How Jarrett Allen crushed Kenny Atkinson’s Evan Mobley fears during an unprecedented month

The Cleveland Cavaliers trying to salvage their season after a disappointing start. Veterans Center Jarrett Allen emerged as the k-factor in the team’s pursuit of the championship.

Allen fueled the resurgence of the Cavaliers while playing his best basketball his career. The 27-year-old averaged 22.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 blocks on 74.0 percent shooting in 11 appearances in February.

“Who played better than (Jarrett)?” Kenny Atkinson he said Sunday when asked about Allen’s case for Eastern Conference Player of the Month. “This is the best stretch I’ve seen from him in his career. He does it on both ends. The skill level, we know all that, but it’s more the tenacity, the energy. He played great. When Evan (Mobley) came back, I was afraid he was going to go down, but it doesn’t look like we’re going to get that down.”

Allen’s 74.0 field goal percentage in February led the NBA. He was the only player in the league to average over 20 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 50 percent or better.

Jarrett Allen lifts the Cavaliers up the Eastern Conference standings with a dominant February

The Cavaliers posted an 8-3 record in February amid Allen’s layoff. They ranked first in offense (121.5), ninth in defense (110.6) and fourth in net rating (10.9).

Much of Allen’s best work of his career came with frontcourt partner Evan Mobley out. Mobley played just four games in February with a calf injury.

Mobley’s return changed the team’s dynamic in the frontcourt. However, Atkinson expects Allen to maintain his dominance with the star back in the lineup.

“I think it will naturally play out,” Atkinson said of Allen’s role alongside Mobley. “We saw Evan in the last game. It was more about Evan getting into his rhythm than JA blocking him or anything. Obviously, they’ve been very successful on the court together in their careers, but imagine if you get peak Evan and peak JA? That’s the goal…Evan’s not at his peak yet. If he gets there, it’s going to be tough for us.”

The Cavaliers sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with 20 games remaining. They are two games ahead of the Toronto Raptors in fifth and 1.5 games behind the New York Knicks in third.