Jarrett Allen explodes in second half as Cavaliers beat Spurs at Rocket Arena

CLEVELAND — After watching Jarrett Allen's lethargic first half, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson thought to himself that the Cleveland center "just doesn't have it tonight." That couldn't have been further off the mark. Allen erupted for 27 of his game-high 29 points in the second half of the Cavs' 124-116 hard-fought victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday at Rocket Arena. The 6-foot-11, 248-pounder was dominant in the fourth quarter with 19 points and eight of his game-high 16 rebounds to help Cleveland improve to 59-14 on the season. "He knew what we needed," Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. "We needed him to punish their small-ball lineup." Having lost 7-3 center Victor Wembanyama for the season, the Spurs (31-41) were unable to counter Allen's size and athletic ability. Allen, who leads the NBA in field-goal percentage, was 6 of 6 from the field in the fourth quarter, 10 of 11 in the game. "They were hitting me in the pocket more and I was taking advantage of their size," Allen said. He was needed on the night with All-Star Evan Mobley out to rest. "He was phenomenal," Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell said. "He's always consistent for us," Mitchell flirted with his first career triple-double but finished two rebounds shy. Still, he was outstanding with 25 points, eight rebounds, a career-high 14 assists, one block and one steal. The Cavs' last triple-double was by Darius Garland's vs. Utah on Jan. 12, 2022, when he finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists. "He's elite," Atkinson said. "He changed the game." Despite his stellar game, Atkinson said he believes Mitchell's game is still a "little off. He still hasn't hit his groove." The Cavs, who have won three in a row, outscored the pesky Spurs 38-33 in the pivotal fourth quarter. Guard Darius Garland had a rough shooting night, as he made 4 of 15 shots from the floor. However, he hit a "dagger" 3-pointer with 1:16 to play that handed the Cavs a 120-114 edge. Things got a little chippy in the final period, as Cavs backup center Tristan Thompson got ejected with 9:36 remaining in the game for his "excessive" elbow to the head of San Antonio's Jeremy Sochan. Devin Vassell and Stephon Castle each had 22 points for the Spurs, who dropped to 31-41. Forward Max Strus added 18 points for Cleveland, while D'Andre Hunter had 14 points and Sam Merrill 13. A huge slam dunk by Mitchell closed the scoring for the Cavs in the third quarter, as they led 86-83 heading into the final period. He took his defender off the dribble and the lane opened up for his highlight-reel flush. Mitchell's woes In his previous four games — he sat out against Portland game Tuesday to rest his sore groin — Mitchell has shot .107 from the 3-point line (3 of 28). He's 0 of 13 in his previous two games. Atkinson said he's not sure if Mitchell's slump has anything to do with his injury. "No one is going to bat .400 all year," he said. Atkinson said he's also seen a "tiny dip in shot quality" with Mitchell's attempts from the field. During the last few games, Mitchell has experienced an uptick in getting to the free-throw line. "He understands what he has to do," Atkinson said. "I'm blasé about it. He has to swing his way out of his little slump." He snapped out of his funk with 25 points on Thursday. Keep them healthy The Cavs' No. 1 goal heading to the playoffs is to "keep these guys healthy." That's one reason Mobley (rest) and guard Ty Jerome (knee) were held out of Thursday's game. He said Jerome's injury is "nothing long term." Rookie guard Jaylon Tyson is suffering from a bone bruise in his knee. "He worked out (Thursday)," Atkinson said. "He's trending in the right direction." R & R The Cleveland coach said he's been preaching to his players about getting their rest and proper sleep. "It sounds corny," Atkinson said. "I sound like their dad." He said the coaches listen intently to the Cavs' performance staff and sports scientists this time of year. "We lean on them a lot," Atkinson said. "This time of year, it's how do you conserve energy and less about strategy." Bob Finnan can be reached at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.