Cavaliers' Darius Garland rediscovers joy for basketball under new coach

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland’s grandfathers served in the U.S. Army. His mom, Felicia, had high school classmates who enlisted.

Garland grew up understanding the importance of military service.

At Monday night’s Cavaliers-Chicago Bulls game on Veterans Day, Garland will honor two soldiers who died and their families as part of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. U.S. Army sergeant first class Saadia Zambrano died in 2012 and U.S. Navy petty third officer Ronald Kimp Jr. died in 2018.

Both are from Gary, Indiana, where Garland was born and grew up, and members of their families will meet Garland, who is providing tickets, meals and jerseys.

“This is to show my love and support to the veterans and their families,” Garland said. “Just thought that we could do something special for veterans. I have a connection because they’re from my hometown. It’s close to Chicago. It’s a perfect time to do something for them.”

Garland is off to the best start of his career, following a difficult 2023-24 season in which his grandmother died, and he broke his jaw in a game against the Boston Celtics, requiring surgery. Garland admitted he lost his joy for basketball.

He has rediscovered it.

The Cavaliers are 11-0 under new coach Kenny Atkinson, and Garland is averaging 20.5 points, 6.6 assists and 1.2 steals and shooting 53.8% from the field, 47.5% on 3-pointers and 95% on free throws.

He had 39 points on 15-for-22 shooting and eight assists in a victory against Milwaukee and 34 points on 12-for-19 shooting in a victory against New York. He has also two double-doubles in points and assists, and in Friday’s victory against Golden State, the Cavaliers outscored the Warriors by 30 points with Garland on the court (27 point, six assists, three steals).

“Darius was masterful,” Atkinson said after the Cavs beat Brooklyn Saturday. “He kind of controlled the game.”

Garland is making a push for his second All-Star appearance, Most Improved Player of the Year and Clutch Player of the Year. Alongside guard Donovan Mitchell (22.5 points per game), the Cavs have one of the best backcourts in the NBA. Atkinson has staggered Mitchell’s and Garland’s minutes so they’re not always in the game at the same time but still able to produce when they are.

Atkinson’s imprint on the Cleveland’s offense and Garland is notable. The Cavs are No. 1 offensively, scoring 122 points per 100 possessions, No. 1 in field goal percentage at .528, No. 1 in 3-point shooting percentage at .422 and No. 7 in 3s made per game at 5.3. It’s early but all are improvements compared to last season.

Now, the Cavaliers, who have their core four of Garland, Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley under contract through at least 2026-27, believe they can challenge Boston and New York for supremacy in the Eastern Conference.

“We were always defensive-minded in past years, so now just being more offensive-minded but still having the same defensive concepts,” Garland said. “Offensively, it's a lot more space. Everybody's more confident, everybody's shooting the ball with confidence and playing with high confidence.”

Garland said he went back to the basics in the offseason – getting his feet set and shoulders square to the basket on his jump shot.

“I really went back to square one over the offseason, just trying to polish my game, trying to clean up some of the things that I was doing,” Garland said. “Just trying to do all the little things to help put me in these positions that I am in right now.”

Atkinson has given Garland more freedom and responsibility and wants him to create offensive opportunities not just for teammates but for himself in key situations late in the game.

In clutch situations – which the NBA considers a game where the score is within five points and fewer than five minutes remain – Garland has been fantastic. Cleveland is 4-0 in those games, and Garland has scored 24 points in 18 minutes of clutch time, shooting 75% from the field (9-for-12) and 60% on 3s (3-for-5) and 100% on free throws (3-for-3) and adding four assists, three rebounds, two blocks and one steal with just one turnover.

“It doesn’t surprise me because of the talent and the smarts and what a great passer he is and good decision-maker,” Atkinson told reporters. “He’s got the shot. He’s got everything. He’s a complete, complete point guard. … From my point of view coaching him for the first time, I’m blown away by his control of end-of-game situations. He’s got a great feel for the game, a great IQ.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cavaliers' Darius Garland thriving under new coach Kenny Atkinson