Cavaliers Star Center Among League Leaders In Intriguing Stat

Cleveland Cavaliers' Jarrett Allen has the second-best field goal percentage in the NBA this season.
Nov 27, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) passes in the first quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Nov 27, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) passes in the first quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images
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Watching players put on incredible scoring performances is one of the best parts of the NBA. However, that production doesn't always lead to team success.

A player's efficiency can truly help take a group to the next level, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are finding that with their star center, Jarrett Allen.

Allen may only be averaging 13.8 points per game, but his field goal percentage of 68.8 percent currently ranks second in the NBA. The only player he trails is Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford, who connects on 73.8 percent of his shots (as of before Sunday's game).

If Allen's field goal percentage holds or gets better as the season progresses, it would represent a career-high for a player who has been known to be an efficient scorer throughout his career.

Of course, since JA is a center, the vast majority of his shots come in the paint and right below the rim. Of all of Allen's shots this season, 99.5 percent of them have been two-pointers.

Jarrett Allen dribbles the ball
Nov 1, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) dribbles the ball in the third quarter against the Orlando Magic at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

However, there's more to it than just that.

When he was hired, Kenny Atkinson promised to do his best to create easy and more open shots for players. This strategy has helped Darius Garland return to his All-Star level of play.

The same can be said for Allen, too. If we dive deeper into JA's stats, we'll find that he's shooting 73.7 percent on shots less than five feet from the rim. This is up from the same stat from last season.

This stat is a reminder that even though Allen may not be the team's leading scorer, he still provides plenty of value on the offensive side of the floor.

A center with this scoring capability makes everyone on the floor better, especially Cleveland's backcourt duo of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell.


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