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Tim Bontemps
PHILADELPHIA — In Philadelphia, on Wednesday evening, Cleveland Cavaliers’ player Darius Garland departed from their 133-107 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers due to an issue with his right foot and was unable to rejoin the game.
During the middle portion of the third quarter, Garland lost possession of the ball to an opponent and stayed on the ground for a considerable duration, ultimately requiring assistance to stand before gingerly making his way to the sidelines.
He stayed on the sidelines for some time, however, he did not re-enter the match, subsequently proceeding gradually to the changing room with a cloth covering his head.
The club declared him inactive not long after.
Garland has experienced left foot turf toe since the previous season, which proved problematic during the late stages and throughout Cleveland’s postseason series. He underwent an operation on his foot, which postponed his participation at the beginning of the 2025-26 season.
Garland, who has been selected as an All-Star twice and celebrates his 26th birthday in the current month, had been achieving an average of 17.9 points and 6.9 assists across 25 contests prior to Wednesday. He recorded 20 points and seven assists over 23 minutes before his departure on Wednesday.
Apart from Garland, the Cavaliers also witnessed Sam Merrill withdrawing in the initial half due to an ailment in his right hand. Merrill had previously been sidelined for a month with a different right hand injury earlier in this season.
Kenny Atkinson, the coach for the Cavs, stated that it is improbable that both Garland and Merrill will be available to participate when the squads meet once more on Friday in Philadelphia.
Merrill was observed with a brace on the forefinger and middle digit of his right hand upon his departure from the changing facilities.
Regarding the 76ers, Dominick Barlow, their primary power forward, left the game after receiving a notably forceful foul during the third period, which caused him to fall squarely on his back.
With help from his fellow players, he was escorted to the changing room and was subsequently declared out shortly thereafter due to a contusion on his back.
Initial X-ray scans of Barlow’s back showed no abnormalities, and he is scheduled for an MRI scan on Thursday.
