After dominating the NBA regular season, the Cleveland Cavaliers fell short during the playoffs. They were eliminated in the second round at the hands of the Indiana Pacers.
Darius Garland struggled for health throughout the playoffs. He was dealing with a big toe sprain. However, when he was on the court, Garland struggled to replicate the production we had seen from him throughout the 82-game regular season.
“That’s a durability question,” Koby Altman said during a recent news conference. “How does he get physically stronger? How does he get mentally stronger? And he’s still 25, so he’s young. But there’s a level that he has to get to from a body standpoint.”
However, durability isn’t the only issue Garland needs to work on. He’s consistently been a target for opposing offenses during the playoffs. His size and lack of physicality make him an easy out when looking to crack Cleveland’s defense or take their offense out of rhythm.
“He (Garland) needs to get stronger so he can compete at the highest level,” Altman said. “It’s the same thing that [happened] with Stephen Curry. … Now, Steph is all-world. I’m not making that comparison. But Steph got stronger … over his years. He’s a different physical specimen than he was when he first started playing.”
Garland must find ways to improve and add strength over the summer. He’s too important to the Cavaliers’ rotation to continue struggling in the playoffs. Otherwise, Cleveland may need to start exploring other options to pair with Donovan Mitchell.
Kenny Atkinson Has Faith in Garland
During a May 9 news conference, head coach Kenny Atkinson detailed how Garland’s presence in the rotation helps improve the Cavaliers’ roster.
“We’re a different team,” Atkinson said. “(Garland) is just playing through a lot of pain, quite honestly. To get him to play this game, let’s just say there’s a lot that goes into it and he’s kind of taking one for the team here. I think he had to push through a lot. Hopefully, he recovers. Even if we get 15, 20 minutes from him, we need it. We need another ball handler. He can create separation. He can create advantages, even if it’s not going to be perfect with the way his health is right now.”
There’s no doubting Garland’s talent. However, if he’s unable to show that talent and quality during the playoffs, his presence on the Cavaliers roster will be more harmful than beneficial in the coming years.
Garland Pinpointed as a Potential Weak Link
During a recent media availability, Miami Heat forward Kyle Anderson admitted that Cleveland was a better team when Garland was out of the rotation. Anderson was part of the Heat rotation that got swept by the Cavaliers in the opening round of the playoffs.
“If you want my honest answer,” Anderson said. “And I don’t mean to throw shots at anybody…They looked like a better team without Garland on the floor. I don’t know the numbers or anything. I think it played more to their favor once Garland wasn’t on the floor. They were able to dictate the tempo. Get more stops on defense, and it was harder for us to score. They had more guys out there on defense. Once we came across that, it got tougher for us.”
Garland, 25, is still young enough to improve his physical attributes and become a genuine threat in the postseason. However, there’s a clear narrative surrounding him now. As such, he must fight to not only show he can be a viable rotation player, but to also change the perception of what he brings to the table once the playoffs begin.
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