Cavaliers' Jarrett Allen Reveals Lingering Knee Injury Ahead of Playoffs

Star center admits he's still not 100% healthy as Cleveland makes playoff push.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 12:58am

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Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has revealed that he is still dealing with a lingering right knee injury that has limited his playing time in recent games. Allen sustained the knee tendinitis injury in early March, forcing him to miss several games. While he has returned to the lineup, Allen has acknowledged that he is still not fully recovered and is struggling with pain when jumping and landing on the knee.

Why it matters

Allen's injury is a major concern for the Cavaliers as they prepare for the NBA Playoffs. As one of the team's key players, Allen's health and productivity will be crucial to Cleveland's chances of making a deep postseason run and potentially winning their first championship since 2016.

The details

Allen first suffered the right knee tendinitis injury on March 3 against the Detroit Pistons, causing him to miss around three weeks and nine games. Upon his return, Allen has seen his minutes restricted, playing just 10 minutes in his first game back against the Miami Heat and 19 minutes in the team's loss to the Lakers. Allen has acknowledged that he is still dealing with soreness in the knee and is unable to put full pressure on it at times, hampering his jumping and landing ability.

  • On March 3, Allen sustained the right knee tendinitis injury against the Detroit Pistons.
  • Allen missed around three weeks and nine games due to the injury.
  • Allen returned to the lineup on March 31 against the Miami Heat, playing 10 minutes.
  • Allen played 19 minutes in the Cavaliers' loss to the Lakers on April 4.

The players

Jarrett Allen

The star center for the Cleveland Cavaliers who is currently dealing with a lingering right knee injury.

Chris Fedor

A reporter for cleveland.com who interviewed Allen about his knee injury.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The NBA team that Jarrett Allen plays for, who are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.

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What they’re saying

“Definitely still sore out there. Definitely not 100 percent. I'm not able to put a lot of pressure on my knee sometimes. Jumping and landing on the knee still hurts. Not as much as before, when I first got hurt, but still managing it and definitely still struggling with it.”

— Jarrett Allen, Cavaliers Center

“It's definitely frustrating. Injuries always suck for anybody, especially at the timing when it happened for me. But you know how I am. What can I do about it? Just have to keep on moving. Having that outlook makes it a lot easier.”

— Jarrett Allen, Cavaliers Center

What’s next

The Cavaliers will continue to monitor Allen's progress and work to get him fully healthy ahead of the NBA Playoffs. The team's medical staff will likely work closely with Allen to manage his minutes and recovery in the final games of the regular season.

The takeaway

Jarrett Allen's lingering knee injury is a major concern for the Cavaliers as they prepare for the postseason. The team will need Allen at full strength if they hope to make a deep playoff run and potentially win their first championship since 2016. Allen's honesty about his struggles is commendable, but the Cavaliers will be hoping he can regain his health and form in time for the playoffs.