INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen practiced Monday and could return Tuesday night at Brooklyn.
Allen has missed the previous four games with a right eye contusion suffered late in a 119-115 loss to the Miami Heat on March 10 when Bam Adebayo raked him across the face.
“He participated in everything we did [Monday], so we'll see how he responds [Tuesday],” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said following the practice.
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Allen has seen multiple eye specialists since the injury after his eye became bloodshot and swelled up, but structural damage was ruled out by doctors.
Late last week Allen returned to the floor to do some individual work.
“We miss his spirit,” Bickerstaff said. “He's a guy who leads in a different way, but he leads nonetheless and guys love to follow him. The effort that he plays with on the floor is contagious and guys follow that. And then obviously the basketball piece defensively, what he does to protect the rim, how he helps us rebound, how he helps anchor our defense.”
Allen is averaging 14.4 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots per game this season.
“I think Evan's top three in defensive player of the year, I think Jay should be right there too, to be honest with you,” Caris LeVert said. “Just with how he impacts the game. Pick and rolls, being that anchor for us at the rim defensively, protecting and then switching out on guards too. There's not many bigs who can move the way he can and pick things up as quickly as he can on the fly. So he's been super valuable for our defense.”
Should Allen play against the Nets, he is not expected to wear protective goggles or be limited according to Bickerstaff.
“We always kind of see how it goes,” Bickerstaff said. “It's been four games since he's played. We'll just keep an eye on it.”
The Nets, who host the Cavs twice over three days this week, are trying to hold on to the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Brooklyn has a one game lead on Miami to avoid the play-in tournament while Cleveland appears locked into the No. 4 seed, 4.5 games behind Boston and 1.5 games in front of the Knicks.