The Cleveland Cavaliers are wondering what could have been after a 126-124 loss to the New York Knicks on Christmas Day inside Madison Square Garden.
The loss exposed some of the issues with the machination of Cleveland’s offense, especially in the fourth quarter. The Cavs struggled to get Darius Garland as involved as he could have been, which is part of the reason why the team didn’t end up winning the game.
“This one hurts. Garland was excellent for long stretches against the Knicks, playing an enormous role in the Cavs’ runs in the first and third quarters. This season has gone poorly for Garland, but, when he was pushing the pace and finding his teammates easy opportunities in transition, Cleveland was merrily rolling along,” CBS Sports contributor James Herbert wrote.
“Garland finished with 20 points (7-14 FG, 3-4 3PT, 3-4 FT) and 10 assists in 36 minutes and generally looked healthy. Down the stretch, though, the Cavaliers unraveled, and Garland scored only two points on 1-for-5 shooting in the fourth quarter.”
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland warms up before the game against the New York Knicks. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Cavaliers struggle with Garland vs. Knicks
The Cavs need to find ways to get Garland more involved down the stretch. Donovan Mitchell is the best player on the team, but he cannot carry the load by himself like he used to. If the Cavs are going to be a true contender in the Eastern Conference, they need to trust players outside of Mitchell or get new ones.
“It’s not just disheartening that Mitchell and Garland were outplayed by Brunson and Kolek in crunch time. It’s disheartening that, despite all the good that Garland did, Cleveland appeared overly reliant on Mitchell to create offense when the game got tight. This could have been a galvanizing win for Garland and the Cavaliers, but they let it slip through their fingers,” Herbert wrote.
This could be a sign that Garland’s time in Cleveland is coming to an end soon. The Cavs need a legitimate point guard to play alongside Mitchell if they want to take another step in the Eastern Conference. Garland is a really good player, but it’s possible that he may not be the right fit for what Mitchell and the Cavs are trying to do.
Garland and the Cavaliers will go back to the drawing board before they take on Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets in their next game. Tip-off is scheduled for Saturday at 8:00 p.m. ET inside the Toyota Center. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.