What’s Going On with Darius Garland? A Closer Look at the Cavaliers’ Struggling Star
Right now, Darius Garland just doesn’t look like the player we’ve come to expect. The Cleveland Cavaliers’ point guard - a dynamic scorer and playmaker when fully healthy - has been battling his way back from offseason toe surgery, and the numbers paint a clear picture: he’s not there yet.
Through 12 games this season, Garland is averaging 15.4 points and 6.4 assists per game. On the surface, those aren’t disastrous numbers.
But dig a little deeper, and the issues become more obvious. He’s shooting just 36.3% from the field and 29.5% from three - a steep drop-off for a player known for his touch and efficiency.
Even his 2-point shooting has taken a hit, sitting at just 42%, and he’s converting only 48% of his looks at the rim - both career lows.
What’s more concerning is how different Garland looks in terms of play style. Last season, he was the engine of Cleveland’s offense, relentlessly attacking the paint, orchestrating pick-and-rolls, and creating clean looks for teammates.
He led the league in pick-and-roll usage, and the Cavs thrived off his ability to probe defenses and either finish at the rim or kick out to open shooters. That version of Garland was in constant motion, always a step ahead.
This season? That burst just isn’t there.
Only 17% of his shot attempts have come at the rim - another career low - and he’s often stopping short of the basket, either by design or because his body isn’t letting him finish the way he used to. That change has had ripple effects across the Cavaliers’ offense.
They’re still taking a high volume of threes, but they’re not getting the same quality of looks. As a result, Cleveland has slipped out of the top 10 in points per possession, a far cry from where they were when Garland was fully healthy and in rhythm.
The team’s offensive rating actually drops by 5.3 points when Garland is on the floor - a surprising stat for a player who’s historically been a net positive. It’s a clear sign that his toe injury is still affecting his ability to control the game the way he used to.
Cleveland, sitting at 15-13 and eighth in the Eastern Conference, is a team still searching for its identity this season. Just last year, they finished with the top record in the East. Now, they’re hovering in the middle of the pack in nearly every major statistical category: 12th in points per game, 16th in points allowed, 11th in offensive rating, 13th in defensive rating, and 12th in net rating.
Wednesday’s loss to a struggling Chicago Bulls team only underscored the current state of things - the Cavs aren’t clicking, and Garland’s struggles are a big part of that.
The good news? There’s still time.
We’re not even at the halfway point of the season, and Garland has shown in the past that when he’s healthy, he can be one of the most impactful guards in the league. But until he regains his explosiveness and confidence - and until that toe is no longer an issue - Cleveland’s ceiling is going to remain capped.
For now, the Cavaliers are in wait-and-see mode. And so is Garland.