday in Phoenix.

“I’ve been working hard, and tonight was just my night,” Allen said postgame, acknowledging he knew a 40-ball was in store. “First quarter, I felt like I was gonna have a special game, and it just kept rolling for me.”

“Best I’ve ever seen him play,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson added. “I’ve seen him play a lot of games. That’s the best I’ve seen him. Everybody’s gonna talk about the points, but the rebounds, the defense, it was surreal. From the get-go, he just completely dominated the match… Especially his footwork is so good, he reminded me of Hakeem [Olajuwon] out there. That was a fundamental footwork clinic.”

This is the first time that Allen has scored 40 points in his career. There have only been two players to record 40 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists this season: Nikola Jokic on Christmas Day and Giannis Antetokounmpo at the beginning of the season. Allen is the first to do it in under 30 minutes in league history and the

Nobody has put up 40 and 17 to this point in the 2025-26 NBA campaign, and LeBron James was the last player to do it on February 6 last year. Allen is the only player in Cavs franchise history to accomplish that statistical feat.

“He carried us the entire night,” Donovan Mitchell said. “There wasn’t force-feeding. It was in the flow. Defensively, he was an animal. Rebounds. For him to be as dominant as he was, it was amazing to watch. It was 48 minutes-worth; it wasn’t here or there. It was a full 48 of just dominant basketball.”

“I can’t really put it into words,” Jaylon Tyson added. “He’s the best big in the league, and he showed that today. Everything he does on the court, both our bigs raise our defense. And honestly, we need to feed them more. That’s something we’ve been emphasizing the last couple of days.”

From the opening tip, he set his usual screens and rolled with the best of them. Using former Cavs big man and commentator Brad Daugherty’s words, Allen dismantled 7-foot-3 center Donovan Clingan on the offensive end. When Cleveland got stops, his teammates were looking for him all evening long, and in the half-court, he was using his pivots to his advantage.

“Just running the court,” Allen said. “Clingan’s an excellent rim protector. Running the floor isn’t his top specialty, so I figured I’m faster than him, and Craig [Porter Jr.] did an excellent job finding me in transition.”

“He’s more skilled than I even think,” Atkinson added. “I put him in a box. I’ve got to maybe think a little differently [about] how we use him because that was a revelation tonight.”

With an array of jump hooks, driving push shots, and close finishes off the glass, it was a special combination of power and finesse.

“He took a lot on his own shoulders,” Atkinson said. “His energy was just off the charts.”

“When he’s going like that, just keep getting him the ball and let him do what he do,” Tyson added. “He stayed at him all day. He wasn’t letting him off the hook. He had the 40, but defensively, he was elite. He switched out onto guards a couple times; they weren’t going nowhere. Rim protection was elite. He was doing it on both ends of the floor, and on top of that, he was offensive rebounding, getting us a lot of extra possessions. He’s a hell of a player.”

Being taken away by the Blazers, Mitchell saw a perfect opportunity for him and Tyson to play the two-man game with Allen. Craig Porter Jr. and Sam Merrill did the same.

“It’s a blessing for me,” Mitchell said. “These teams are gonna keep doing what they’re doing, trying to deny me. When you have that, it’s like, what do you do? Now, you have Sam Merrill running off a screen with JA, who are you going to guard? Now, Sam Merrill has 22 as a product of that. Jaylon Tyson’s doing what he’s doing.

“[Allen] asserting his dominance makes the game so much easier for everybody else, especially when guys are out. It allows everybody to just eat in different ways and flourish. He was dominant. He was dominant last game, even though we lost.”

Jarrett Allen calls a Cavs audible

Allen made his 29 minutes and 30 seconds count, going 16-of-23 from the field and 8-of-12 from the free-throw line. The Blazers simply did not have an answer for him. It started in the first half as it did on Friday; the difference is, Cleveland kept going to him in the second, even with Portland’s adjustments.

“End of the first quarter, I had 16 and 5,” Allen said. “I wanted to replicate it in the third quarter. I wanted to keep it going strong. I think it’s because everybody had a good game. My game is predicated off other people being able to create for me. We were able to create shots for everybody. Sam had a great game. Jaylon had a great game. Don had a great game for other people’s standards. That was able to open up the lane for me.”

“We keep pushing our guys to keep involving him,” Atkinson said. “We’re all turning more that way. When he’s involved, when he touches it, you just get a different JA. It’s just how it is. I think tonight, we just kept feeding ’em.”

Atkinson shared that he wasn’t aware when Allen was a bucket away from 40 and ran an ATO for Merrill, who was sizzling from deep, but “The Fro” called his own number and delivered.

“He hasn’t done that since I’ve been here,” said a snickering Mitchell. “He’s allowed one, or maybe two. He’s allowed a few. When you have a coach like Kenny that understands that, and you have guys that understand that, it’s make this locker room as fun [as it is]. I think that’s what allows him to be free and be himself. We get it.”

Allen told Tyrese Proctor before the inbound that he wasn’t going to let that chance slip. He knew “immediately” he would fake a dribble-handoff and attack the cup.

“I was gonna try to get 40 either way,” Allen said with a laugh. “I was gonna try to force it. I’m already at 38, so two free throws [away]. I locked in and tried to knock ’em down.

“I grabbed him before the free throw,” Mitchell added. “I said, ‘Look, everybody’s celebrating. Focus. Lock in on the free throws.’ There ain’t nothing worse than having 39 on a missed free throw. That’s huge for him.”

The Cavs’ locker room was thrilled for him as he did his postgame interview, following a celebration where Allen was doused in water and had a photoshopped image of his head on Wilt Chamberlain on the screen, holding up the number 40.

“JA led the way, and we just followed suit,” Tyson said.

Mitchell was the loudest voice in the background, imploring Allen to “say it with your chest” when talking about the incredible performance.

“He’s just an amazing dude,” Mitchell said. “To see him reap the benefits of his work, it’s awesome.”

“I always pride myself on being there when the guys need me,” Allen added. “When you have guys like Evan [Mobley], Donovan, and Darius [Garland], I fall into the fourth or fifth option, which I’m fine with. My time is gonna come. But when you need me, I’m here to score however many you need.”

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