The Cavaliers need Darius Garland to bounce back. Here’s how he can do it.
The Cleveland Cavaliers came into the offseason to retain their core. They accomplished that by signing Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen to multi-year extensions.
The Cavs are banking on another year of chemistry and cohesion for their roster to reach new heights in the Eastern Conference. While Mobley has been dubbed as the key to success, another player who often gets forgotten is Cleveland’s floor general: Darius Garland.
Garland had one of the unluckiest seasons in the NBA last year, dealing with injury after injury, including a broken jaw that cost him almost two months and 15 pounds. He also shot his lowest percentage from the field and three-point percentage in three seasons. In the playoffs, it did not get any better for the point guard, as he only averaged 16 points per game and shot 35 percent from three-point range. It was a rough season for him in general.
However, with new coach Kenny Atkinson, the hope is that Garland can bounce back and Atkinson has spoken glowingly of his new point guard. Atkinson has done great work with guards, players like D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Poole have had their best years under Atkinson’s tutelage in Brooklyn and Golden State respectively.
Confidence is the key to Garland’s future
Garland has shown that he can be an elite point guard in the NBA. He is only two years from an All-Star appearance and a year removed from the most efficient season of his career in 2023. In order for him to get back to that, he needs to obviously build his confidence back up. He also needs to get back to being an assertive and aggressive player, even when sharing the floor with Donovan Mitchell.
The problem with former Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff and his system was that it was too reliant on Mitchell. It was a lot of your turn, my turn offense. Without Mitchell last season, Garland averaged 20 points and seven assists per game. Even in the playoffs, Garland had his only 30-point game of the postseason against the Celtics in game four.
Garland being aggressive with Mitchell on the floor is a key to unlocking the Cavs and will put a ton of pressure on the defense with his ability to handle the ball and operate in the pick-and-roll. A confident, smiling Darius Garland is paramount to a successful Cavaliers season. If Atkinson can unlock Garland to return his confidence on the perimeter, launching open threes off the dribble and on a catch-and-shoot, Cleveland will see the NBA world remember why Garland was named an All-Star ahead of Mitchell’s arrival.
In addition to that, Garland has to be better around the rim. Against Boston, his deficiencies in the paint reared its ugly head.
A lot of red and not enough green in the paint for DG. One of the better parts of his game is his floater and ability to use his handle to beat defenders off the dribble and get to the rim. Last season, it felt like Garland would over dribble a lot and toss up a tough layup that had little chance of going in. Whenever Garland took more than seven dribbles, he shot only 41 percent from the field. Cutting down on that is key to him bouncing back.
Everyone talks about Evan Mobley and his potential breakout being the key to helping Cleveland rise in the East, Garland and his ability to bounce back is right there with him. The Cavs need to show the East and Donovan Mitchell that they are ready to contend. Garland needs to show that he can be a reliable Robin to Mitchell.
He has all the talent. The hope among the Cleveland Cavaliers is that last season was an anomaly and not a sign of things to come for DG the PG.
