Darius Garland Turns Important Corner for Clippers Ahead of Final Stretch

Darius Garland Is Nearing 100% Before the Last 18 Games in the Regular Season

Having spent nearly seven years with the Cavaliers, Garland made it clear that he has not missed a step as he embarks on his tenure with the Clippers.

With four appearances and two starts under his belt, LA is undefeated when Garland sees some minutes.

In his first two games since January, Garland warmed up with back-to-back 12-point performances against the Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers. His Intuit Dome debut against Indy was particularly noteworthy as he parlayed his scoring with four rebounds and eight assists. An impressive feat off the bench, scoring twice as many as starters Kobe Sanders and Kris Dunn.

The victory proved to be a statement for the Clippers' bench as Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson, who arrived from Indiana in the Ivica Zubac trade, clocked in 23 and 10 points each against their former team.

The post-trade deadline morale boost triggered the Clippers' impressive run, which, apart from a catastrophic collapse against San Antonio, saw them win five of their last six outings. With his contributions beaming, it's hard to ignore how Garland's absence would have factored into the implosion on the road against the Spurs.

With his confidence growing alongside Ty Lue's trust in him, Garland helped the Clippers bounce back with wins over the Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks. The triumph against the Big Apple's finest saw Garland play his first 30-minute game in LA colors, enough time to give his best performance.

After a 21-6-4 (points-assists-rebounds) in Memphis, Garland put up 23 points and seven dimes in the East Coast-West Coast duel. Another key contributor as a starter, falling only behind Kawhi Leonard's 29 points and Mathurin's 28.

When Garland initially came off the bench, Lue alluded to allowing him to find his own pace and run the offense without their star Leonard on the floor.