Photo by Erik Drost (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Cavs' Jarrett Allen exits early vs. Thunder with right knee injury

The Cleveland Cavaliers' season series with the Oklahoma City Thunder took a tough turn as starting center Jarrett Allen exited early in Wednesday’s game due to a right knee injury, forcing the Cavs to navigate another lineup challenge. Oklahoma City capitalized on the Cavs' early struggles, completing a sweep with a 124–116 victory.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 42 points, while the Cavs' offense sputtered, leaving them down by double digits early before mounting a late comeback that ultimately fell short. The loss marked Cleveland’s first home defeat of the season, compounding concerns about their reliance on James Harden’s production.

Meanwhile, the Thunder’s injury-plagued roster—including the return of Alex Caruso—managed to outlast the Cavs despite playing without three starters. With Allen sidelined, Cleveland will now look to Khalifa Diop or Thomas Bryant to step in for backup center minutes, adding another layer of uncertainty to their rotation.

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