Jarrett Allen expects to play in the Cavaliers’ season opener Thursday at Philadelphia, though he acknowledges his right knee won’t be entirely pain-free.
Allen participated in morning shootaround and said he plans to be in the lineup despite being listed as questionable with right patellar tendinopathy, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
“Just trying to be cautious about my knee going into year 10,” Allen said. “Just want to be in the best position to make sure I’m healthy.”
The soreness began a few days ago. Allen described it as “a little bit” similar to the knee problem that sidelined him for nearly three weeks last March.
He has been receiving treatment and working to strengthen the surrounding muscles and tendons as Cleveland prepares to begin its regular season against LeBron James, Joel Embiid and the Sixers.
“When the load gets ramped up, you just have to do more to try to prevent it,” Allen said. “Just trying to figure it out and go forward.”
Allen was also candid about what playing through the issue could mean.
“I’d be lying if I said there wouldn’t be limitations. There’s pain there,” he said. “But do I think it’s going to hold me back to a detriment? No, I don’t think so.”
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