When Darius Garland stepped foot on the floor on Wednesday night, the Cleveland Cavaliers finally had their QB1. Guys shifted back into familiar roles, the team got more of its key players back, and the Cavs' so-called clunky offense looked like it was the best in the NBA again.
“I would say he gives us more confidence,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said after the 132-121 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. “He's so sure in his abilities, and even in timeouts, he's got a great demeanor about him. He always has the right messaging for the guys. That's important. Your point guard, it's like your quarterback in football. Those guys, they're calling the plays after free throws, and I think we all felt more comfortable out there with him being in the lineup.”
“He's our quarterback with the little strap on his wrist to call the play, and it just works out for us,” added Jarrett Allen, who also made his return and posted a double-double.
The Cavs started their outburst against the Sixers on a 17-4 run out of the gate in under four minutes, as an adrenaline-fueled Garland orchestrated the attack in which every starter scored immediately.
“He just sets us up nicely. Those first seven minutes, that was Cavs basketball,” Atkinson said. “A lot of it was started by him, with the speed, his ability to get advantages, and he knows what sets we want. And I know it wasn't perfect, but I think a big reason our offense took an uptick tonight. He just got us in our comfort zone a little bit.”
Garland was just happy to be back and with his teammates, feeling Rocket Arena's energy from the starting lineups and on. He missed “seeing the ball go through the hoop,” and finding Mitchell and Mobley on his signature beautiful passes: “Didn't get a lob today, but that's gonna be soon.”
While Garland's box score wasn't the sexiest — eight points, three assists, and two rebounds in 26 minutes — his skill set is essential for the Cavs.
“I was definitely dog tired out there,” Garland admitted. “It's been like six, seven months. So yeah, trying to get that back, trying to get my wind back. Then, after that, I just let the chips fall where they fall.”
Immediately, the wine and gold felt like the top-seeded juggernaut it was last season.
“It felt great, honestly, to get a guy like DG back,” Evan Mobley told The Association on NBA TV postgame. “It makes our job way easier. It was his first game, a little slow for him, but it's just gonna get better as we go.”
“When he's out there, your eyes are on him, and he's making plays that we're moving on the back side,” Cavs All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell said. “It just makes things a lot easier. There's a lot more space when he's out there, and it's natural. We know what he brings to us, and it's just great to see him back. Shots didn't really fall tonight, but his presence alone just changes us as a group.”
Mitchell dropped 46 points, but pointed in Garland's direction for helping him on the ball. His backcourt partner eases the workload and draws attention, which opens up the court for opportunities all around.
Sam Merrill, who also returned to the fray with a 14-point night on four threes, noticed the energy spike from the team's “jitterbug.” The same sentiment goes for Allen, who said there's less second-guessing from the Cavs offensively.
“Just makes sure that we're in the right spot at the right time,” Allen said. “He knows when to slow the offense down. He knows when to speed the offense up.
“He has the gravity about him. Defenders want to go to him. He has an amazing float game. And he's taken [advantage of] the way he's able to pass me. We've been doing the pick and roll for about five years now, and we're able to master it together.”
Darius Garland helps the Cavs find their balance
Garland's bread-and-butter comes from blow-bys that put opposing defenses in rotation. He forces opponents to make decisions, and like Allen said, it leads to almost read-option-like outcomes. Driving into the lane creates a balance between the perimeter and interior that the Cavs have been missing.
“That's my job,” Garland said to ClutchPoints postgame. “I'm going to try to get in the paint as much as I can for a lot of sprayouts. Get Jaylon [Tyson] some open threes, get his confidence going, give Evan some confidence, try to get J.A. in a couple lobs, couple dunks a game. And me and Don, we do our thing.”
“After Game 3 or 4, it was pretty clear we had to try and drive the ball more and get to the paint and get to the rim,” Merrill added. “Before DG… sometimes, it's just maybe personnel. Like, I'm not driving the ball a ton. We just don't have all the guys that we need. So having DG back definitely helps. It helps with J.A., helps with Evan, then with the short roll. All that stuff.”
Physically, Garland made it out just fine. He capped his last shift of the game by drawing a charge on Kelly Oubre Jr in the fourth quarter, pumping his fist while flat on the ground. He took hits, stayed in front, and did not back down.
“I didn't see any kind of reduction in movement,” Atkinson said. “I think he moved really well. Balance was good. Didn't complain about any soreness. I didn't feel like he was terribly out of condition. I thought he looked pretty good.
“Even in the first quarter, I took him out at the prescribed time, and I was like, ‘Man, he could keep playing.' If it was a regular [situation], I probably would've left him in. But I think his wind looked pretty good. Just out of rhythm a little bit.”
Naturally, it will take some time for Garland to find his shooting rhythm and timing. However, his sheer presence is a difference-maker for this team.
It's been a long time coming for DG the PG to be back doing what he does best.
“It's been annoying. Not being with the team, not being with the guys is hard,” Garland said. “But happy to be back on the floor now.”
