The Cleveland Cavaliers are still pacing the Eastern Conference as the All-Star break approaches, but not everything is smooth sailing for the Cavs. You don't get out to a 41-10 record without some late-game heroics, and the Cavs have been one of the top teams in the NBA at winning close games this season.
On Wednesday night, star point guard Darius Garland came up with the Cavs' latest dose of clutch play. After the Detroit Pistons mounted a furious comeback to tie the game after trailing by 10 points with less than one minute to play, Garland slammed the door shut with a logo 3-pointer off the dribble to end the game at the buzzer.
DARIUS GARLAND FROM THE LOGO FOR THE CAVS WIN 🤯pic.twitter.com/uDGE51PTFk
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 6, 2025
Garland has had plenty of clutch moments this season, and now you can add maybe his best one of all of them to the list. After the shot went in, Cavs fans immediately took to social media to praise their star.
“Darius Garland game winner !! Man I wish I could go to so many NBA games,” one fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“Garland for the win baby. That’s why he is an all star. I love this team man and everyone on it,” another fan posted.
Garland needed to come up big on a night where the Cavs didn't have star guard Donovan Mitchell in the lineup, and he stepped up to the plate along with Evan Mobley. The final 3-pointer gave Garland 25 points on 8-for-18 shooting and 4-for-7 from 3-point range, while Mobley tacked on 30 points of his own to go with nine rebounds and seven assists.
The Pistons did well to get back into the game after the Cavs seemed to have run away with things. Cade Cunningham scored nine consecutive points for the Pistons, including six from the free throw line, to tie the game up at 115 with just four seconds to go. However, Garland's buzzer-beater sent them home empty-handed anyway.
Cunningham stuffed the stat sheet for the Pistons in this one just like he has been doing all season long in Detroit. His late-game flurry gave him 38 points for the night to go along with seven rebounds and nine assists. The first-time All-Star has the Pistons in prime position to be a playoff team this season, and that should continue if he keeps putting up performances like this one.
Cunningham's heroics weren't enough for a Cavs team that has made a living winning these types of games this season. Whether it's Mitchell, Garland, Mobley or someone else, someone always seems to step up and make the big play for Cleveland in these spots.