When the final buzzer sounded against the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland let out a triumphant roar with teammate Donovan Mitchell. The duo was probably celebrating the Cavs' defeat of the Knicks 110-104 to remain undefeated. However, in the grand scheme of this Cleveland team, the celebration between the fellow All-Star guards carried a little more weight. If it weren't for Garland's 34 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, on 12 of 19 shooting and 5 of 8 from 3-point range to go three assists, three rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, the duo might not've been celebrating in the first place.

“I’m happy for him because he went through a lot of BS last year,” Mitchell said. “You have to learn from it, and you have to grow. Sometimes it’s going to suck, and I think he felt that. It’s a four-game sample, but I have no doubt that’s who he is going to be for us this season. That’s who he was when he was drafted. That’s who he was when he was an All-Star. I know what type of player he is. I know we can fit together. You’re seeing it.

“This is probably the best four games that we have continually put together. That is going to continue because we are going to continue to believe in what we can do. There is a confidence about him this year.”

Garland's primary issue last season was a fractured jaw he suffered in a loss to the Boston Celtics, which kept him out for more than six weeks. He said that only being able to eat meals through a straw caused him to lose 12 pounds. Garland had his worst season by scoring efficiently since his rookie year in 2019-20. He shot 44.6 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three-point range in 57 starts.

Cavs guard Darius Garland reminds everyone of who he can be against the Knicks

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) reacts during the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
John Jones-Imagn Images
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Moreover, since the Cavs went 15-4 in the 19 games Garland missed due to the jaw injury and the team struggled again in the playoffs, there were questions about whether or not they would look to trade him. However, whatever offers Cleveland got, the Cavs rebuffed them. They believed in Garland and that he could tap into his ability as an All-Star caliber guard again. In his explosion against New York, Garland more than reaffirmed Cleveland's beliefs in him.

This performance was Garland’s highest non-overtime scoring output since December 2023. It’s also his first career game with 30-plus points, two or more steals, and at least two blocks. That's right. Garland didn't just tear through New York's defense. The Cavs guard was also huge on defense against the Knicks, especially when the game felt tight.

“Everyone is going to talk about his offensive game. I’m going to talk about his two stops, two blocks at the end,” Atkinson said. “Those were huge plays. They were trying to post (Mikal) Bridges against him. He stood his ground. To get that offensive game, we all know he can do that. But to add the defense to it, just a 10 out of 10 game for him. He was phenomenal.”

The Cavs will look to improve their record to 5-0 on Wednesday when they welcome LeBron James back to Cleveland for a home game against the Los Angeles Lakers. If Garland carries momentum from this game against the Lakers, the Cavs should be a wrecking crew on either end of the floor.

“Teammates are finding me, and I’m getting open looks. The rim looks really big,” Garland said. “They are trusting in me. They want me to be confident in myself. That’s what I’m going to do.”