“ I still remember the action. » Darius Garland has not forgotten his “meeting” with Kristaps Porzingis last winter. “ I was trying to take steps in the right direction and improve, and then, boom: I literally got punched in the face and it's back to square one again “, sums up the Cavs player.
Results of this clash with the interior of the Celtics, which occurred in mid-December: jaw fracture! As a result, he was deprived of competition until the end of January. Paradoxically, his injury, in addition to that of Evan Mobley (knee) at the same period and with comparable unavailability, will wake up the Cavs who have been struggling so far.
Donovan Mitchell and his team won 15 of the next 19 meetings, including a series of seven consecutive victories with big margins. On a personal level, Darius Garland, who was gaining momentum before this stoppage (25 points on average over the five games before his injury), took it less well.
Never 70 games played in the regular season
“ That's what made things so difficult last year. The momentum was picking up. We improved every day, collectively. I felt like I was starting to learn so much and then… Another bump in the road, another year of adversity », says the leader who has never reached the mark of 70 matches played since his arrival in 2019.
The 24-year-old experienced this sequence so badly that he even “ lost [s]enjoys playing basketball ». A speech that echoes that of Bradley Beal, who experienced a similar streak while trying to integrate with the Suns.
The return from Darius Garland's visit to the infirmary was complicated. In February, he only averaged 14 points with 42% shooting success. It's difficult to know to what extent this stoppage played a role in his performance in the playoffs, where he averaged 16 points on 43% shooting. Production below its regular season figures.
What will he try to show this season?
“ That I'm better than last year. Above all, I want to stay healthy and be myself again, play happily and do the things I'm used to doing. I hope to have an All-Star, All-NBA type season and try to help this team win as many games as possible. », displays the leader.
All-Star once in 2022, he hopes “ silence all those who [l]denigrated “.
| Darius Garland | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2019-20 | KEY | 59 | 31 | 40.1 | 35.5 | 87.5 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 0.1 | 12.3 |
| 2020-21 | KEY | 54 | 33 | 45.1 | 39.5 | 84.8 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 6.1 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 17.4 |
| 2021-22 | KEY | 68 | 36 | 46.2 | 38.3 | 89.2 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 8.6 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 3.7 | 0.1 | 21.7 |
| 2022-23 | KEY | 69 | 36 | 46.2 | 41.0 | 86.3 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 7.8 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 0.1 | 21.6 |
| 2023-24 | KEY | 57 | 33 | 44.6 | 37.1 | 83.4 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 6.5 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 0.1 | 18.0 |
| Total | 307 | 34 | 44.8 | 38.4 | 86.4 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 6.7 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 3.1 | 0.1 | 18.4 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
