Cavs big man Jarrett Allen's zone defense gives big-time push in narrow loss to Rockets

Yesterday at 02:44 PM

Despite facing the rare sting of defeat this season, the Cleveland Cavaliers are demonstrating relentless determination until the final buzzer. In a close game against the Houston Rockets, which ended with a narrow score of 109-108, the Cavs struggled at the free-throw line, particularly with their standout guard Darius Garland, who went an unexpected 1-for-3 in the last moments. Yet, Garland’s presence there was a testament to Cleveland’s resilience as they fought hard to claw their way back into contention. Once again, the Cavs relied heavily on their defense to stay competitive in Houston.

The Rockets executed a well-strategized approach throughout the game, effectively applying pressure at the rim and forcing the Cavs into difficult adjustments. At times, Houston's tactics stretched Cleveland’s defense, allowing star guard Fred VanVleet to exploit gaps and consistently hit shots from long-range.

In response to Houston's inside-out strategy, Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson turned to a trusted solution: their zone defense. This defensive scheme has become a key component of Cleveland’s strategy, ranking third in the NBA for its usage, trailing only Miami and Philadelphia. The zone provided a much-needed adjustment and helped keep the Cavs in the game during the fourth quarter, largely due to the contributions of star big man Jarrett Allen.

Jarrett Allen gave the Cavs’ zone defense a big-time push

With nine minutes and 14 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Allen entered the game for Cleveland, replacing veteran forward Georges Niang. Shortly after his arrival, under head coach Kenny Atkinson's direction, the Cavs implemented a zone defense, intensifying their defensive efforts. This strategic shift allowed Cleveland to stifle the Rockets' offense, limiting them to just 11 points and successfully overcoming a 13-point deficit.

"They were at four points for a long time in that fourth quarter," Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. "Just make 'em probe, make 'em think, get the ball out of Jalen Green's hands and Fred's hands, where they have to pass it around. We stole some possessions. I believe in it, and I believe in it during the game. I believe in it during crunch time. Think our guys executed pretty well. We will continue to do that."

From the moment Allen entered the game until the final buzzer, the Rockets struggled on offense, shooting only 4 for 15 from the field and a dismal 1 for 8 when attempting shots near the basket. During this stretch, Allen also had one block and strategically fouled Houston’s center, Steven Adams, each time the Rockets secured an offensive rebound.

This tactic effectively wasted valuable scoring opportunities for Houston. Additionally, Allen contributed to the Cavaliers’ efforts by grabbing one offensive rebound, which led to a crucial two-point score for Cleveland, keeping them competitive in the game’s closing moments.

"It's been working for us ever since we put it in, and I feel like we have been getting better at it every single game," Allen said about the team’s zone-based defense. "I think that is going to be something in our defense to bring out every now and then. Try to get it down to perfection."

Is Cleveland close to perfecting its zone-based defense?

The beautiful thing about the Cavs still having the best record in basketball is that it gives them breathing room to try and experiment. That experimenting has led to Cleveland using more zone-based defensive schemes, especially with superstar big man Evan Mobley sidelined with a nagging calf injury lately.

Against the Rockets, the Cavs’ zone catalyzed a 21-4 run and a 17-point reversal. Cleveland also held Houston to just 15 points on 5 of 22 shooting and 2 of 7 from 3-point range while forcing seven turnovers. It was a way to compensate for not having critical defenders like Mobley and Isaac Okoro while fine-tuning different lineups and wrinkles that can be utilized come playoff time.

"The only way you get better at it is to continue to work at it," Cavs superstar Donovan Mitchell said. "We don't have time to practice, so when you do it through games and you figure things out, just stick it with it. There are going to be games where we can't stop teams. Teams are going to be hot. How do we throw 'em off? There's going to be games where the man works. There's going to be nights where a box and one works, triangle and two, switching works, whatever it is.

"At the end of the day, come playoff time, you're going to need different looks."

By maintaining this big-picture mindset, coaches and players have repeatedly discussed using the regular season to prepare for the playoffs. That’s why Cleveland leaned so heavily on its zone-based defense against Houston. The Cavs are figuring out who it is as a team and what does and doesn’t work. That’s what champions do, and that’s what Cleveland hopes to become come playoff time.

The post Cavs big man Jarrett Allen’s zone defense gives big-time push in narrow loss to Rockets appeared first on ClutchPoints.