Heading into Game 5 of the ongoing playoff saga between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic, guard Darius Garland seemed frustrated.
After four games of inconsistent, somewhat listless play, Garland was hearing the noise and feeling the heat surrounding him. While it might seem repetitive, there were good intentions behind them. It sounds like veteran forward Marcus Morris Sr. reminding Garland to “be special.” It sounds like coach J.B. Bickerstaff reminding Garland to “be aggressive.” It even sounds as simple as co-star Donovan Mitchell telling Garland just to “shoot.”
“Shoot,” Mitchell said. “I don’t give a damn. Shoot the ball. At the end of the day, go out swinging. There’s a different spark we get when he’s like that. Obviously, I’ve set the tones in Games 1 and 2, but there’s a different spark when he’s continuing to go. I think that’s huge for us.
“Shoot the ball. At the end of the day, he’s a talented player. He’s an all-star-level player, and he should shoot the ball. Be you, be aggressive.”
Darius Garland taking constructive criticism to heart
While the voices were all different, the message remained the same for Garland. For the Cavs to take command against the Magic and put them away once and for all, Cleveland needed him to remain the playmaker he’s always been but with a bit more of a selfish touch. They needed him to be aggressive but not reckless with the ball in his hands. More than anything, they needed him to be the franchise point guard that the organization believes he is.
Well, in the Cavs’ 104-103 Game 5 win, Garland more than took what he was told to heart. He scored 23 points, 17 of which came in the first quarter, and looked more like the guard who used his speed and gravity to bend Orlando’s defense to his will. Garland looked like himself and was having fun out there, which is something the Cavs need to see more of going forward, especially with the chance to eliminate the Magic in Orlando in a pivotal Game 6.
“It’s gonna be crazy to say: “He could’ve shot more,” Mitchell said. “That’s the mindset. He was doing things that showed signs of growth within the series.
“… He was phenomenal throughout the whole game, and that’s my guy. He’s always even keel, always happy-go-lucky, and to see him have a night like that is great. But we’re greedy. We’ve got to do it again.”
If Cleveland gets this version of Darius Garland, then they might be able to pick up their first win in Orlando during this first-round playoff series. Thankfully, Garland is aware of how he needs to keep playing like he did in Game 5, and it’s something he’ll continue to brace as far as the Cavs go in the playoffs.
“It’s the same thing – it’s a shot first mentality. If they come to help, find an open teammate,” said Garland to ClutchPoints on his mindset heading into Game 6. “We gotta hit first, especially there. They have that crowd and they play a huge part in their win down there, both of their wins down there.
“So, we gotta hit first and just try to stop their runs, since they’re going to go on runs. It’s a game of runs so if we have to call a timeout we just have to regroup as a team and try to overcome.
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