Jarrett Allen making progress in recovery from eye injury, Cavs hopeful he returns this week

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cavs middle Jarrett Allen is taking optimistic steps in his restoration from a proper eye contusion and there’s hope of a return this coming week for not less than one of many video games in Brooklyn when the Cavs journey there for a two-game sequence, sources inform cleveland.com.

Since getting raked throughout the proper eye by Bam Adebayo in Cleveland’s 119-115 loss to the Miami Warmth final week — a scary second late within the recreation that prompted swelling and bruising and led to Allen’s eye being bloodshot — he has seen a number of specialists who’ve dominated out any structural harm regardless that sources say his imaginative and prescient is a bit blurry.

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“He’s progressing nicely,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff mentioned Friday evening. “Once more, structurally the whole lot is OK up to now. You simply cope with the issues that occur if you get hit within the eye and the swelling across the eye. He’s doing extra on the courtroom and it’s only a matter of when he can safely return.”

Over the previous few days, Allen has been conducting particular person on-court exercise classes — a promising signal that exhibits his return might be on the horizon. Nonetheless, nobody is prepared to assign a agency timetable or particular return date fairly but.

“We’re hopeful,” Bickerstaff mentioned. “Simply don’t know. Once you take that shot, all people’s eye goes to heal at its personal tempo. We’ll simply take our time with him. By no means put him ready the place he’s compromised.”

About halfway by means of the second quarter Friday evening — his fourth consecutive missed recreation — Allen got here out of the locker room and joined his teammates on the bench with none protecting eyewear. It was one other indication that there aren’t any light-sensitivity points like what teammate Darius Garland skilled earlier this 12 months when he was sidelined about two weeks with an eyelid laceration.

Requested earlier than the sport whether or not the character of Allen’s eye harm is comparable, Bickerstaff mentioned it wasn’t the “similar actual harm” because the one Garland suffered within the season opener in opposition to Toronto. In keeping with those that have seen Allen up shut, the results of the harm doesn’t look the identical both. It’s not in the identical space and Allen’s eye didn’t shut shut.

Over the weekend, Bickerstaff mentioned the group feels “extraordinarily lucky” that it wasn’t worse. For the reason that harm, the Cavs have labeled it as a “contusion.”

When talking briefly with cleveland.com on Sunday earlier than a matchup with the Hornets, Allen was in good spirits and mentioned the coaching employees was within the means of getting him protecting goggles to check out — simply in case. At the moment, he wasn’t certain whether or not he could be snug sporting them or if he would even need to put on them. These conversations are nonetheless going down whereas Allen continues to obtain remedy day by day.

Allen hasn’t been obtainable for official remark for the reason that harm. Except Sunday evening, he hasn’t been within the locker room when media is allowed in both.

The Cavs are scheduled to follow Saturday afternoon at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Due to a late-season schedule quirk, they gained’t play once more till Tuesday night in Brooklyn, giving them three days in between video games. If all goes nicely over the subsequent few days, Allen is anticipated to accompany the staff on that two-game, four-day journey to Brooklyn — the place the place his NBA profession started.

Since Allen’s absence, second-year phenom Evan Mobley has shifted over one place to middle with Lamar Stevens quickly becoming a member of the beginning lineup.

After Friday’s 117-94 drubbing of the Wizards — a recreation during which Mobley tallied 20 factors, eight rebounds, 4 blocks and three assists in 36 dominant minutes — Cleveland improved its mark to 3-1 with out Allen throughout this present stretch. It’s 6-5 with out him this season.

In 62 video games this season, Allen is averaging 14.4 factors and 9.8 rebounds.

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