While Darius Garland was out for over a month recovering from surgery on his broken jaw, the Cleveland Cavaliers caught fire. Donovan Mitchell was at the center of it all, hotter than a Hellion's Heart. Mitchell locked up Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors for January and kept the Cavs in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race.
But, as Mitchell kept stringing together wins for Cleveland, reckless outside noise started to form around the team:
Garland's return will disrupt the offensive flow now centered around Mitchell.
Garland doesn’t fit this new style because he and Mitchell have too many stylistic similarities.
Garland isn't closing games despite being on a minute restriction. Should the Cavs trade him?
How important is Garland if Cleveland doesn’t suffer but surges with him out of the lineup?
After a while, it's hard to ignore, especially when everything has been going so well for Cleveland lately. The hot takes abound, and more often than not, it's those who seldom pay attention to the Cavs that are the loudest. While Cleveland is a team that is successful at shutting out the noise and letting their on-court play silence it, sometimes the air needs to be cleared to ensure it doesn't remain a recurring issue.
“That’s more of an external talking point than anything else, especially with all the noise around us to start the year,” said Mitchell. “I’m on social media, so I see it. You hear it. We all do. It’s the easy thing to point to. It’s easy to fall into that.
“We live in this world that always likes to create controversy. We just had a really good stretch. We just went on a run. But that speaks to our team and our group. At the end of the day, we are a complete team. That’s more of the reason for our recent success. That’s a better way to explain this situation. It’s not about who is not playing. We won 51 games with Darius and Ev last year. We wouldn’t be here without them. We need those guys.”
The Cavs’ ability to come together in the face of adversity doesn't need to reflect negatively on those sidelined during the success, especially Garland, who seems to be taking the brunt of the criticism. There are natural ebbs and flows to a grueling 82-game season, and while some outings will be better than others, injuries can never be fully accounted for.
Right now, Garland is shaking off the rust after being away from the court for over a month and naturally finding ways to fit into what's been working for Cleveland. Despite dropping 12 pounds while his jaw was wired shut, Garland has been dynamic off the ball for the Cavs, showcasing that he's been constantly studying Cleveland's new approach while sidelined, trying to find the best ways to fit back in. It's led to a healthier increase in three-point shooting and even easier assists to wide-open teammates.
The fit still has some bumps in the road until it fully clicks. But that's to be expected when Garland has been away for so long and is dealing with restricted minutes to help him recover. Nevertheless, the Cavs need Garland’s playmaking, shooting prowess and energy. His three-level scoring ability takes defensive pressure off Mitchell, making Cleveland more difficult to defend.
“Darius Garland is a hell of a player,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff shared. “Evan Mobley is a hell of a player. Neither are selfish guys where the game has to revolve around them and they’re taking away the life from other players. Can play with everybody. I kind of marvel at this idea that you are going to be worse when adding that type of talent and character to a group. We will be a better basketball team with them.”
When the Cavs hit their next level, it won't be because of Donovan Mitchell alone, carrying the weight of Darius Garland's supposed clunky fit. Instead, it'll be because Garland and Mitchell are shouldering the load, making it nearly impossible to defend Cleveland on the perimeter. That's always been the case from when the Cavs obtained Mitchell, and it'll continue to be that way. So, any outside noise is just reckless speculation and, for now, it appears Cleveland is getting ready to shut it up once and for all, especially when Garland is 100% physically.
Follow Us
Subscribe