Darius Garland has played in just three out of the Cleveland Cavaliers first 15 games of the season. While the team has been able to get off a 10-5 start and look sharp, they have certainly missed their steady floor general.
After being selected as an NBA All-Star for the second time last year, injuries cut Garland’s time on the floor a little bit short during the postseason. He missed a few games, came back, but could hardly walk while he was out there.
Kenny Atkinson said in his pre-game media availability that the starting PG is very close to returning for Cleveland.
With the Cavs set to play on Friday and Sunday during the upcoming weekend, this could quite literally be in the next few days.
What Cleveland Is Missing with Darius Garland Out
While Darius Garland has been out of the lineup, Donovan Mitchell has taken his game to even higher heights. He is averaging 30+ points per game for the first time in his career. His efficiency is as good as it has ever been. And he has looked very comfortable in the offense.
Of course, Lonzo Ball has come in and also looked exceptional for the team. Sam Merrill has had time to blossom into one of the NBA’s best shooters after signing his extended contract. The team has had some holes, but at 10-5, they sit at No. 2 in the Eastern Conference as of the start of play on November 19th.
Even with these guards, plus Craig Porter Jr. all looking good, they have lacked playmaking. The team has primarily looked to Mitchell to run the point guard spot, and it has changed tempo a bit. There is slightly less playmaking.
Garland, who averaged nearly seven assists per game, is sorely missed. The gravity he draws is certainly not something that can just be replicated. His soft touch inside and quick trigger from the outside makes the team so dangerous.
With his return imminent, the team can once again get a better idea of how a fully healthy guard rotation should look.
Garland’s three-game run early this season didn’t show too much of a glimpse of how dangerous Cleveland can be.
The Cardiac Cleveland Cavaliers and Their 4th Quarter Magic
Considering that they have had some real bumps early on, the fact that the Cleveland Cavaliers have opened as the number two team in the East is a big deal. They have proven themselves as a fourth-quarter team.
In recent weeks, it appears that the team is just built different in the clutch. Even with Darius Garland, Max Strus, and others out, they have proven how closing out games should be done.
A huge final frame saw them steal a win against Memphis. They rallied from a big hole to win big against the Miami Heat in the second battle in a three-day stretch. The Cavs ended with a 12-0 run to steal a win against the Chicago Bulls. De’Andre Hunter showed up late, and they were able to emerge victorious.
He also hit Josh Giddey with one of the nastiest ankle-breakers you will ever see. The Bulls point guard would miss the next two games as a result.
As Garland prepares to return (again), it’s worth a look at Cleveland’s upcoming opponents. After Wednesday night’s battle with the Houston Rockets, they will take on the Indiana Pacers on Friday, and the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. They will travel to face the Toronto Raptors on the tail-end of a back-to-back.
The Cavs are 0-2 against the Raptors on the year. It would appear likely that DG should play against one of LA or Toronto.
Keep following, Cleveland. big things are ahead!
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