The Cleveland Cavaliers were looking for answers against the Indiana Pacers, who were red-hot in the second half of their Tuesday night matchup. Fortunately for the Cavs, Darius Garland was able to muster a virtuoso performance en route to a hard-fought 127-124 road win.
Garland scored 21 points in the fourth quarter, dissecting the defense one possession after another. The Cavs’ All-Star guard finished the game with a career-high 41 points and 13 assists. His stellar performance elicited a hyped reaction from Los Angeles Rams star Jalen Ramsey.
Apparently, Ramsey and Garland go a long way. And the Super Bowl champion’s recollection goes to show how the latter had always held this type of supreme confidence in himself. Such bravado has been evident all season long for the shifty playmaker, sparking a magical campaign for Cleveland.
Blossoming into the Cavs’ undisputed leader and best player, Garland holds season averages of 21.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. He’s been hampered by a nagging back injury sustained in early January. It’s something the Cavs will be managing throughout the rest of the season.
Garland got some valuable rest during the All-Star break and the Cavs’ three succeeding games. Ever since returning, he’s averaged 29.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 11.5 assists, and 1.8 steals across four games. His shooting has been ridiculous during that span—51% from the field, 43% from long distance, and 91% from the charity stripe.
The Cavs now have two wins in a row. However, they’ve already dug quite a hole for themselves, going 3-6 over the last nine games. Their next opponents are the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls. Sans Jarrett Allen, Garland, along with Evan Mobley, will have to carry the Cavs throughout these acid tests.
