Report: Darius Garland Doesn’t Practice Friday, Will Return Next Week at Earliest

The Cleveland Cavaliers are hoping that prized rookie Darius Garland has a strong finish to his first NBA season.

However, in order to do that, he’ll first have to return to full health.

Garland is currently dealing with a groin issue that forced him to miss Friday’s practice. Beyond that, his return is not expected until next week at the earliest.

Garland has yet to play in the month of March, with his last outing coming in the Cavs’ Feb. 29 loss to the Indiana Pacers. In that game, he finished with 10 points, five assists and two rebounds.

Overall, Garland’s rookie campaign has been a mixed bag. While he’s flashed brilliance at times, he’s also struggled to be a consistent high-volume scoring threat.

So far this season, Garland is averaging 12.3 points, 3.9 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game.

All three of the Cavs’ 2019 first-round picks are currently injured. Along with Garland, Kevin Porter Jr. is currently out due to being put in the NBA’s concussion protocol.

Fellow first-round pick Dylan Windler was ruled out for the year earlier this season due to a stress reaction in his leg.

The path to NBA success is a long one for even the most talented of players. Hopefully, this injury is just a slight bump in the road for Garland, who will surely look to finish out his rookie season on a high note.