PORTLAND, Ore. — Any lingering questions about Jarrett Allen’s importance?
Just in case, Allen sent a reminder Sunday night.
Allen’s fingerprints were all over Cleveland’s 130-111 bounce-back win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night. The [Cavs](https://www.cleveland.com/cavs) are now 30-21 on the season.
Playing the second game of this lengthy West Coast road trip, Allen started his two-way dominance early.
In the first quarter, he poured in 16 points — a season-high for points in any quarter and just three off a career-best. By the end of the half, he had already recorded a double-double, tallying 25 points and 10 rebounds — the highest scoring opening half of his career. His previous high was 22 vs. the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 6, 2022.
Then, at the 3:54 mark of the third quarter, Allen flipped in a left-handed bank shot that solidified the most special night of his career.
Allen did it all Sunday.
He ran the floor. Was heavily involved on the offensive end. Active on the boards. A deterrent on defense. Everything that makes him a vital — even though often overlooked — member of Cleveland’s Core Four.
The Blazers were helpless.
With Evan Mobley still nursing a calf strain, Darius Garland out with a nagging toe injury and De’Andre Hunter shipped to Sacramento in a trade a day earlier, Allen was called on to do even more than usual.
He answered.
The Blazers cut Cleveland’s one-time 24-point lead to just 10 with 7:32 left in the fourth quarter.
The building was coming alive. The Blazers had a strut in their step. A comeback was within reach.
Despite that Portland surge, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson stuck with his planned substitution pattern, choosing to get Donovan Mitchell a brief respite.
How would Cleveland survive? Where would it turn?
Allen, of course.
On the first possession out of the timeout, Allen rumbled into the lane, drew a foul and earned a pair of free throws that halted a 7-0 run. Two possessions later, he scored — again — on a soaring putback dunk to push the Cleveland advantage back to 17.
A few minutes later, Allen hit two freebies that caused Cleveland’s bench to erupt.
Everyone recognized the moment. They knew how special his performance was. Wanted him to punctuate it with a 40-ball.
Allen finished with a career-high 40 points on 16 of 23 shooting to go with 17 rebounds, five assists and four blocks in 30 impactful minutes.
Sam Merrill added 22 points, going 7 of 9 from the field and 6 of 8 from beyond the arc.
Jaylon Tyson (18 points), Mitchell (14), Nae’Qwan Tomlin (12) and Thomas Bryant (10) also contributed double figures.
The Cavs shot 54.9% overall and 47.1% from deep. They dished out 41 assists on 50 made shots.
Portland, playing without first-time All-Star Deni Avdija (back) and Jrue Holiday, was led by Caleb Love who had 21 points off the bench. Shaedon Sharpe chipped in with 20.
Shortly before tipoff, in an effort to hype up the Moda Center crowd, the Blazers PA Announcer excitedly said, “A storm is coming.”
Turns out, it was a fierce Cavalanche named Jarrett.
**Up next**
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The Cavs will continue their five-game road trip with a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m.