Cleveland's injury report could include the team's All-Star center moving forward.
The Cleveland Cavaliers' inspiring but injured season of 2021-22 stuck to that theme with a win over Toronto on Sunday and a loss to their All-Star big man.
After Jarrett Allen initially pulled out of the game in the second quarter, he reportedly suffered a fractured finger and will be out indefinitely. The injury was first reported by Shams Charaniya of The Athletic.
The Cavs only said that Allen suffered a bruised quadriceps and said nothing about a finger injury after the game. Allen had six points and two rebounds in 10 minutes.
Coach JB Bickerstaff said after the game that he had not spoken to training staff and did not provide any updates on Allen, who has developed into one of the NBA's best youth centers in his second season with Cleveland.
The Cavs have been ravaged by injuries for months, losing leading scorer Colin Sexton and veteran guard Ricky Rubio to season-ending knee injuries. All-Star guard Darius Garland is battling a back injury, and the Cavs are still without guard Gardon Rondo and Caris Levert.
The Allen news comes as a hard blow to a team trying to make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2018. Without the 7-footer, rookie Evan Mobley would be asked to do even more, and the Cavs would face another challenge. ,
"I have to play bigger and Kevin Love will play my part," Mobley said. "It will just shift down the line. We've still got the big three - me, K-Love and Laurie (Markkanen). We're still a very big team and that's how we can play."
Cleveland came after losing six of seven, but there were encouraging signs of the youth team's exit from the recent funk in a 125-119 loss in Philadelphia on Friday. A matchup against a team directly behind them in the standings was a major test.
"To do what we want to do, it's a moment and a challenge for us," Bickerstaff said pregame.
Cleveland led 13 at halftime and then took a brutal third quarter—16 points, 1 in 10 at 3-pointers—opening an 82-64 lead in the fourth. Love then hit a 3-pointer and reserve Dean Wade delivered a thunder dunk on Toronto's Khem Birch.
Acquired in a three-team trade last season from the Brooklyn Nets, Allen has become one of the league's better rim defenders and pick-and-roll finishers. The 23-year-old Kendra averages 16.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting 67.7 per cent and made his All-Star debut in 2021-22.
Sunday's win gave Cleveland (37-27) a three-game lead over sixth-seeded Toronto in the Eastern Conference standings.