Cavaliers Monitor Jarrett Allen’s Finger Injury Ahead of Key Matchup With Hawks

The Cleveland Cavaliers enter Friday night’s contest against the Atlanta Hawks with a familiar question hanging over their rotation: will Jarrett Allen be available? The All-Star center is again managing a finger injury, raising uncertainty around his status for one of the more pivotal games of the week.

Allen has missed time earlier in the season due to injury, and Cleveland’s performance has reflected his absence. The Cavaliers are a stronger defensive and rebounding team when he is anchoring the interior, making his availability a key factor in determining how Friday’s matchup may unfold.

Both teams sit in the thick of the Eastern Conference standings, separated by a single game as they battle for early leverage in the playoff picture. With the Cavs at 12–7 and the Hawks at 11–8, the stakes for this meeting are higher than usual for a late-November matchup.

As Cleveland monitors its lengthy injury list, Allen’s status sits at the top — a pivotal detail that could shape the tone of the game on both ends of the floor.

1. Allen’s Injury Status and Impact

2. Cavs’ Expanded Injury Report

Allen is one of seven Cavaliers listed on Friday’s injury report, underscoring the team’s ongoing battle with depth and health. Craig Porter Jr. is questionable with a left hamstring strain, while Dean Wade is also questionable after hyperextending his right knee. Cleveland will be without Sam Merrill, who is sidelined with a right-hand sprain. Max Strus remains out following left foot surgery to repair a Jones fracture, limiting the Cavaliers’ perimeter shooting and spacing options. Two-way players Chris Livingston and Luke Travers are also unavailable due to G League commitments, leaving the Cavs with limited flexibility should foul trouble or in-game injuries arise. Despite the absences, Cleveland has found ways to stay competitive, leaning on Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Mobley to guide the team through an early-season stretch marked by rotating lineups.

3. Hawks Dealing With Injuries of Their Own

Atlanta enters the matchup with an injury list nearly as long as Cleveland’s. Kristaps Porzingis is questionable due to illness, leaving uncertainty around the Hawks’ interior scoring and spacing. The team continues to be without Trae Young, who remains sidelined with a right knee MCL sprain. His absence has significantly altered Atlanta’s offensive rhythm, forcing secondary playmakers to elevate their roles. N’Faly Dante and Nikola Djurisic are both out with sprains, further limiting the Hawks’ depth in the frontcourt and at the wing. Two-way players Caleb Houstan and Eli John Ndiaye are also unavailable as they remain with the G League affiliate. With both teams missing key contributors, Friday’s game may hinge on which rotation can adapt best — and whether Allen can give Cleveland the steady interior presence it needs.