Game 7 of the playoffs always adds extra pressure, but Jarrett Allen turned this pressure into brilliance for his team. The series finale came down to an unexpected hero taking over the court.

The score was tied at halftime in Game 7 between the Cavaliers and the Raptors, but then Allen and Co. went on a 49-21 run to enjoy the last laugh with the final scoreline reading 114-102. Speaking on the Nightcap podcast on May 3, 2026, Shannon Sharpe said the win came down to hard work and effort, not just shooting. 

He noted what exactly triggered that momentum shift. “More offensive rebounds by himself than what Toronto had as a team. It lets you know something,” Sharpe said. “Rebounding is about want to, because if you look at a guy like Charles Barkley, six foot four, led the league in rebounding.”

He continued by mentioning another basketball legend. “You’re looking at guys like Dennis Rodman that led the league in rebounding eight or nine times. He wanted the ball,” Sharpe explained. 

“I want the ball more than you want it. I have a greater desire to go get the ball that doesn’t belong to either one of us. My desire to go get it is greater than yours. Yeah, tonight I thought Jarrett Allen’s the desire to get the basketball when it could have been anybody,” Sharpe noted.

The former NFL player also said, “You hear fifty-fifty. You hear that all the time, Joe and Ocho. ‘Hey, we got to get those 50-50 balls.’ He said, ‘I’m gonna get 85% of the 50-50 balls.’ Yeah, he did that tonight.” 

Allen finished the game with 22 points, 19 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals. He bagged 8 offensive boards, leading his team to a 60-33 total rebound advantage. 

The 3rd quarter is where things changed. Allen scored 14 points and 10 rebounds in only 12 minutes. His play shifted the momentum completely. This kind of dominance set the stage for everything else that followed.

Jarrett Allen’s Breakout Moment

This was his first-ever Game 7, and he delivered his best playoff performance. He played with a more physical edge and was very vocal on the court. 

Allen’s physical work inside wore down the Raptors as the second half went on. This made things much easier for Donovan Mitchell to score his 22 points without forcing bad shots. 

Head coach Kenny Atkinson called it the best performance he had ever seen from him, saying he was ready for the moment. Teammate James Harden also praised his inside dominance after the win.

Putting up a stat line of 20-plus points, 15-plus rebounds, and three-plus blocks in a Game 7 is rare. In fact, it had not happened since Nikola Jokic did it back in 2020. 

Now, the team moves forward to play the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Game 1 is set for Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Do you think Cleveland can keep up this physical play against Detroit in the next round? 

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Written by

Utsav Sinha

Edited by

Souvik Roy