The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t need Darius Garland to get past the Miami Heat.
However, they’re not a better team without him on the court.
That’s why the fans should be happy to know that he’s officially been listed as questionable to return for Game 1 (via Chris Fedor).
#Cavs Darius Garland (sprained toe) is officially QUESTIONABLE for tomorrow night’s series opener.
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) May 3, 2025
Garland was deemed a game-time decision in the past couple of games, but he eventually sat out both of them.
He’s been dealing with a toe injury since the final stretch of the regular season.
Nevertheless, it also seems like the team just decided to play it safely with him, knowing that they were up 2-0 on the Heat and would probably be just fine without him.
If the series had extended, he would’ve probably been able to play through the injury like he did down the stretch in the regular season.
This is the playoffs, and everybody’s banged up; that’s just a part of the deal.
Garland has been outstanding this season, especially in the clutch, and Kenny Atkinson’s team will most definitely need his timely scoring and playmaking.
Ty Jerome has proven that he can step up and take the lead guard role in his absence, and we’ve seen how Donovan Mitchell has gone off in the playoffs multiple times.
Even so, the Indiana Pacers are going to be a very complicated opponent, and while the Cavs need to think about the long run, they can’t afford to have one of their best players sit out.
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