Darius Garland’s recent stretch for Cavs has him amongst elite company

Darius Garland had all the makings of an elite-level lead guard. The 6-foot-1 guard showcased elite range, an insane handle, and shiftiness that separated him from the rest of his class. A torn meniscus injury didn’t stop the Cleveland Cavaliers from taking him with the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and so far, he has proven to be more than worth that selection.

Garland is in the midst of a breakout year this season, establishing himself as one of the best young players in the NBA. On the year, Garland is averaging 21.4 points and 8.6 assists per game on 46.7/37.2/90.8 shooting splits. It’s this play that had gotten Garland an All-Star nod and has the Cavs as a top-6 team in the Eastern Conference.

What’s been most impressive of Garland’s play is how he’s been able to hit an extra gear as injuries had forced him to do it all on offense. Since losing both Ricky Rubio and Collin Sexton for the season, Garland has averaged 23.7 points and 10.1 assists per game.

Teams have tried everything to neutralize Garland from throwing their best defenders at him to trapping him once he crosses halfcourt and the 22-year-old guard still finds ways to set himself/his teammates up to score.

Talking more about the extra leap Garland’s play has made since Ricky Rubio’s injury, his game has been “superstar-esque” as of late. Over his last 10 games, Garland is averaging 25.7 points and 12.2 assists per game. According to Basketball-Reference, that would make Garland the youngest player to average at least 25 points and 12 assists over a 10-game span in the regular season.

Other players that have done this within Garland’s age range at their time include Oscar Robertson, Isiah Thomas, and Chris Paul. Having Darius in the same name as Hall of Famers (and Paul will be a first-ballot one) speaks volumes to just how great of a player he truly is.

Garland’s recent stretch for the Cavs has him amongst elite company.

Garland’s play is one that we have rarely seen in the NBA. You can see the comparison to Steve Nash with his ability to facilitate and run an NBA offense at a high level but he’s a better scorer than Nash was. You can see the Damian Lillard comparisons with Garland’s insane range and shiftiness but he already looks to be a better passer than Lillard ever was.

For Garland, it’s the scoring, it’s the shooting, it’s the passing, it’s the dribbling, it’s the leadership ability at just 22 years old. Garland has already been improving on his free throw rate, getting to the line more. Garland has gotten more comfortable in the mid-range and has looked to hunt slower bigs/inferior defenders more, too.

The 2nd half aggression from Garland is what has kept the team afloat through a tough schedule and injuries.

The progression Garland has made since his rookie year is why you cannot write young players off. Garland was once seen as the odd man out as Kevin Porter Jr. and Collin Sexton looked like the future of this team, or so it seemed.

Now, Garland has shown more growth than those two and potential is uncapped for the young All-Star.