Darius Garland Out for Cavaliers’ Eastern Conference Semifinal Opener

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland is officially out for Sunday night’s Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Indiana Pacers. Garland is sidelined due to a sprained left big toe, an injury that has affected him throughout the playoffs.

Garland, an All-Star, missed the last two games of the Cavaliers’ first-round sweep of the Miami Heat, as well as two regular-season games in April because of the same issue. Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson confirmed that Garland did not practice Saturday after participating in a full-contact session the previous day.

“We’re just in this kind of area where you just got to kind of see day by day and see how it feels tomorrow morning,” Atkinson said after the Saturday practice. “The toe’s a tough one. There’s pain and all that. But the good thing, when we watch him shooting right now, he’s moving well.”

Garland averaged 20.6 points and 6.7 assists during the regular season. He had a strong showing in the opening game of the previous series, scoring 27 points against Miami.

In Garland’s absence, Sam Merrill is expected to start, a role he filled in the previous two playoff games. “We have multiple options,” Atkinson noted when discussing potential replacements for Garland. The Cavaliers have a 4-3 record in the regular season and 2-0 in the playoffs when pushing forward without him.

Sunday’s matchup is significant for both teams; the Pacers are vying to extend their postseason run while the Cavaliers hope to continue their momentum. Game time is set for 6 PM.