Darius Garland declares that Cavs have goal to put NBA ‘on notice’

Cleveland Cavaliers youngster Darius Garland recently spoke about the team’s mentality this season and offered some insight into what the Cavs are trying to accomplish.

He explained that the group is “trying to put the league on notice.”

“We’re trying to put the league on notice,” Garland said. “Coming in as underdogs, I think we’re fine with that.”

In reference to being underdogs, Garland spoke about a very unique habit that the team has picked up.

“That’s where the barking comes in — that dog mentality,” Garland said regarding a new Cavs tradition in which players and staffers literally bark around each other. “We always talk about that underdog feeling that gets us going. I like it, us being the underdogs.”

If the Cavs’ top priority this season is indeed to put the league on notice, they’ve done a fine job so far. Cleveland is 7-5 through 12 games, and the squad is getting a lot more respect today than it did in the preseason.

Even with several key players sidelined, the team has found a way to produce some wins lately. The Cavs have won four of their last five contests.

As for Garland, his season is off to an impressive start. He’s averaging 15.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and a whopping 7.2 assists per contest. He’s also knocking down 47.9 percent of his shots from the field and 41.7 percent of his shots from deep.

The Cavs will be back in action on Friday for a matchup with the Detroit Pistons. It’s a winnable contest, and Cleveland is looking to get back on track after dropping its last game.