Cavaliers Need Statement Series from Darius Garland Against Indiana Pacers

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't start off their second-round series against the Indiana Pacers the way they wanted. That statement rings true in a variety of different ways.

They were slow out of the gates, particularly on the defensive end of the court, falling into a 25-36 deficit after the first quarter of the series. That lead proved to be insurmountable, as they ultimately dropped Game 1 at Rocket Arena, 112-121, putting them in a 0-1 hole and giving their hard-earned homecourt advantage to Indiana.

Lastly, they began the series shorthanded, with Darius Garland missing his third-straight playoff game with a toe sprain in his left foot. He's again on the injury report for Game 2, listed as questionable alongside Evan Mobley (ankle) and De'Andre Hunter (thumb), who both picked up minor ailments in the opening bout against the Pacers.

The Cavs were able to cruise past the Miami Heat in the first round even without Garland, but his presence was sorely missed in their loss to Indiana. Just glancing at the box score might suggest that Cleveland lost Game 1 on defense, but, in reality, their offense just couldn't keep pace with Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers' high-octane attack. 4

The Cavaliers shot just 46 percent from the field (45-98) and a paltry 24 percent from beyond the arc (9-38). With Garland on the sidelines, Donovan Mitchell was often the only reliable ball-handler on the floor. His 30 attempts from the field were reminiscent of his old days with the Utah Jazz, but it didn't make for good offense. Without their starting point guard leading the charge, Cleveland, normally a great passing team that finished ninth in assists per game this past season, mustered just 25 helpers, which would have ranked 26th in the NBA.

Indiana's calling cards are their ball movement and their transition offense. Having Garland back in the conductor's chair should help mitigate the Pacers' advantages in those areas. The Pacers are much improved on defense compared to seasons past, but they still have significant pressure points among their guard rotation that can be exploited. Getting Garland back in the backcourt next to Mitchell instead of Sam Merrill will make it infinitely harder for Indiana to contain the Cavs' attack.

Since Haliburton joined the Pacers, Darius Garland is 5-3 against him and Indiana. In those games, he's averaged 20.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 7.6 assists while shooting 50 percent overall and 44 percent from deep.

Garland spent a lot of this past season controlling things for the Cavs from the background, while his teammates Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen received their flowers for helping lead Cleveland to the best record in the East. They didn't seem to need him in their first-round sweep of the Heat, and Miami forward Kyle Anderson went so far as to say that the Cavs were actually a tougher team to beat without Garland in the game plan. Now, Cleveland needs Garland more than ever. How will he answer the call?