On Monday, star point guard Darius Garland, whose significant trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers concluded his time there almost a month prior, played his first game for the Los Angeles Clippers.
This event occurred at a critically important moment for the team.
During the fourth quarter, the Clippers pulled away to secure a 114-101 victory against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center. This win reduced their 2.5-game disadvantage behind the Warriors from the start of the evening and positioned them with a 2-1 advantage in their ongoing series against Golden State. Presently, the Clippers have the opportunity to claim the direct tiebreaker with another triumph in their final regular-season match on April 12.
Given their 29-31 record, this particular win holds potential significance as the season progresses.
Garland also contributed meaningfully to this outcome. The 26-year-old had not appeared in a game since January 14, having been in recovery from injuries affecting the big toes on both his feet. He tallied 12 points, converting 4 out of 9 shots from the floor, although he also recorded a team-leading five turnovers.
Although Garland entered the game as a reserve and was on the court for only 23 minutes, as anticipated, head coach Tyronn Lue and his staff are optimistic that his presence will reinvigorate the Clippers’ offensive unit, which, aside from Kawhi Leonard’s outstanding solo efforts, has frequently appeared stagnant since the departure of prominent point guard James Harden and starting center Ivica Zubac.
Over the last month, the Clippers have maintained an even performance, achieving a 5-5 record since the Harden/Garland transaction, predominantly relying on their defensive capabilities. Within this period of ten games, the Clippers are positioned 21st in points scored per offensive possession, 29th in successful three-point shots per contest, occupy the lowest rank for three-point attempts, are 25th in overall team three-point shooting precision, and stand 28th in average assists per game.
This season in Cleveland, Garland averaged 18 points, 6.9 assists, and 2.4 rebounds during his 26 games, playing 30.5 minutes per game, with shooting percentages of 52.1% on two-pointers, 36% on three-point efforts, and 86.1% from the foul line. During his struggles with toe injuries, Garland frequently appeared to be missing the burst, stability, and shooting skill that had established him as a two-time All-Star in Cleveland and a crucial component of a Cavaliers offense that achieved new efficiency benchmarks last year. However, if his physical condition improves, he has the potential to provide Lue with a formidable asset as the coach endeavors to guide the Clippers successfully through the play-in tournament and into the main playoff bracket.
“He offers a distinct playing style compared to James, allowing us to adopt a varied approach with an increased tempo,” Lue informed journalists a month ago. “We’re able to utilize him more often away from the ball. This prospect is quite thrilling. I’ve been familiar with DG for some time, and it feels like the first occasion I’ve guided a young point guard since Kyrie [Irving].”
Darius Garland made his debut for the Clippers on Monday night, nearly one month after the trade that sent him from Cleveland to Los Angeles. (Jack Gorman/Getty Images)
(Jack Gorman via Getty Images)
On Monday evening, Leonard was the Clippers’ top performer, scoring 23 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Kris Dunn contributed an additional 16 points, along with 7 rebounds and 7 assists.
Brandin Podziemski paced the Warriors’ scoring with 22 points, hitting 9 of 18 shots from the floor. Nate Williams contributed 18 points as a reserve, and Al Horford chipped in 17 points. With this defeat, their second in a row, the Warriors’ record declined to 31-30.
Although Garland and Lue may require a period to resolve initial issues and build effective coordination, Garland appears enthusiastic about embracing the chance presented to him in Los Angeles. Immediately, Garland has the advantage of collaborating with an outstanding two-way player in Leonard, who has demonstrated All-NBA caliber performance this season, and to observe if the Clippers can create a surprising impact by the spring.
Furthermore, considering the future, Garland, whose contract extends until the end of the 2027-28 season, possesses the potential to serve as a cornerstone player for the Clippers organization’s subsequent chapter, irrespective of its ultimate form.
“I’m content with the transition,” Garland recently shared with Marc J. Spears from Andscape. “Initially, I harbored some reservations. However, I simply couldn’t decline this chance to compete alongside another future Hall of Famer [Leonard] and to have possession of the ball almost constantly. […] I find myself in yet another favorable circumstance here in Los Angeles, aiming to achieve something significant, striving to reconstruct the entire identity of the Clippers, and to establish them as one of L.A.’s premier teams.”
This presents a formidable challenge: accomplishing it will necessitate both the level of regular-season achievement Garland demonstrated in Cleveland during the previous season, and the type of playoff triumph that has eluded both him and the Clippers. Whether they will reach this objective is yet to be determined; nevertheless, following what must have seemed an exceptionally prolonged month, the endeavor officially commenced on Monday evening.
“Whatever role T-Lue wishes for me, whatever placement on the court he desires, I will fulfill it,” Garland conveyed to journalists subsequent to the trade. “My purpose here is to secure victories.”
