Report: Darius Garland could miss Friday’s Cavs-Heat game with new injury

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland has been added to the team’s injury report for Friday night’s game against the Miami Heat.

Garland is listed as questionable with a quad contusion.

The Cavs are playing their second straight game against Miami after picking up a 104-100 win on Wednesday night. Garland led the way for the Cavs in that game, scoring a team-high 25 points. He also added seven assists.

It doesn’t seem like this is a serious injury for Garland, but it would hurt the Cavs if he ends up getting ruled out for this game.

Caris LeVert and Ricky Rubio are the likely candidates to take up some of Garland’s minutes in the rotation if he can’t go. If J.B. Bickerstaff still wants a traditional point guard in the starting lineup, Rubio would likely draw the start against the Heat.

Garland was not seen at the team’s shootaround on Friday morning, an ominous sign for his status in Friday’s game.

A one-time All-Star, Garland has been terrific for the Cavs this season. The former No. 5 overall pick is averaging 22.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 43.0 percent from beyond the arc.

Both of those shooting percentages are career-highs for Garland, who has adjusted extremely well to playing alongside Donovan Mitchell in the 2022-23 campaign.

Garland’s season got off to an unceremonious start, as he injured his eye in the team’s season opener, leading to him missing the next five games.

However, he’s been extremely durable since then, missing just five more games to date. All in all, he’s appeared in 58 games for the Cavs in the 2022-23 season.

The Cavs would love to pick up another win over Miami, as it would extend their lead on the No. 4 seed in the East after the New York Knicks lost to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night.

Miami, on the other hand, is in the No. 7 spot in the East, 2.5 games back of the No. 6 seed Brooklyn Nets.