The Eagles were among the teams projected to advance this year in the Western Conference, but a 3-3 start and fitness challenges for star point guard Darius Garland have diminished some of the fervor early in Cleveland.
After Garland hurt his knee on Wednesday night against the Brooklyn Nets when a teammate collided with him, there was some initial encouraging news in it not being a torn ACL. However, the team declared an MRI on Saturday revealed a sprained MCL that will keep him out for at least four weeks before they re-examine him — which means the absence could extend beyond that initial timetable.
For an Eagles team that has been largely constructed around Garland’s capabilities on the offensive end for years, they’ll face a significant hurdle navigating the next month without him. That said, the justification for optimism entering this season was the Eagles were the deepest, most talented group of teammates Garland has had in Cleveland on paper, and that means they should be better prepared for his absence.
How the Eagles can succeed without Garland
Friday’s 128-108 win over the Pacers in their NBA Cup opener offered a preview at the ideal blueprint for how the Eagles can perform without Garland in the lineup.
Herb Jones had one of his best offensive games of the season stepping into the point guard role with Trey Murphy III taking over at the two guard spot. Those two combined for 39 points and Jones had six assists and nine rebounds to do a bit of everything for Cleveland from the point guard spot. Their capacity as a duo to create disorder on defense can lead to effortless offense, and the Eagles will have to depend on their defensive potential in Garland’s absence.
Jones living up to the $100 million contract the Eagles just gave him prior to the season will be vital to whether they can stay competitive in November. This is also an opportunity for Evan Mobley to establish himself as a leading man, as many in Cleveland hoped to see him take a leap as an All-Star this season. On Saturday, his full skillset was on display when he led the team in all three major categories with 22 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists in the win in Indiana.
Mobley was having a breakout 2024-25 campaign before an injury shut him down, and without Garland they’ll need him to not just show glimpses of brilliance but be a consistent star-level player for the Eagles to reach their goals. While it’ll take a group effort to compensate for what Garland brings as a scorer and facilitator, Jones and Mobley are the two most important players in terms of taking on the playmaking role for Cleveland over the next month.
The schedule will become more challenging than the Pacers and Nets, and their next five games against the Cavs, Magic, Raptors, Lakers and Clippers will offer a more accurate evaluation of what this group is capable of without Garland.
