Cavs Face Frontcourt Dilemma as Jarrett Allen Thrives Without Evan Mobley

Cleveland must find the right balance to maximize both Allen and Mobley's production when the young star returns from injury.

Feb. 12, 2026 at 5:07am

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Since Evan Mobley's injury, Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has emerged as an offensive force, averaging 22 points and 11 rebounds on 70.9% effective field goal percentage. This has created a 'good problem' for head coach Kenny Atkinson, who must now figure out how to maintain Allen's productivity while reintegrating Mobley, a key part of Cleveland's long-term plans. The Cavs have also been underutilizing Allen in their offensive schemes, a revelation that raises questions about their priorities moving forward.

Why it matters

The Cavaliers' frontcourt pairing of Allen and Mobley has been the defensive foundation of the team's success, but Allen's offensive surge has complicated the equation. Finding the right balance between the two bigs will be critical for Cleveland's championship aspirations, as they look to maximize the production of both players.

The details

With Mobley out due to an ankle injury, Allen has transformed into an offensive force, averaging 22 points and 11 rebounds on 70.9% effective field goal percentage. This dramatic improvement has created a 'good problem' for head coach Kenny Atkinson, who must now figure out how to maintain Allen's productivity while reintegrating Mobley, a key part of Cleveland's long-term plans. The Cavs have also been underutilizing Allen in their offensive schemes, a revelation that raises questions about their priorities moving forward.

  • Since Evan Mobley went down with an ankle injury

The players

Jarrett Allen

The Cavaliers' starting center who has emerged as an offensive force in Evan Mobley's absence.

Evan Mobley

The Cavaliers' young star forward who has been sidelined with an ankle injury.

Kenny Atkinson

The Cavaliers' head coach who must find the right balance between Allen and Mobley's production.

James Harden

The Cavaliers' star guard whose elite pick-and-roll playmaking has helped elevate Allen's production.

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What they’re saying

“Since Evan Mobile has been out, Jarrett Allen is 22 and 11 on 70.9% effective field goal percentage on 13.2 shots a game. It's almost exactly when Evan went out is when Jarrett started playing at a completely different level.”

— Jimmy Watkins, Columnist (cleveland.com)

“He's a pick and roll savant. He is. So I think there's some of that in there too. But it's just like it makes a lot of sense that when Evan goes out, Jarrett plays better, there are more opportunities, there's more space for him.”

— Jimmy Watkins, Columnist (cleveland.com)

“Kenny said today, that today is the first time that the Cavs have run an ATO [after timeout play] for Jarrett Allen all season. I do think the Cavs are coming to this realization that maybe we've overlooked this guy a little bit and we have not tended to him with the kind of care that maybe we should have.”

— Jimmy Watkins, Columnist (cleveland.com)

What’s next

The Cavaliers must determine the right balance of minutes and touches for Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley when Mobley returns from injury, in order to maximize the production of both players and maintain the team's defensive foundation.

The takeaway

The Cavaliers' frontcourt dilemma highlights the need for creative coaching and lineup management to ensure the team can capitalize on Jarrett Allen's offensive surge while also continuing to develop Evan Mobley, a crucial part of Cleveland's long-term plans.