Jarrett Allen’s “bright lights” joke backfires after Cleveland's tough loss in MSG

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen spent the pregame warmups joking about his infamous "bright lights" meme. Here's how those jokes backfired.

Oct 22, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Trey Jemison III (50) controls the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The lights at Madison Square Garden were once again too bright for Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen.

The Cavaliers lost their season opener to the New York Knicks on Wednesday 119-111. Allen played 28 minutes and scored just four points and reeled in four rebounds.

But before the game, he was joking about his infamous “lights were brighter than expected” quote that turned into a meme after the Cavs lost to the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs a few seasons ago.

"Is it just me, or are the lights in here brighter than expected?” Allen joked with various Cavs assistant coaches prior to tip off.

"Is it just me, or the lights in here brighter than expected?"

— Jarrett Allen 😂 pic.twitter.com/STFxdUYnl4

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 22, 2025

Allen joking around about his poor performances in Madison Square Garden did not help his public perception, especially because he laid another egg against the Knicks.

It’s unfair to overreact to one loss to start the season. Allen had a bad game, but it seems to be the sort of bad game that he always has when the lights are the brightest – so he probably should not be joking around about that before the game even starts.

The Knicks outrebounded the Cavaliers 48-32 – and they were without backup center Mitchell Robinson and ultimate hustle guy Josh Hart for this matchup. New York big man Karl-Anthony Towns dominated the game with 19 points and 11 rebounds. OG Anunoby added 24 points and 14 rebounds as well. 

After the game, Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson explained that with five new players in the starting lineup, it was an uphill battle to take down the Knicks. But in reality, the Knicks were undermanned as well. The Cavs only lost by eight points and New York’s 16 rebound advantage is a big reason why they won.

There is no secret that Wednesday’s matchup against the Knicks was magnified. These two teams are under a microscope with plenty of pressure to make the Eastern Conference Finals.

For the Cavaliers, it’s the fourth year of the core four together. Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Allen are the featured All-Stars on the highest-paid roster in the history of the NBA. If the Cavaliers underperform in the postseason, there is plenty of reason to believe that the team will have a new look going into next season.

Allen will have 81 games to bounce back from this ugly moment to start the season. He’s widely accepted as a double-double machine. He is going to need to contribute those type of performances when the lights are truly the brightest, though.

Allen and the Cavaliers travel to Brooklyn to play the Nets on Friday night at 7:30 p.m.