Cavaliers Announce Darius Garland News After Leaving Heat Game

His struggles continued in his third game of the season against Miami, and things took a turn for the worse when he exited early with an injury. Garland shot just 2-of-9 from the floor, finishing with 11 points, five rebounds and two assists.

With 5:57 left in the third quarter, he committed a personal take foul and was replaced by Lonzo Ball. He immediately headed to the locker room for the second time that night. Moments later, the Cavaliers announced Garland would not return and would be further evaluated for a left toe injury.

“Darius Garland will not return with a left toe injury. Garland will be further evaluated postgame, per #Cavs,” reported Danny Cunningham of The Inside Shot on X. Garland logged just 19 minutes before being ruled out, and he appeared to be in discomfort even before the substitution, failing to run down the floor on the previous possession.

This setback is especially troubling for Garland given that the injury involves the same left toe he had surgery on over the summer. If he is forced to miss additional time, Ball would likely continue to see increased minutes in the backcourt. Garland’s absence would be a significant blow to Cleveland’s offensive playmaking, as the two-time All-Star is one of the league’s most creative guards and a key initiator for the Cavaliers. His ability to control tempo and create for others is difficult to replicate.

The Cavaliers are scheduled to face the Heat again on Wednesday, but given the nature of the injury and Garland’s recent recovery, the team may opt to be cautious with his availability.