Jarrett Allen expresses confidence after Cavs beat Magic

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) dunks beside Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (1) in the second quarter during game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Jarrett Allen expresses confidence after Cavaliers' opening win over Magic

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 4/20/24

The Cleveland Cavaliers secured a 97-83 victory in Game One of their playoff series against the Orlando Magic on Saturday.

Cleveland had big performances from multiple stars. Jarrett Allen ended the night with a double-double in points and rebounds. He scored 16 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in an extremely impressive outing.

When speaking to the sideline reporter directly after the game, Allen sent a message to the rest of the NBA.

"I think we did good," Allen said. "We wanted to bring the physicality from the beginning ... We've learned, you've gotta be ahead of them. We've been saying all the time, 'You gotta throw the first punch,' I think we were able to do that tonight ... We know what we're capable of. We know that we're able to beat any team in this league as long as we play like this every single night."

"We know that we're able to beat any team in this league as long as we play like this every single night."

Jarrett Allen says this team was prepared for this playoff series and knows they will continue winning as long as they stick to their game plan.#LetEmKnow | #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/mOJruaWlEB
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) April 20, 2024

The Cavaliers have been building toward being a contending roster. While perhaps unlikely, it's certainly possible that they make an unexpected run in the postseason.

Donovan Mitchell's clutch scoring will ensure Cleveland can't be taken lightly, both in the first round and further into the postseason if it progresses.

Allen's performance will undoubtedly make teams sit up and take notice. At 25 years old, he's one of the younger rim-runners in the NBA and is still a few years away from his prime.

He will enter the final year of his five-year, $100M contract next season. He will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2025.

For now, though, the Cavaliers will be focused on dispatching the Magic. They've already got one win under their belt. They need three more to move into the second round.

The more success the franchise has during this playoff run, the better chance it has at retaining Mitchell long-term.

For Cleveland, winning a championship isn't on its agenda this year. Convincing Mitchell his future is in Ohio certainly is, though.

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