One thing has become unassailably clear as the Cleveland Cavaliers look to continue their March toward an NBA championship: Donovan Mitchell needs Darius Garland to be at his absolute best.
This is a stark departure from previous hand-wringing over whether Cleveland could win at the highest level while building its roster around two smaller guards. In that way, this is a somewhat comfortable revelation. And it was on full display during the Cavs' Game 3 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
At the same, it is also a dynamic that may be Cleveland's undoing. Despite picking up the win on Friday night, Game 3 doubles as a reminder of as much, too.
Mitchell shines bright without Garland...
None of this is to say Mitchell needs Garland to remain an All-NBA player. That just isn't true. Mitchell is nothing if an uber-talented from-scratch. He nearly dragged the Cavaliers to victory in both Games 1 and 2, without Garland, by driving the entire offense.
Still, it's impossible to deny how much Garland optimizes Mitchell's performance. The 25-year-old floor general is more comfortable shouldering a lion's share of the playmaking duties, which substantially lightens his running mate's workload. More than that, Garland also streamlines Mitchell's scoring in a variety of ways.
Defenses cannot sell out as egregiously to go after Mitchell with Garland by his side. Transitioning more of the on-ball reps to Garland results in Mitchell getting less-exhausting touches, easier shots, and just general in-game breaks.
Eight of Mitchell's shots Friday night came without taking a single dribble. Through the first two games of the series, he totaled 10 zero-dribble attempts. Mitchell had the same number of catch-and-shoot three-point looks in Game 3 as he did through Games 1 and 2 combined (six). After seeing a whopping 75 percent of his makes go unassisted to start the series, nearly half of Mitchell's buckets came off dimes in Game 3.
This isn't just small-sample theater. It is a continuation of a season-long trend. Without Garland on the floor this year, around 81 percent of Mitchell's twos and 54 percent of his threes went unassisted, according to PBP Stats. When they play together, 74 percent of Spida's twos and just 38 percent of his triples come unassisted.
Generally speaking, Mitchell's solo stints are awesome for his stat line. But playing with Garland is better for the overarching offense. Cleveland is averaging almost 135 points per 100 possessions for the playoffs with both guards in the lineup. That number drops to a great-but-not-as-great 127 points per 100 possessions when it's just Mitchell.
These changes can seem subtle. They are in some ways. But there's a major difference in one area.
...But Mitchell is more rested with Garland
The energy Mitchell expends without Garland is night-and-day compared to with him. Once again, just look at Game 3.
Mitchell was not tasked as often with bringing the ball up to jump-start the offense. A larger share of his touches came in the frontcourt. He still had to work in order to get off many of his shots, but the overall workload wasn't as taxing. This difference stood in starkest contrast by the end of Friday night.
Where Mitchell looked positively gassed entering the home stretch in previous outings, particularly during Game 2, he was much fresher to close Game 3. He didn't have to log as many fourth-quarter reps, and it helped. By the time Garland exited the final frame, Mitchell had more than enough left in the tank to ensure he could keep pressure on Indiana's defense, and not only protect, but extend Cleveland's lead.
The Darius Garland effect should be even more pronounce as he recovers from his sprained left big toe. Or rather, if he recovers from it.
Is Garland healthy enough to let the Cavs optimize Mitchell?
This is the question looming over the rest of the Pacers series, and the duration of the Cavs' playoff run. Garland did not move with his same shake and pizzazz in Game 3, and admitted afterward that he's attempting to play through a good amount of pain.
There is no guarantee his circumstances will improve from here. This may be an issue of pain management until the offseason, in which case Garland probably hasn't missed his last playoff game.
Such uncertainty casts a pall over a Cleveland team that is deep, but not infallibly deep. This team is at its best when depth is a luxury rather than its lifeline.
Not surprisingly, the freshest and most dangerous version of Mitchell is the one in which he's alongside the only player on this roster truly hard-wired to make his life easier. Without that version of Mitchell, the Cavs aren't winning a title. And without Garland on the floor, even in a limited capacity, that version of Mitchell can't exist.
Dan Favale is a Senior NBA Contributor for FanSided and National NBA Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Bluesky (@danfavale), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, co-hosted by Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes.