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Cavs face elimination but Darius Garland refuses to let season slip away

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints
By Evan Dammarell | Last updated May 12, 2025 12:56 AM ET

For the Cleveland Cavaliers, there was no script for how this playoff series against the Indiana Pacers was supposed to go. Not after a 64-win season and blitzing the Miami Heat in the first round. Not with a roster full of talent, cohesion, and lofty expectations. But as the Cavs limped off the floor in Indianapolis after a brutal Game 4 loss, staring down a 3-1 hole in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, reality hit hard: this dream season might be slipping away.

Regardless, in the middle of all the disappointment, pain, and uncertainty, Cavs All-Star guard Darius Garland sat in front of reporters, toe throbbing, mind sharp, and said something that cut through the noise.

“This franchise’s been down 3-1 before,” Garland mused. “This group can do it. We got the talent, we got the skillset. The camaraderie is always there. Just got to go out there and play with our physicality that we play with, and play our brand of basketball.”

It was more than a rallying cry. It was a personal testament. Garland, whose sprained toe kept him out for four straight playoff games, is still nowhere near full strength. He wasn’t even supposed to be back yet, the original timeline was closer to a month. But in a win-or-sink Game 3, he returned early, bloodied and limping, just to give his team a fighting chance.

“I just want to be out there for my guys,” Garland said in the locker room after Game 3. “Everybody [has] put their bodies and their injuries on the line. We fought through it. Just going out there to win this series.”

Unfortunately, for Garland, it didn’t last. Game 4 unraveled quickly, with the Cavs suffering cold shooting, careless turnovers, and a stunning absence. Suddenly, what looked like a resurgence dissolved into something grimmer.

“It just didn’t happen tonight,” Garland admitted, pausing for 17 seconds before saying anything at all.

The Cavs are staring down the barrel of the end of their season

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) defends during game three of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

For Cleveland, injuries are only part of the story. Evan Mobley has been playing through a sprained ankle that had him in a walking boot days ago. Reserve forward De’Andre Hunter dislocated his thumb in Game 1 and winces in pain every time he catches a pass. The Cavs are limping into what could be the final stretch of a season that once felt like the start of something special.

Still, Garland won’t concede.

“We’ve been through adversity plenty of times, not even just this year,” Garland said. “This group’s been together for a couple of years now. We’ve been through a lot of adversity the last three years together, with all of us just together. This franchise has done it before.”

Invoking the Cavs’ historic 2016 comeback against the Golden State Warriors is bold. However, the 2016 Cavs had the greatest basketball player of all time on it in LeBron James. This Cleveland squad, meanwhile, will be entering Game 5, with their season on the line, without Donovan Mitchell, their best player.

To make matters worse, Garland’s toe remains a constant issue, after he aggravated it again in the first round against Miami. He’s playing through sharp pain with every change of direction, doing everything from AlterG treadmill sessions to ice therapy just to get back on the court. Despite this, Garland remains undeterred. He’s still pushing. Still believing. Trying to rage against what feels like the inevitble.

“Keep being aggressive, keep playing our brand of basketball,” Garland said. “Come out with the physicality that we started with [and] came out with last game. Go watch this film. See what we can do better. See what we can do with the zone.”

There’s no guarantee it will be enough. No LeBron James is waiting in the wings to save the Cavs. Moreover, there’s no guarantee Mitchell will play. No magic button to reset tired legs or heal swollen joints. But Garland isn’t looking for perfect. He’s looking for a sliver of possibility. And the only chance the Cavs have is to win Game 5, taking the remainder of this series one game at a time.

This article first appeared on NBA on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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