On Wednesday evening against the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland returned from a jaw injury he sustained in December. Although Garland didn’t do a whole lot in his return, fellow Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell carried the scoring load, dropping 45 points, including 20 in the fourth and final frame alone, against the Pistons to allow Cleveland to continue its winning ways.
Recently, it was revealed that Garland had actually lost, and then regained most of, 12 pounds due to the jaw injury. Now, Cavs sideline reporter Serena Winters is shedding light on just how exactly that process went down.
“Darius Garland lost 12 lbs after 4 weeks of having his fractured jaw wired (turns out a completely liquid diet consumed via straw, will do that to you). He’s since gained 10 lbs back,” wrote Winters on X, the social media platform formerly referred to as Twitter.
Now, Garland is revealing how he is trying to gain that weight back.
“I’m still trying to get that back,” said Garland, via a video Spencer Davies of Hoop Industry posted on X. “It was tough.”
The Cavs’ chances of making any legitimate run this postseason rise and fall with Darius Garland’s availability and productivity. In his absence, Donovan Mitchell has done an admirable job of keeping the ship afloat, as the Cavs currently sit comfortably in playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Cavs will look to add reinforcements at the Upcoming NBA trade deadline, which is set to expire on February 8, 2024. In the meantime, Garland will look to continue to get back into rhythm.