Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen won't play in Game 5 against the Orlando Magic because of a bruised rib

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen will not play in Tuesday night's decisive Game 5 against the Orlando Magic because of a bruised rib.

Allen, who was arguably the Cavs' best player to that point in a deadlocked Eastern Conference series, suffered an elbow in the ribs in the second half of Saturday's 23-point loss in Game 4 in Orlando.

He is officially listed as active but will not be dressing.

Allen averaged 17.0 points and 13.8 rebounds and shot a league-best 67.6% in the playoffs. He scored a team-high 21 points and nine rebounds in Cleveland's 112-89 loss in Game 4, when the Magic tied the series at 2-2.

With Allen unavailable, Cavs coach JB Bickerstaff is going with a smaller lineup and starting Isaac Okoro.

Cleveland will need as much muscle as it can get against the bigger, more physical Magic, who dominated the Cavs on the boards by winning Games 3 and 4 by a total of 61 points.

Allen was widely criticized after Cleveland was eliminated in the first round by the New York Knicks last year. The affable Allen made headlines when he said the “lights were too bright” for him and his teammates.

But he was solid all season for the Cavs, who suffered numerous injuries but were one of the East's top teams.

“He was the guy who, when we're at our best, has a quiet impact,” Bickerstaff said before Game 4. “A lot of times people don't say his number, they don't talk about his defensive abilities, but he's the quiet glue that helps us all get better and he has that kind of presence on both ends of the floor.”

Allen grabbed 20 rebounds in Game 2.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Tom Withers, The Associated Press