In the prime of Jarrett Allen’s career, Kenny Atkinson was dating Hakeem Olajuwon

Cleveland Cavaliers a great man Jarrett Allen set a new career high with 40 pointstaking the Portland Trail Blazers to school on Sunday in the team’s 130-111 victory at the Moda Center on the road. He added 17 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks in the win, the Wine and Gold’s first West Coast trip that got off to a sour start Friday in Phoenix.

“I’ve been working hard and tonight was just my night,” Allen said after the game, admitting he knew the 40-ball was coming. “The first quarter, I felt like I was going to have a special game, and it just kept going for me.

“Best I’ve ever seen him play,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson added. “I’ve seen him play a lot of games. That’s the best I’ve seen him. Everyone’s going to talk about the points, but the rebounding, the defense, it was surreal. Right from the start, he just completely dominated the game… Especially his footwork is so good, he reminded me of Hakeem (Olajuwon) there.”

This is the first time Allen has scored 40 points in his career. Only two players recorded 40 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists this season: Nikola Jokić on Christmas Day and Giannis Antetokounmpo at the start of the season. Allen is the first to do so in less than 30 minutes in league history

No one has put up 40 and 17 in the 2025-26 NBA campaign so far, and LeBron James has been the last player to do so February 6 last year. Allen is the only player in Cavs franchise history to accomplish that statistical feat.

“He carried us all night,” Donovan Mitchell said. “There was no force-feeding. It was flow. Defensively, he was an animal. Rebounds. For him to be as dominant as he was, it was amazing to watch. It was 48 minutes; it was neither here nor there. It was 48 full of just dominant basketball.”

“I can’t put it into words,” Jaylon Tyson added. “He’s the best big in the league, and he showed that today. Everything he does on the field, both of our bigs lift our defense. And honestly, we’ve got to feed them more. That’s something we’ve been stressing the last few days.”

From the opening tip, he set his usual screens and played with the best of them. In the words of former Cavs big man and commentator Brad Daugherty, Allen dismantled 7-foot-3 center Donovan Clingan on the offensive end. When Cleveland was stopped, his teammates looked for him all night, and he used pivots to his advantage in the half court.

“I’m just running the court,” Allen said. “Klingan is a great rim protector. Running the floor isn’t his main specialty, so I thought I was faster than him, and Craig (Porter Jr.) did a great job finding me in transition.”

“He’s more skilled than I even think,” Atkinson added. “I put him in the box. I have to think maybe a little differently (about) how we use him because it was a revelation tonight.”

With a series of jump hooks, powerful jabs and closing glass, it was a special combination of power and finesse.

“He took a lot on his shoulders,” Atkinson said. “His energy was off limits.”

“When he’s going like that, just catch him the ball and let him do what he does,” Tyson added. “He stayed on it all day. He didn’t let it go. He was 40, but defensively, he was elite. He switched to guards a couple of times; they weren’t going anywhere. The rim protection was elite. He did it on both ends of the floor, and on top of that, he got a lot of rebounds from us offensively.”

After being taken by the Blazers, Mitchell saw the perfect opportunity for him and Tyson to match Allen. Craig Porter Jr. and Sam Merrill did the same.

“It’s a blessing for me,” Mitchell said. “These teams are going to keep doing what they’re doing, trying to deny me. When you have that, it’s like, what do you do? Now, you have Sam Merrill running off screens with JA, who are you going to guard? Now, Sam Merrill has 22 as a product of that. Jaylon Tyson does what he does.

“(Allen) asserting his dominance makes the game a lot easier for everybody else, especially when guys are out. It allows everybody to feed in different ways and thrive. He was dominant. He was dominant last game, even though we lost.”

Jarrett Allen calls the Cavs sound

Allen tallied his 29 minutes, 30 seconds, going 16-of-23 from the field and 8-of-12 from the free throw line. The Blazers just didn’t have an answer for him. It started in the first half as it did on Friday; the difference is that Cleveland kept going in the second, even with Portland’s adjustments.

“End of the first quarter, I was up 16 and 5,” Allen said. “I wanted to do that again in the third quarter. I wanted him to stay strong. I think it’s because everybody had a good game. My game is based on other people being able to create for me. We were able to create shots for everybody. Sam had a great game. Jaylon had a great game. Don had a great game by other people’s standards. That could open it up for me.”

“We keep pushing our guys to keep turning it on,” Atkinson said. “We all turn more that way. When he’s on, when he touches it, you just get a different ME. That’s right. I think we just kept feeding them tonight.”

Atkinson said he was unaware when Allen was 40 away and running the ATO for Merrill, who sizzled from deep, but “The Fro” called his number and delivered.

“He hasn’t done that since I’ve been here,” said a laughing Mitchell. “He allowed one, or maybe two. He allowed a few. When you have a coach like Kenny who understands that, and you have guys who understand that, you make this locker room fun (what it is). I think that’s what allows him to be free and be himself. We understand.”

Allen told Tyrese Proctor before he entered the game that he wasn’t going to pass up that chance. He knew “right away” that he was going to dribble fake and attack the cup.

“Anyway, I tried to get 40,” Allen said with a laugh. “I wanted to try to force him. I’m already 38, so two free throws (away). I locked in and tried to knock them down.”

“I caught it before the free throw,” Mitchell added. “I said, ‘Look, everybody’s celebrating. Focus. Lock down the free throws.’ There is nothing worse than having 39 on a missed free throw. That’s huge for him.”

The Cavs locker room was ecstatic for him as he gave a postgame interview, following a celebration where Allen was doused in water and had a photoshopped image of his head on Wilt Chamberlain on a screen, holding up No. 40.

“JA led the way and we just followed,” Tyson said.

Mitchell was the loudest voice in the background, imploring Allen to “speak with his chest” when talking about the incredible performance.

“He’s just an amazing guy,” Mitchell said. “It’s amazing to see him reaping the benefits of his work.”

“I always pride myself on being there when the guys need me,” Allen added. “When you have guys like Evan (Mobley), Donovan and Darius (Garland), I fall to the fourth or fifth option, which is fine with me. My time will come. But when you need me, I’m there to score as much as you need me.”