Cleveland hopes to improve on their first-round playoff exit in 2023, and the health of their starting point guard will play a significant factor in that. Will Darius Garland play on Friday against the Thunder? Let’s examine the most recent injury status and its potential effects on tonight’s game.
Latest Darius Garland Injury Update
Latest Darius Garland Injury Update (As of 2:20 PM Eastern): Darius Garland is listed questionable for tonight’s game. This post will be updated closer to tip and/or when more information rises to the surface.
Via Underdog Fantasy, Garland is questionable for Friday’s game against the Thunder.
Garland played 32 minutes and closed the game in the Cavaliers’ one-point victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. Therefore, this injury is likely an aggravation of his hamstring, and the Cavs might take precautions, considering this is a meaningless regular-season game. Garland averaged 21.6 points in 35.5 minutes per game last season.
If Garland does sit or is limited, we’ll likely see Donovan Mitchell take on a larger role, with Georges Niang and Ty Jerome getting more minutes. We could also see Caris LeVert and newly acquired Max Struss get more shots. Struss had a 32% usage in 14 minutes without Garland against the Nets.
Starting Center Jarrett Allen has already been ruled out, so the Cavs could be quite thin tonight. Mitchell had a 33% usage rate without Allen and Garland on the floor last season. The Cavs are currently 4-point favorites over the Thunder, but if Garland can’t play, I expect that line to move. You can keep an eye on the latest NBA odds here.
