One of the big mysteries of the early parts in this Cleveland Cavaliers season has been when Darius Garland will finally return from his toe injury. Shams Charania has stepped up to the plate in delivering the good news for all those waiting for the answer.
Charania reported on Twitter/X, "Cavaliers All-Star Darius Garland will make his season debut as soon as Wednesday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN. Garland, who underwent offseason surgery to repair a big toe, will be upgraded on Cavs' injury report as he is set to return."
The timing of the matchup, in itself, is great. The 76ers were one of the biggest wild cards heading into 2025-26. However, their strong start has shown they will indeed be trending a lot closer to being a contender than an afterthought.
For the Cavaliers, though, this is about the bigger picture. Cleveland has faced plenty of adversity with the injuries early on. Garland has been the largest absence of note thus far. Getting him back in the lineup will help Kenny Atkinson to really start putting together the championship formula in Cleveland.
Darius Garland's return can immediately help Cavaliers offense properly take shape
The biggest strength of the Cavaliers in 2024-25 was their offense, without a doubt. Cleveland had the top offensive rating in the regular season and the postseason.
Where have the Cavaliers been to start the year so far? Near the bottom.
Cleveland has ranked among the five worst offenses in the NBA without Garland. Their current mark of 111.3 places them 26th in the league. Only the New Orleans Pelicans, Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards, and Dallas Mavericks have a worse mark than the Cavaliers.
For a team with championship aspirations, that is certainly not the type of company that one would want to keep. There have certainly been bright spots and new discoveries without Garland around, but the deliverables overall have been lackluster.
The Cavaliers star point guard will be tasked with providing that needed spark for his team upon his return. Players like Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen will surely be waiting for the boost that Garland provides for their offense.
One of the big focuses with the Cavaliers guard, upon return from injury, has always been how long it takes for him to really get up to speed. Cleveland will certainly not rush him along in that department, but the sooner that can come, the better.