Last season, Darius Garland had a bit of a down year, especially when it came to his efficiency, and he struggled at times in the playoffs as his Cleveland Cavaliers lost in five games to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
During the offseason, there were rumors that he would perhaps be traded, but the Cavs decided to hold onto their talented and skilled starting backcourt of Garland and Donovan Mitchell.
But now, Garland is having his most efficient season ever, and he’s a key reason the Cavs have the NBA’s best record at 28-4.
Garrett Bush issued an apology to Garland on the “Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show” and praised the growth in the guard’s game.
Sometimes a public apology is warranted | @Gbush91 issues apology to #Cavs guard Darius Garland https://t.co/0Iy291ztzD pic.twitter.com/mGm17DkPyA
— Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show (@ultCLEsports) December 31, 2024
Coming into Tuesday, Garland is averaging 20.7 points and 6.5 assists a game while shooting 49.9 percent from the field and 43.4 percent from 3-point range, and he has even improved his free throw accuracy to 90.7 percent, which ranks seventh in the NBA.
He has helped Cleveland rank second in the league in points per game and lead everyone in offensive rating, field-goal percentage and 3-point shooting percentage.
In Garland and Mitchell, Cleveland has one of basketball’s very best starting backcourts, and combined with their big man duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, it’s no wonder why they’re starting to look like legitimate championship contenders.
Mobley has also stepped up his game by averaging 18.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while hitting 57.0 percent of his shots, and he is even making 42.7 percent of his 2.5 3-point attempts a contest.
NEXT: Insider Reveals Why The Cavs Are Playing So Well
