The Cleveland Cavaliers got a big 102-101 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday in a thriller.
After the game, big man Jarrett Allen heaped some praise on youngster Darius Garland for his ability to lead the team.
“He kept us composed,” Allen said. “Towards the end, you could see that we were getting flustered, they were hitting some tough shots, our defense wasn’t where it needed to be and he got us all grouped together and told us that we need to be on our game. Got us in the right spots, got us our shots that we needed. Leading this team. He was the coach on the floor.”
Garland had a great night. In addition to stepping up as a leader down the stretch, he led the team in scoring with 21 points. Then, in the final seconds, he knocked down some clutch free throws that ended up being the difference in the game.
After a somewhat slow start to the season, Garland is starting to look like the rising star that Cavs fans know him to be. Over eight games, he’s averaging 15.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and a whopping 7.9 assists per game.
Additionally, he’s shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from deep. His 3-point shooting has been strong thus far.
The Cavs’ campaign is off to a fantastic start. Very few people thought this team was going to be a factor in the playoff race, but through 10 games, Cleveland is 6-4.
Garland and his teammates will hope to keep their momentum rolling for the rest of the season.
