Former Texas Longhorn Big Men Set to Battle in NBA Playoff Second Round Series

Jarrett Allen of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers will face off in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Apr 12, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) loses the ball beside Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) in the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs gets underway Sunday, and the Texas Longhorns will have key representation in one series specifically. When the Cleveland Cavaliers host the Indiana Pacers in Game 1, former Longhorns Jarrett Allen and Myles Turner will compete as opposing starting centers.

Allen, a Longhorn during the 2016-17 season, is a crucial piece for Cleveland, finishing the regular season at 13.5 points per game and 9.7 rebounds per game. In their first-round sweep of the Miami Heat, Allen recorded double-digit points in three out of the four games, including a 22-point performance in Game 3, and served as a defensive force alongside power forward Evan Mobley.

At Texas, Allen averaged fairly similar per-game splits to what he did this year in Cleveland. He earned third-team All-Big 12 honors despite it being a disappointing season for Texas under Shaka Smart and was drafted 22nd in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets.

Feb 20, 2017; Morgantown, WV, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Jarrett Allen (31) dunks the ball during the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Opposite him, Turner has been a core member of the Pacers since he turned professional following the 2014-15 collegiate season. He was selected 11th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft after earning Big 12 Freshman of the Year in his sole year at Texas. This regular season in Indianapolis, Turner averaged 15.6 points and was second in the NBA in blocks, swatting 2.0 shots per game.

In Games 4 and 5 of the Pacers' first round series against the Milwaukee Bucks, Turner scored 23 and 21 points, respectively, to help Indiana secure their spot in this upcoming second round clash.

In regular games they've faced each other on their current teams, the two centers each have won six out of 12 games. They have never faced in the playoffs. While Allen thrives primarily in the paint as the league-leader in field goal percentage, Turner shines as a more versatile scorer, shooting an impressive 39.6 percent from three-point land this regular season.

A third Longhorn will partake in the series, albeit more through a mentorship, rotational role. Cavaliers big man Tristan Thompson is in his second stint with the team after a nine-year first stint that included the 2016 NBA Championship run. The Canadian was also a one-and-done college player, earning Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors and becoming the fourth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Thompson is not expected to have as big of an impact on the series as the other two Texas products. Allen and Turner's battle down low is undeniably a pivotal matchup, with how they fare against one another crucial in determining the outcome of the series.