The Cleveland Cavaliers have lost two straight games, but Cavs fans have every reason to feel good about the team heading into the All-Star break.
At 35-23, the squad is in great shape in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland has blown expectations out of the water this season.
The play of Darius Garland has had a lot to do with that. In the absences of Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio, Garland has been thrust into a bigger role, and he has answered the call.
The 22-year-old looks like one of the brightest young guards in the NBA, and people are taking notice. Cavs legend Mark Price is one of those people.
“They come into the NBA so young now,” Price said to Cleveland.com. “All he has to do is stay, and Darius is going to be a star for a long time. I really like his game.”
Garland is an All-Star this season, which is an honor most fans feel he entirely deserves. It’s impossible to gauge where the Cavs would be without his contributions.
On the season, the youngster is averaging 20.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 8.0 assists per contest. He’s shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from beyond the arc.
He has shown major signs of growth in every year of his NBA career so far. If that trend continues, he could eventually reach superstar status.
But right now, Garland is surely focused on more important things. After he makes his first All-Star appearance this coming weekend, he’ll look to help the Cavs finish the regular season with a bang before hopefully leading the team to a deep playoff run.
