Even if it was All-Star in 2021/22, Darius Garland Currently has the best season of his career. It scores as much (21.7 points on average) as during this starry season, but with more address (it has never been so skilful) and fewer lost balloons. After six years in the NBA, the Cleveland game leader, who just was only 25 years old, has he finally reached maturity?
It is Kenny Atkinson's thesis, which takes for example the career of Stephen Curry, hampered by ankle injuries during his first seasons, before exploding from 2012/13. An analogy that appeals to the riders' player.
“It is one of the best players in the history of basketball, especially in this position which is mine, that of a small leader”he said to Cleveland Plain Dealer. “It's very cool to have this comparison coming from the coach. I look at so many curry images, to try to take elements of his game and put them in mine. »»
Progress in defense
Darius Garland has also often been embarrassed by physical or muscular seeds, which will go as far as laceration to the eye or a broken jaw. He was also criticized for his defense, like the warriors playmaker before him.
“To be a star, a superstar, you have to play on both sides of the field”, Esimes Kenny Atkinson, former Steve Kerr assistant at Golden State. “And this is the physical progression that we observed in Stephen Curry. We see photos of him when he was young and I know that when I was with him, in 2022, we couldn't target him. He could take care of Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown. He was able to hold. Darius will also be like that. He is doing it right now, having become more physically powerful. »»
His teammates but also his opponents noticed him. “He looks stronger physically”noted Rick Carlise earlier in January. “He wants to defend on the opposing star, wants to turn him off. His mentality is completely different ”insists Isaac Okoro. “He approached the season by being hungry, with the spirit of revenge, to show the skeptics that they were wrong”adds Tristan Thompson.
Whether physically or technically, the parentage with Stephen Curry is therefore logical. Darius Garland will, with his small size (1m85) and like his elder before him, to become a superstar in a league dominated by incredible athletes like Anthony Edwards or JA MORANT, or to huge physical dimensions, like From Giannis Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama?
“With the success of our team and the increase in our television matches, more its performance, I find that it is a good comparison for him to try to take the torch of Stephen Curry”concludes Tristan Thompson.
| Darius Garland | Percentage | Rebound | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | Lf | Off | Def | Early | PD | Fte | Int | COP | 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 | 3.6 | 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 |
| 2024-25 | KEY | 44 | 30 | 50.1 | 43.1 | 88.1 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 6.8 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 21.7 |
| Total | 351 | 33 | 45.5 | 39.1 | 86.6 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 6.7 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 18.8 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = minutes; Shots = successful shots / tempted shots; 3pts = 3-point / 3-point attempted; LF = Successful free throws / tempted free throws; Off = offensive rebound; Def = defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; PD = assists; FTE: Personal faults; Int = interceptions; BP = lost bullets; CT: against; Pts = points.
