Darius Garland shares key to his strong start to season: ‘Confidence is super high’

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland had his most prolific scoring performance of the 2024-25 regular season to this point in the team’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.

He dropped a season-high 39 points, and his scoring efficiency was perhaps equally as impressive as his point total. Garland buried all but seven of his 22 shots from the field and also connected on seven of his 11 looks from deep.

The floor general — who is averaging 20.5 points and 6.5 assists per game so far in his sixth season playing for the Cavaliers — recently revealed why he believes he’s gotten off to such an impressive start to the campaign.

“My head is free,” Garland said. “I’m playing freely. Confidence is super high. Teammates got my back. That is just going to make me keep going even harder. I really appreciate my teammates and my coaching staff for sure, just keeping my confidence super high, just keeping my head level and just telling me to be me. That’s what I’m trying to do for the rest of the season.”

Without Garland’s consistent contributions as a scorer and playmaker, Cleveland might not be sitting so pretty in the Eastern Conference standings. Not only do the Cavaliers own the best record of any team in the conference at 8-0, but they’re one of only two teams in the league who have yet to pick up a loss this season.

Cleveland’s 8-0 record also is tied for the team’s best undefeated start to a campaign in the history of the franchise. The Cavaliers also started the 1976-77 season with a record of 8-0, though the team finished its 82-game slate with just 43 victories.

The Cavaliers can set a new franchise record with a win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. The Pelicans have been hit hard with the injury bug thus far, and Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray and C.J. McCollum were all sidelined in the team’s most recent contest against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.

New Orleans also has one of the worst records of any team in the Western Conference at the moment at 3-5. Only the 1-6 Utah Jazz are below the Pelicans in the standings.

If Garland can even somewhat replicate his performance against the Bucks when Cleveland takes on the Pelicans, fans should be bullish on the Cavaliers’ chances of setting a new franchise record on Wednesday.