Cavs simply need Darius Garland at the controls in crunch time

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost Collin Sexton back in November for the season, and Ricky Rubio tore his ACL last week, so it was evident they would likely target another key ball-handler via trade. Cleveland was without Darius Garland for four games because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols also, for context.

It was understandable that the Cavaliers then recently acquired Rajon Rondo from the Los Angeles Lakers via trade (formerly with the New York Knicks involved too), who should be set for some playing time off the bench in Cleveland’s upcoming road trip out West.

Rondo is not nearly what he once was earlier on in his career, but when he was regularly involved in rotations in the past few seasons, did still help as a playmaker with the LA Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers. I’d imagine that Rondo should aid Cleveland and Garland, who returned in a close loss versus the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, from a playmaking perspective, and we’ll reportedly see the two together in stretches.

Rondo is still a great passer, albeit one that’s not much of a scoring presence at this point, as he’s not nearly the driver he once was; the dude will turn 36 in February and is in Year 16. Rondo is not going to be the supersub-type player Rubio was, as Rubio was streaky with his shot, but did have some big games and put more pressure on defenses that way. He tied a career-best with 13.1 points per outing, mostly as a bench guy, too.

Rondo should still help out Garland some though, and while we see if Cleveland makes a move to address the 2 or for another ball-handler, particularly with Isaac Okoro out for a few weeks with an elbow sprain, Rondo can a meaningful add for stretches. I do question if he’ll be a regular factor down the stretch/in crunch time, however.

Needless to say, in those situations, I’d imagine when he’s back, we could see Cedi Osman filling in at the 2 there, or Lamar Stevens, from a defensive perspective, and he can drive some to score at the rim with his physicality and body control.

Last week’s 10-day hardship signing Brandon Goodwin, even with him doing some good things as a playmaking presence of late, and as a driver in secondary transition, is not a dude in the next few games I’d expect to be in in those situations, regarding others. He has had 4.7 assists per contest in three games with Cleveland, so I give him credit, either way.

Perhaps there’s potentially an argument to be made for him to stick around via rest-of-season deal, but Kevin Pangos is on a fully-guaranteed deal, so we’ll see.

In any case, as we were alluding to, even with his role as one of Cleveland’s best scorers, and with the injuries, it’s still that down the stretch, especially, Garland needs to be initiating for the Cavs.

Garland simply needs to be at the controls for the Cavs in crunch time.

In Cleveland’s last game against Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Memphis, it was a back-and-forth affair, with the Grizzlies ultimately pulling it out down the stretch behind some timely plays in the fourth from Tyus Jones, Ziaire Williams and others and Morant’s finishing.

But what was really rough to see was when Goodwin was on the ball with Cleveland down two, and then Morant stealing his pass to Garland on the wing and then converting at the other end for an easy two in transition, putting Memphis up four with 21.4 seconds left.

There were a few other instances where possessions bogged down at key times in the fourth too for Cleveland, and following his unreal finish on Memphis’ possession before that, Morant followed that up with another huge play, and he’d have six of his 26 points in the final 29.9 seconds.

The Cavaliers did get a quick Lauri Markkanen on the possession after Morant’s transition layup, to cut it to a two-point game, and Morant did look to clearly travel before two essentially near-game-sealing free throw makes.

That wasn’t called, however, after that one, and with Cleveland being without him in four of their last five, in which they’ve lost four of five as well, it did demonstrate to me that for the most part, Garland needs to be at the controls in crunch time situations. He’s had 19.7 points and 7.4 assists per contest, and is Cleveland’s most versatile perimeter player.

Now, Garland was reportedly still not fully back in regards to his wind coming off COVID, and I recognize that. So the Cavaliers having other guys on-ball some I do understand, and throughout stretches of games to come, they’ll need Rondo to help in that realm, and we’ll again see from there. I still expect Cleveland to run plenty of offense through guys such as Evan Mobley, Kevin Love and maybe some through Jarrett Allen, who is an improved passer.

In close games, though, provided head coach J.B. Bickerstaff can find ways to manage Garland throughout other parts of contests, particularly in second and third quarters, Garland needs to be heavily involved in initating down the stretch.

The soon-to-be 22-year-old has a legit All-Star case this season, is Cleveland’s most impactful shot creator right now, with Sexton out, and his passing versatility, handle and pick-and-roll prowess helps open up other guys.

Perhaps Rondo can be on the ball some down the stretch if he works really well or is very on-point in games, including with Garland some, but generally speaking, in situations where Cleveland is in tight contests in the last three-to-four minutes, Garland needs to be making the crunch time plays.

And when he’s fully back from COVID-19 protocols and the conditioning is there, Cedi Osman can help some at the 2 and 3, for what it’s worth, as far as shooting with the other guys. Dylan Windler could be viable at the 2 some, too, provided he’s healthy.