Darius Garland’s setback underscores importance to the Cavs’ title hopes

Darius Garland has had his detractors in Cleveland, but in just three games, he’s shown he’s the heart and soul of this Cavaliers team.

Oct 31, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (left) and guard Darius Garland react on the bench in the third quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

It didn’t take long for fans to get excited once Darius Garland returned, offering a glimpse of what this Cavaliers roster might look like at full strength.

But with another setback sending him back to the injury report, a new concern is creeping in: can the Cavs really chase a title if Garland spends the season battling the same nagging issue?

In just the three games he’s played this season, Darius Garland quickly reminded everyone why he earned his max contract extension and is a true cornerstone of this Cavaliers franchise—instantly breathing life back into a Cavs offense that hadn’t been looking quite the same as the juggernaut it was the year prior.

In his third game of the season, however, Garland re-aggravated his toe injury, which was surgically repaired in the offseason. He has been taking time off to manage the injury and get as close as possible to full health.

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— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 12, 2025

Once Garland left, the Cavaliers lost a heartbreaker to the Heat and have now dropped a game to the Toronto Raptors. It’s become clear that Garland is not just a main key to this team's success but possibly the piece that makes everything else go.

In his action so far this season, Garland has accumulated an offensive rating of 128.3, which is just 0.1 points behind 3-time league MVP Nikola Jokic, making Garland second in the league for players with at least a three-game sample size and a usage rating above 20%.

Losing a piece like that in a lineup that needs help relieving Donovan Mitchell of his burden of being the facilitator in Garland’s absence, as well as someone who’s going to bridge the gap in the minutes while Mitchell is off the floor, has been a real problem area for the Cavs, especially on back-to-back nights where veteran guard Lonzo Ball is resting.

Coach Kenny Atkinson offered an encouraging quote on Garland, saying, “I’d say day-to-day,” in response to a question about Garland’s timetable to return.

Donovan Mitchell also spoke about how the Cavs’ early-season struggles could be a good thing: “Hate to sound like a sicko, but this is great. Last year, we were never mentally tested. The sky’s not falling. These are great tests for us and a good thing to learn from. We’re not worried as a group.”

It will be crucial for the Cavaliers to keep learning what they can from these losses and find ways to replace the elite production that Garland has provided for them, hopefully continuing to get contributions from Tyrese Proctor and Craig Porter Jr., who played a great game against the Heat this past Wednesday.