The past two games are too few to declare that Darius Garland is back to his All-Star form, but the Cleveland Cavaliers are optimistic that is the case.
The 25-year-old point guard has put together a stretch where he looks like his pre-toe-surgery self, averaging 31 points and nine assists over 31.5 minutes against the Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets.
Cleveland wraps up its three-game homestand Tuesday against the surging New Orleans Pelicans, completing a back-to-back set for both teams.
“Darius has been a soldier throughout this entire process, and it’s great to have him being back to DG,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “He’s our energizer and our advantage-maker. We’re a different team with him out there.”
Three days earlier, Garland netted a season-high 35 points and had eight assists in the Cavaliers’ 136-125 loss to the Bulls. He was shooting career lows of 36.3% from the field and 29.5% beyond the arc prior to the two-game surge.
“As long as my teammates feel confidence in me, I got confidence in them for sure,” said Garland, who missed 13 of the Cavaliers’ first 16 games rehabilitating his surgically repaired left big toe. “I try to get in the paint, create some openings for others, and hopefully they knock them down.”
Cleveland made 24 3-pointers against the Hornets, two shy of its franchise record, on 44 attempts. Donovan Mitchell sank six, Garland made five and De’Andre Hunter and Dean Wade drained four apiece as the Cavaliers snapped a three-game losing streak.
Cleveland, which will be without Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley (strained left calf) until January, has dropped five of its past seven home games and is 6-9 overall since Nov. 19.
“We’ve been through a lot these last couple of weeks, so to get back on board, especially at home, feels really good,” Garland said. “It’s starting to become Cleveland Cavaliers basketball again. We’re not done yet. We’re just getting started.”
The Pelicans are flying high after winning their fifth straight game, 119-113 over the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Monday. Zion Williamson scored 10 of his team-high 24 points in the final four minutes, and he also grabbed nine rebounds.
Derik Queen, the No. 13 overall pick in this year’s draft, was just as important to the victory with 19 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
“I’ve said it before, (Queen) gets better every game,” Williamson said. “From reading defenders to defending, he’s a special talent and I’m glad he’s with us.”
New Orleans outscored Dallas 40-26 in the fourth quarter, overcoming a 35-point, 17-rebound outburst by Mavericks star Anthony Davis. Saddiq Bey had 19 points and seven rebounds for the Pelicans, and fellow starting forward Trey Murphy III made four steals.
The Pelicans were 3-22 before their current winning streak.
“This group did a great job in the fourth quarter, swarming Anthony Davis and not making it easy for him,” New Orleans interim coach James Borrego said. “It was a great response defensively. This group never gives in.”
Shooting guard and defensive ace Herbert Jones likely will be unavailable in Cleveland after spraining his right ankle against Dallas. Several other New Orleans players may be held out, as well, with the short turnaround.
“We’ll figure that out on the flight to Cleveland,” Borrego said. “A lot of guys played a lot of minutes, so we’ll talk to the (training staff) and see where we’re at.”
