This upcoming postseason will answer the questions surrounding the two big lineup.
This season, the two-big lineup made a comeback in the NBA. While trends come and go, every trend needs someone to start it. This latest two-big fad started with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Cleveland was the first to bring back a classic formula that was dominant in the NBA long before the pace-and-space era kicked in. Now, with small ball seeming to lose some of its shine, the league is shifting back to a more modern version of what worked for decades.
And the Cavaliers’ two-big lineup has been pretty tough to stop this season. Behind the pairing of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, Cleveland topped the league in offensive rating at 121.0. And guess what? The next two teams in net rating — the Boston Celtics (119.5) and Oklahoma City Thunder (119.2) — are also rocking a two-big lineup of their own.
Here is the final list of the top 10 offenses (based on Offensive Rating) for the 2024-25 regular season.
The teams in red are teams that often featured double big lineups (lineups with two modern centers). pic.twitter.com/D2BszalslB
— Sportscasting NBA (@SportcastingNBA) April 15, 2025
Still, there’s one big question hanging over the Cavs as the postseason nears:
Can they close games with both Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen?
For most of the season, especially in a big win over the Thunder on Jan. 8, the answer seemed to be yes. In that game, Mobley and Allen made history as the first duo since 1998 to each drop 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 6+ assists in the same game — a feat last pulled off by Tim Duncan and David Robinson.
Mobley’s clearly taken the next step. He’s in the mix for Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, and All-NBA honors. But if the Cavs fall short, it’s likely the blame will fall on their often-overlooked big man: Jarrett Allen.
This isn’t the first time Allen has faced this kind of heat. After the postseason loss to the New York Knicks in 2023, Allen admitted that “the lights were too bright” for him. That blame continued even though Allen’s postseason run was cut short after Game 4 of the first-round series against the Orlando Magic.
So, how can Allen finally get the recognition he deserves — as a player the Cavaliers can’t afford to overlook?
At the start of the season, it seemed like Allen wasn’t always going to be part of the closing lineup. With Mobley often sliding to center and Georges Niang or Dean Wade filling in at power forward, Allen’s role shrank. That continued after the Cavaliers added De’Andre Hunter.
But something changed during the Cavs’ West Coast skid: They couldn’t close games. It wasn’t until Allen was back in the final minutes that the Cavs regained their clutch gene — the one that had been key to their success all season.
When Allen is locked in, the Cavaliers have a serious weapon on both ends of the floor. His best traits — elite rim protection, quick switches, and dominant paint play — make him a game-changer. And with the NBA Finals within reach, now’s the time for him to put those traits to work.
In the East, the Celtics are the only team that has an answer for what Allen brings. Outside of Boston, no team can match Allen’s defensive versatility — his ability to switch, protect the rim, and clean up on help defense.
On offense, when Allen is at his best, he’s a nightmare for opposing defenses. His finishing around the rim is tough to stop, especially when the ball-handler dumps it off to him in the paint. We’ve seen him overpower some of the best rim protectors — just look at what he did to the Milwaukee Bucks and Knicks recently.
With Allen often being the forgotten man in the Cavs’ spotlight, a postseason run where he’s the difference-maker would remind everyone how important he is to Cleveland’s success. If they want to reach their full potential, they need him to be clicking on all cylinders.