The Cavaliers will play Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals without their starting center.
Cleveland ruled out Jarrett Allen for Tuesday night’s matchup with the Celtics at TD Garden. It’s the fourth straight DNP for Allen, who’s been sidelined with a rib bruise suffered in the Cavs’ first-round series victory over the Orlando Magic.
Isaac Okoro took Allen’s spot in the starting lineup alongside Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Max Strus and Evan Mobley.
Allen, an All-Star in 2022, is coming off one of his most productive seasons as a pro. He averaged a career-high 16.5 points per game and was the Cavs’ leading rebounder (10.5 per game; second-best mark of his career).
Durability also wasn’t an issue for the 6-foot-11 big man until recently. Allen missed nearly as many games during the Orlando series (three) as he did the entire regular season (five). His 77 appearances were his most since 2018-19.
Allen was one of Cleveland’s best players against the Magic before his injury, grabbing 18 rebounds in 35 minutes Game 1 and 20 boards in 29 minutes in Game 2.
The Cavs’ starting lineup looks markedly different without Allen on the floor, lacking the length and defensive prowess that he and the 6-foot-11 Mobley typically provide. Cleveland tried out two different starting fives late in the Magic series. Head coach JB Bickerstaff plugged the 6-foot-5 Okoro into Allen’s spot Games 5 and 7, and gave journeyman ex-Celtics forward Marcus Morris the nod in Game 6.
“(There’s) more shooters, more space for those guys to work with (when there’s) only one big on the floor,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said before Tuesday’s game.
For Boston, starting big man Kristaps Porzingis sat out his second straight game Tuesday as he works his way back from a calf strain.
Initial reports indicated Porzingis was unlikely to return before the conference finals at the earliest. Mazzulla would not say whether that timeline has changed.
“I have no idea,” the coach said. “I just know he’s working every day to get back as fast as he can. He’s involved in all the meetings, shootarounds, drills and then doing what he can treatment-wise.”
Mazzulla said earlier Tuesday on 98.5 The Sports Hub that Porzingis’ injury was “definitely better than we thought.” Porzingis offered a similar assessment on Sunday but said he was “not super close” to returning.
