Cavs’ Darius Garland Nears Season Debut Amid Offensive Identity Crisis

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Cavaliers are facing uncertainty as point guard Darius Garland approaches his long-awaited season debut. Garland participated in a full practice on Tuesday, a crucial step towards returning to the court after a knee injury kept him sidelined. Coach Kenny Atkinson reported that Garland is ‘really close’ to playing, saying, ‘Let’s see what tomorrow morning looks like.’

Garland’s return is vital for the Cavs, who have recently struggled offensively. In their last game against the Atlanta Hawks, the team attempted a staggering 57 three-pointers, raising concerns about their offensive identity. Atkinson acknowledged the situation when asked if there is a limit to three-point attempts, stating, ‘We might have passed it tonight.’

Traditionally, the Cavaliers have relied on drives to the basket, but they currently rank 27th in the NBA for that category. Sports analyst Chris Fedor pointed out, ‘For a Cavs team to be 27th in the NBA in drives, it’s just not who they are.’

The Cavaliers are missing several key players, including Garland, Max Strus, and Sam Merrill, which compounds their offensive struggles. In their absence, the team seems to lean more on perimeter shooting, even though that isn’t their strength. Fedor highlighted Donovan Mitchell‘s lack of attempts inside the arc, stating, ‘You’re just not seeing as many signs of that.’

As the season progresses, the Cavaliers must reconcile their current game plan with the players available. Atkinson continues to seek solutions to reignite their traditional style before it leads to further disarray on the court. ‘Ranking near the bottom of the league in drives isn’t sustainable,’ he remarked.

With Garland’s return imminent, fans and analysts alike are hopeful that it will restore balance to the Cavs’ offense and help the team rediscover its core identity.