Cavaliers Release Critical Darius Garland Injury Update

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paul White | Last updated May 9, 2025 3:31 PM ET

Darius Garland has been under heavy fire from the NBA media and fans who think he is milking his injury.

He hurt his toe when his Cleveland Cavaliers were battling the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs.

The initial feeling was that he was being held out as a precaution, but as the injury has lingered into the semifinals series against the Indiana Pacers, it became clear that Garland is seriously hurt.

The two-time All-Star has missed four consecutive games and now the Cavs find themselves down 2-0 headed back to Indiana with their season essentially on the line.

Luckily, Cleveland received some good news on the injury front for the first time in weeks.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson gave his usual practice press conference on Thursday afternoon where he revealed that Garland practiced for the first time since his injury.

This is a major step in the right direction because a lack of practice time played a factor on why he could not get back on the floor sooner.

The injury was so bad that the All-Star could not even warm up before games, but it seems as if he’s starting to heal.

Even if he is not 100%, Garland needs to be back on the floor for game three because Cleveland has missed his ball handling and playmaking.

Donovan Mitchell has had to be the team’s primary point guard while also carrying the bulk of the scoring load which has exhausted him severely.

Towards the end of game two, the Pacers increased their ball pressure late in the game which was a key to their historic comeback.

The Cavs looked lost with this pressure, but having Garland back in the lineup will negate Indiana’s defensive intensity with his calm, smooth handle.

The star point guard is still listed as questionable for game three, but this feels like the closest he’s been to playing since he suffered the injury.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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