Darius Garland Turns Important Corner for Clippers Ahead of Final Stretch

On paper, it is a little late for the Los Angeles Clippers to aspire for a playoff run, let alone title contention. Although it may be far from salvageable for Ty Lue's squad as they cling to the eighth seed with 18 games remaining, they may have found an ace up their sleeve for a biblical narrative if the basketball gods favor them.

After arriving in Inglewood from Cleveland in the James Harden trade, Darius Garland seemed to fit into the Clippers' system-- one that is ever-changing and rerouting towards the destination plotted by their potential but constantly derailed by a lack of ability to close important games.

Ironically, Garland got on the wrong foot upon arriving in the City of Angels. The 26-year-old Vanderbilt product had missed 16 games due to a nagging toe injury that benched him in his last days in wine and gold.

"It's a Garland three" 👌😘 pic.twitter.com/yUbkp6NVIZ
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 10, 2026

Darius Garland Is Nearing 100% Before the Last 18 Games in the Regular Season

Having spent nearly seven years with the Cavaliers, Garland made it clear that he has not missed a step as he embarks on his tenure with the Clippers.

With four appearances and two starts under his belt, LA is undefeated when Garland sees some minutes.

In his first two games since January, Garland warmed up with back-to-back 12-point performances against the Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers. His Intuit Dome debut against Indy was particularly noteworthy as he parlayed his scoring with four rebounds and eight assists. An impressive feat off the bench, scoring twice as many as starters Kobe Sanders and Kris Dunn.

The victory proved to be a statement for the Clippers' bench as Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson, who arrived from Indiana in the Ivica Zubac trade, clocked in 23 and 10 points each against their former team.

The post-trade deadline morale boost triggered the Clippers' impressive run, which, apart from a catastrophic collapse against San Antonio, saw them win five of their last six outings. With his contributions beaming, it's hard to ignore how Garland's absence would have factored into the implosion on the road against the Spurs.

With his confidence growing alongside Ty Lue's trust in him, Garland helped the Clippers bounce back with wins over the Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks. The triumph against the Big Apple's finest saw Garland play his first 30-minute game in LA colors, enough time to give his best performance.

After a 21-6-4 (points-assists-rebounds) in Memphis, Garland put up 23 points and seven dimes in the East Coast-West Coast duel. Another key contributor as a starter, falling only behind Kawhi Leonard's 29 points and Mathurin's 28.

When Garland initially came off the bench, Lue alluded to allowing him to find his own pace and run the offense without their star Leonard on the floor.

Ty Lue on the decision to bring Darius Garland off the bench:

“Just bringing him off the bench so he doesn’t have to play with Kawhi. So he can kinda find his own rhythm, his own timing, and just try to run everything through him. Just being aggressive, our pace picking up.… pic.twitter.com/Y35VE2sI3P
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) March 3, 2026

“Just bringing him off the bench so he doesn’t have to play with Kawhi," Lue said on March 2. "So he can kinda find his own rhythm, his own timing, and just try to run everything through him. Just being aggressive, our pace [is] picking up."

"That’s the thought process behind bringing him off the bench. That’s what he’ll be doing until we get his minutes up. Then, of course, you know he’s gonna be the starter."

With those starting plans now activated, Lue's new dynamic duo may very well be unfolding in front of us in LA.

So far this season, Garland is averaging 17.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, a stat line that he has eclipsed in recent games. With his minute restrictions dissolving, it could free up space to unlock more of his untapped potential under a new coaching staff.

The present suggests the Clippers could still make a run in the postseason. The past cautions fans not to bet a dime on their chances. But what does Garland's progress and the team's recent performances say about the future?

For himself, it is at least a sign of continuous progress, and maybe the California sun brings a blossoming on the horizon. That leads us to the question: is it far too early for him to try to change the tide in the tail end of this chapter? Perhaps fans were treated to the late plot twist foreshadowing what's to come.

Only time will tell as the Clippers look to improve their 32-32 record as the regular season draws to a close. Their quest to rise in the standings before the playoffs begin against the fifth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.