Darius Garland’s midseason grade: B-
Something that many NBA fans are quick to forget is just how long it can take for a young point guard to develop. This was the case for Darius Garland, who was thrown under the bus after a less-than-ideal rookie campaign for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
There weren’t many paths to success for Garland in his first season. Not only was he joining a team who recently finished dead-last in their conference – but he was also slotted into the starting lineup next to another undersized guard on a team that already posted the worst Defensive Rating in league history the year prior.
Learning how to coexist with Collin Sexton would be the make-or-break moment for Garland this season. Thus far, he has passed with flying colors, embracing the primary ball handler role and looking like a great fit (offensively speaking) next to Sexton.
Garland looks fully recovered from the knee injury that hampered him all throughout last season, displaying the fluid shiftiness and speed that made him a lottery pick to begin with. He’s capable of getting to any spot on the floor and is showing great court vision with his ability to zip passes from the baseline to open shooters.
The Cavaliers are at their best when DG is playing with confidence. His no-look dimes and alley-oop passes bring so much energy to the team and there is simply more enthusiasm on the floor when Garland is being the flashy shot-creator we saw in Vanderbilt.
Garland played particularly strong down the stretch of this half of the season, averaging 17.6 points, 6.6 assists and 1.6 steals in his last eight games. While we still need to see him take another step forward as a playmaker and bulk up a bit to become a better defender – the potential is certainly there for the 21-year-old.