One man who has stepped things up for the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers so far this season is point guard Darius Garland, who has shaken off a somewhat down 2023-24 campaign.
So far this season, he’s averaging 20.5 points and 6.6 assists a game while shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 47.5 percent from 3-point range, and he had a couple of big performances in the past week as his team improved to an 11-0 record.
As a result, he was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, per Tom Withers.
Cavs guard Darius Garland named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. He averaged 25 points, 7.3 assists for the NBA's lone unbeaten team.
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) November 11, 2024
Last Monday, Garland scored 39 points on 15-of-22 overall shooting and 7-of-11 from 3-point range as Cleveland defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, and on Friday, he hit six 3-pointers and scored 27 points in a 136-117 trashing of the Golden State Warriors.
During the second half of last season, he struggled with his shooting, and during the playoffs, he shot just 42.7 percent overall and 35.2 percent from downtown as Cleveland lost in the second round to the Boston Celtics in five games.
Those struggles led people to believe that perhaps Garland wasn’t all that, and as a result, there were some rumors that he would be traded over the summer.
But new head coach Kenny Atkinson has loosened the reins on the Cavs, and they have become one of the NBA’s best offensive teams.
They lead the league in points per game, offensive rating, overall field-goal percentage and 3-point accuracy, and they’re also fourth in fast-break points per game.
If Cleveland is going to become a legitimate championship contender this season, Garland will be a major reason why.
NEXT: Stats Show How Cavs Are Dominating On Offense This Season
