Why Garland will end up as the best Cavs guard of all time

Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers. Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers. Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
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Mark Price, Cleveland Cavaliers. JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images

Competition for best Cavs guard – Mark Price

The Cavs have had their fair share of good to great guards in the history of their franchise from the likes of Ron Harper, Terrell Brandon, Austin Carr , World, B. Free, Mark Price and Kyrie Irving. I would say the biggest competition that Garland would have in becoming the best guard in Cavs history would be Irving, Price and potentially his current backcourt counterpart, Donovan Mitchell.

Let’s start with Mark Price. Mark Price in his career was a four-time All-Star and made four All-NBA teams. At his peak, Price wasn’t among the elite of the elite, but he was a star and the leader of some really good Cavs teams in the late 80s to early 90s. Mark Price is what you would call a traditional point guard.  He was a floor general, as for years he was one of the best passers and playmakers in the league for years with the Cavs.

They certainly didn’t shoot the 3-ball back then anywhere near like they do today, but for his time Mark Price was viewed as a marksman from beyond the ark.

With Mark Price leading the Cavs , he helped lead them to multiple 50-win seasons in the late ’80s and early ’90s. The Price, Nance and Daughtery Cavs were also able to win a few playoff series and even made it to the Eastern Conference finals in 91-92, but unfortunately lost to the Jordan Pippen Bulls in 6 games. Like many good teams in that timeframe can argue, if it wasn’t for Michael Jordan those Cavs very well could’ve gotten a championship, while the legacies of Price and Daughtery / Nance would be a lot stronger in Cleveland.