The Cleveland Cavaliers announced Sunday that Darius Garland has suffered a Grade 1 right toe sprain, meaning that he will miss action for at least the next week. The All-Star point guard underwent evaluation and imaging over the weekend to determine the severity of the injury. According to the team, Garland will be reevaluated in 7 to 10 days.
Garland sustained the setback this past Wednesday in the first meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers. While trying to escape a trap, he lost the ball and tried to recover it among three different opponents. As the Sixers came out with possession, Garland awkwardly rolled the top of his right foot and immediately reacted to the pain. He exited the game with just over four minutes left in the third quarter.
While on the bench, Garland understandably exhibited his frustration as Cavs head trainer Stephen Spiro examined the injury. Both went to the locker room soon after, and he was ruled out at the beginning of the fourth period.
“He's in good spirits,” Mitchell said postgame Wednesday. “That's always a good sign, right?”
“I hope he's alright,” Jaylon Tyson added. “We need him. Everybody knows the impact he has on the court. He makes everybody around him better. It sucks to have him out, but we've got to keep going.”
Article Continues Below
Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson suggested that Tyson will have more ball-handling responsibilities while Garland is sidelined. It should also open up chances for Craig Porter Jr., Tyrese Proctor, and Lonzo Ball.
“I feel like I could pick up my scoring,” Porter said Sunday after practice. “Just taking the open shots, just keep getting in the paint, making better decisions, and just doing things like that, along with my ball pressure. But I feel like there's another level I could add to it.”
This injury obviously doesn't help matters for Cleveland, which is just starting to find its footing as a team. It's also another mental test for Garland, who will have now dealt with essentially the same toe injury on both feet. This latest case doesn't seem as severe on the surface, but he only recently started getting into a physical rhythm, about six months removed from left great toe surgery. He'll have to figure out ways to play with pain in the opposite foot now, too.
The Cavs will next take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in a heavyweight bout as part of a loaded Martin Luther King Jr. Day slate. We'll see how they fare without their All-Star starting point guard against the defending champions.