Cleveland Cavaliers star Darius Garland may return from his injury fairly soon. Garland is dealing with a fractured jaw but received an encouraging update on Tuesday, via clevelanddotcom on X (formerly Twitter).
“Darius Garland, the Cavs’ injured point guard who has been sidelined since Dec. 15 because of a fractured jaw that has forced an all-liquid diet, has received clearance to resume basketball-related activities,” the update reads.
The Cavs currently hold a 23-15 record. They are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and expect to make a serious playoff run. Cleveland’s success has been especially impressive considering that their star point guard has been absent from the rotation for over a month.
Donovan Mitchell has led the charge for the Cavs as the team continues to establish itself as a legitimate threat in the East. Garland’s return will certainly help Cleveland climb the standings.
Darius Garland’s impact on Cavs
Through 20 games prior to suffering the injury, Garland was averaging 20.7 points per game on 47 percent field goal and 34.6 percent three-point shooting. Garland had also recorded 5.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
An All-Star in 2021-22, Garland is one of the better guards in the NBA. He works hard on both ends of the floor and is more than capable of leading the Cavs to victory on any given night.
This Cleveland team features an intriguing roster. Donovan Mitchell is a superstar and Jarrett Allen is an underrated big man. Cleveland also has enough depth on the roster to find success.
Of course, the Eastern Conference is loaded with talent. The Cavaliers should not be ruled out, however. They will likely continue to perform well as the season progresses, especially once Garland returns from the injury.
The question is if Cleveland can make a deep playoff run. The potential is present, but winning in the postseason is no easy feat.
For now, we will continue to monitor and provide updates on Darius Garland’s injury status as they are made available.