1 stud and 1 dud for the Cavs in their win over the Blazers on Friday

Cavs stud versus the Blazers on Friday: Darius Garland

It feels as if every time a stud-dud article is made, Darius Garland is the one receiving praise from writers. “DG the PG” continues to impress not only coaches and teammates but, the national media as well. A potential first-time All-Star this season, Garland’s game seemingly takes a leap with each new obstacle thrown at him.

The losses of Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio haven’t phased Garland. Teams have continuously thrown multiple people at him and yet, his ability to still find offensive success is prominent. Taking away his shot only opens up the pass to others and vice versa. It’s this type of leader that a team should build around and it’s no doubt in my mind that the Cavaliers will likely offer Garland an extension as soon as they’re given a chance.

Looking at this game specifically, Garland’s play started off slow in the first quarter where both teams would struggle. After some quality Rondo minutes, Garland would go on to erupt in the second quarter, scoring 11 points and he didn’t miss a single shot. It was from this moment on where the Cavs wouldn’t look back and Garland would ultimately seal the game for the team in the fourth quarter with an impressive defensive play and a dagger three-pointer.

The stretch in which Garland was in protocols showed his worth to the team. Though the Cavs were able to hang around in games during that span, not having that go-to shot creator really affected them down the stretch in games.

As the team gets healthier, wins should be easier to come by.