CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs have a $100 million mystery on their hands, and the latest Wine and Gold Talk podcast just blew it wide open.
In a moment that left cleveland.com Cavs beat reporter Chris Fedor audibly stunned; he revealed a statistic about Jarrett Allen’s playing time that defies basketball logic. The Cavaliers’ center ranks 14th on the team in fourth-quarter minutes per game.
“15 players have played in the fourth quarter for the Cavs this year. Jarrett Allen is 14th in fourth quarter minutes,” Fedor exclaimed. “One of your core members, one of your highest paid players is 14th in fourth quarter minutes.”
This jaw-dropping revelation came during Fedor and host Ethan Sands’ analysis of the Cavs’ heartbreaking 140-138 loss to the Miami Heat — a game where Allen was notably absent during the fourth quarter and overtime despite having what appeared to be a strong performance.
“Tonight felt like a Jarrett Allen game,” Sands observed. “Jarrett Allen was simply having one of the better starts that he’s had this season and then [barely] played in the fourth quarter and not at all in overtime.”
The podcast hosts didn’t just identify the pattern; they questioned its logic, especially in matchup-specific situations like the Miami game.
“I know that the Cavs have reasons for not playing Jarrett Allen in fourth quarters, and it’s clear that he’s kind of the odd man out of the core four when it gets to crunch time,” he explained. “But I did feel like you. I felt like there was an advantage that the Cavs had with Jarrett on the floor that at times throughout the course of the game they were exploiting.”
Perhaps most stunning was the comparison Fedor discovered while on air: “Luke Travers has appeared in four fourth quarters and he’s got four, five fourth quarter minutes on average. Jarrett Allen has 3.9 minutes per fourth quarter.”
This revelation raises fundamental questions about Cleveland’s roster construction and coaching philosophy. If Allen — one of the team’s Core Four players — is being systematically benched in crucial moments, what does that say about the team’s long-term plans and ceiling?
As Fedor suggested, there should be flexibility in Allen’s usage based on game flow and matchups: “There are certain nights that are probably going to call for more Jarrett than other nights. And I felt like tonight was one of those.”
The absence of Allen became even more glaring on the game’s final play, when Miami executed a perfectly timed lob to Andrew Wiggins with the paint wide open. Sands questioned the decision-making process that led to such vulnerable defensive personnel being on the floor for such a crucial moment.
“The last play of the game where the Miami Heat simply threw a lob to Andrew Wiggins and the paint was wide open. Why is Sam Merrill in the game? Why is Donovan Mitchell in the game?” Sands asked. “The Miami Heat had to take a timeout to set their play up, right? So you had the opportunity to sub in … Jarrett Allen.”
The discussion delved deeper into the consequences of Allen’s absence, with both hosts noting the rebounding disparities that hurt Cleveland throughout the game. The Heat’s Jaime Haquez Jr. grabbed 13 rebounds, while Miami’s Kel’el Ware dominated with 20 rebounds (13 defensive, 7 offensive).
For Cavaliers fans concerned about Allen’s role and the team’s strategic direction, this episode of Wine and Gold Talk provides essential context and expert analysis. Listen to the full discussion to understand the complex factors behind one of the most puzzling rotation decisions in the NBA this season.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
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