Unveiling the Mystery of Allen's Breakout: It Started with a Post-Mobley Injury Conversation, and Harden's Arrival Took Everything to a New Level

On February 27, Beijing time, Cavaliers reporter Joe Vardon wrote an article revealing the mystery behind Jarrett Allen's breakout performance. It began with a conversation with the head coach after Mobley's injury, and Harden's arrival pushed everything to a new height. Here are the details—

Music was playing from the speakers in the Cavaliers' practice facility. Evan Mobley had just returned from the hospital with news: imaging on his left calf showed a strain, and he would be out for 1 to 3 weeks. During pre-game warm-ups, the available players were stretching along the baseline. Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson quietly walked over to Jarrett Allen and gave him a few quick instructions.

"I told him, bro, we need you. We need you to step up," Atkinson recalled.

That day was January 29, eight days before the Cavaliers traded Garland for Harden, completely altering the team's trajectory. This team started the season with high expectations but had been stumbling along: core players were out long-term, and many performed far below last season's level.

What's easy to overlook now is that the Cavaliers had already begun to turn things around. Before Mobley's injury, they had just won four straight, bringing their record to 28-20—a steady recovery from their mediocre 15-14 start around Christmas.

Allen had also been in and out of the lineup due to injury, not meeting the Cavaliers' expectations. Mobley's absence meant even greater responsibility on his shoulders.

"(Atkinson) told me I had to take on more," Allen said. "I had to fill the void in rim protection, make up for the offensive output. I took that to heart."

Since January 29, Allen has averaged 21.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, recording 10 double-doubles—including nine in his last 10 games. During this stretch, his field goal percentage is an impressive 72.7%, even surpassing last season's league-leading 70.6%.

It's no exaggeration to say he's been phenomenal. On February 2 against the Trail Blazers, he exploded for 40 points and 17 rebounds. This was four days before the Harden trade was finalized. And in Thursday night's game against the Bucks, with Harden out due to a non-displaced fracture in his right thumb (not expected to be out long), Allen again led the team with 27 points and 11 rebounds in a narrow 2-point loss.

It wasn't Harden's arrival that ignited Allen; he had already broken out. Harden simply made what was already happening easier and more potent.

"I always say I'm a compliant soldier," Allen said. "You tell me what to do, and I'll do it wholeheartedly, regardless of my own thoughts. Right now, this approach is working."

So far, Harden has played only 7 games for the Cavaliers, but his impact has been immediate: the team is 6-1 in that span, including Wednesday night's 109-94 rout of the Knicks. Allen had 19 points and 10 rebounds, dominating the paint on both ends; Harden contributed 20 points and 4 assists, and Mitchell scored 23 points—opponents can no longer focus their entire defense on Mitchell alone.

"We're in a good rhythm right now," Allen said. "The offense is flowing smoothly; we've found a system that suits us."

Early in the season, the Cavaliers relied heavily on quick three-pointers. Strong defensive teams would swarm Mitchell, forcing him to pass the ball—because his backcourt partner, former All-Star Garland, was either injured or performing far below his usual standard.

With Harden now paired with Mitchell, opponents can no longer do that. When Atkinson staggers their minutes and Harden is off the floor, another trade acquisition—veteran point guard Schröder—allows Mitchell to continue playing off the ball, avoiding constant double-teams.

"Physically and mentally, knowing you have a teammate like that... it's always helpful," Mitchell said of Harden.

Harden is listed at 6'5" and 220 lbs, while Garland is officially 6'1" and 192 lbs. Neither is a defensive stopper, but Harden's size makes it harder for opponents to deliberately hunt mismatches as they could with Garland.

The Cavaliers still have a long way to go before facing the true test of the playoffs and advancing further. But for now, everything is on track: in his 7 games with Cleveland, Harden is averaging 18.9 points and 8.0 assists per game, shooting 48.8% from three.

His partnership with Allen has been particularly effective. Since Harden's arrival, Allen's efficiency around the basket has reached another level.A significant portion of the Cavaliers' current half-court offense revolves around Harden and Allen's pick-and-roll, stretching defenses from multiple angles.

"I think I run the pick-and-roll pretty well," Allen said. "And he's a Hall of Fame-level player, elite at running it with a big man. Put the two together, and the results are naturally good."

How does Harden assess Allen? "His athleticism, the speed at which he rolls to the basket after setting a screen—that's something you can't teach."

Harden has long had a reputation for activating big men: Clint Capela in Houston, Ivica Zubac with the Clippers, and even Joel Embiid, the MVP he partnered with in Philadelphia, are examples. Allen is clearly the latest big man to shine alongside Harden.

Harden says the core of his role in the pick-and-roll is decision-making. "I've been a decision-maker my entire career. The first option in the pick-and-roll is to score myself, then the rolling big, then the perimeter shooters. I can get into the paint, and then it's about making decisions."

When asked about various narratives after Wednesday's game, Allen accepted them all. Some said: Jarrett, you're playing the best basketball of your career right now. Why?

His response: Obviously, it's because of Harden—that's the plain truth.

But the reporter pressed: But you were playing great even before Harden arrived, weren't you?

As you might know, he credited Atkinson's motivating talk for that.

Atkinson has his own perspective: Allen missed time early in the season with a finger injury, and he believes the recovery period allowed Allen to regain his conditioning.

"He went crazy with his conditioning work," Atkinson said. "I felt like he was just lacking a bit of explosiveness before."

Atkinson also mentioned that Allen got married in the offseason, which affected his ability to enter training camp in peak physical shape; Allen admitted he never starts a season in perfect condition.Regardless of the reasons, the current Allen is much closer to the player who shot over 70% last season and anchored a top-tier defense.

"I feel like I'm playing smarter," Allen said. "I understand the game better."

Harden believes the Cavaliers still have room to improve. "We can take it up several more levels," he said. "It will start with defense."

And on offense, this system is already hard to contain: multiple ball-handling creators plus an interior anchor playing with the most confidence of his career.

Allen's breakout began with that quiet conversation on the practice court after Mobley's injury. And Harden has taken it all to a new height.