Darius Garland has now been back with the Cleveland Cavaliers for two games after missing weeks because of a nasty jaw fracture in December.
During his first two games back, Garland has scored 19 and 9 points respectively and it’s clear that he is still re-adjusting to playing.
On the latest episode of Ultimate Cavaliers, Mikey McNuggets asked why Garland hasn’t been in the Cavaliers’ closing lineup during the last two games.
Mack Perry had a definitive answer for that question: “He’s on a minutes restriction. That plays a pretty significant role my friends.”
He’s on a minutes restriction.
That plays a pretty significant role my friends. https://t.co/G1HV3zQ3Oc— Mack Perry (@DevaronPerry) February 3, 2024
Garland’s minutes have clearly been limited since his return and he played 20 minutes in his first game and just 24 in his second.
This is to be expected, as the medical and coaching staff have decided that they need him to ease back into the rotation and not push himself too hard right away.
The good news for the Cavaliers is that they have played against subpar teams recently, battling the Detroit Pistons and then the Memphis Grizzlies.
That means they didn’t have to rely on Garland as much and allowed him to take his time and not feel the pressure to perform perfectly.
Garland is typically playing about 35 minutes per game, so fans can expect him to be on the floor more as he continues to get used to playing again.
He may have looked a bit rusty during his first two appearances after being away for weeks, but it won’t always be that way.
After he has all his strength and stamina back, the minutes restriction will be lifted and fans can expect to see Garland looking like his regular self again.
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