CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs’ backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland has silenced many critics this season, evolving from a questioned pairing into a historically productive duo. But as the playoffs approach, a familiar question lingers: Can this backcourt excel when the stakes are highest?
The statistical evidence of their success is undeniable.
As Ethan Sands highlighted on the Wine and Gold Talk podcast, “Darius and Donovan together this year have been very good. They are the first pair of teammates in Cavs history to each have 200 or more 3-point field goals in the same season.”
This historic achievement underscores how far they’ve come since last season’s struggles.
What’s changed?
According to Ashley Bastock, Mitchell’s willingness to adjust his role has been transformative – not through dramatic changes but through subtle, meaningful sacrifices.
“I think Donovan talked about this today. Like, everyone says they’re willing to sacrifice, but when the time comes, are you going to be willing to do it? And I think that sacrifice not only looks like Donovan sitting a couple extra minutes here or there. It’s. I see it in how he’s doing, distributing the ball a lot of ways,” Bastock explained.
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The numbers support this observation. Mitchell is averaging the fewest minutes (31.4) and second-fewest shot attempts of his career. These seemingly minor adjustments have had major implications for the team’s chemistry and for Garland’s development.
“When I would watch them last year, I’d kind of be banging my head against the wall. Like, why is Darius Garland the same player he was two seasons ago?” Bastock noted. “It was driving me crazy and I don’t feel that way about those guys anymore.”
Yet despite this progress, concerns about Garland’s playoff readiness persist.
Jimmy Watkins pointed out a troubling trend: “This is like a month and a half now. Going back to after he sat out two games with the hip contusion shooting under 40% from the field. That’s very concerning to me.”
The timing of this slump is particularly worrisome with the playoffs rapidly approaching. Watkins expressed what many Cavs fans are thinking: “I would just love to see, I want to see Darius go for 35 one time, one time over the last 10 days we have here of the regular season.”
This concern is amplified by memories of last year’s playoff disappointment, when Garland struggled significantly against the Boston Celtics.
However, there are important differences this time around. Even during his current shooting slump, Garland has maintained his playmaking abilities without the turnover issues that plagued him last postseason.
Coach Kenny Atkinson recently suggested Garland is “getting some of his mojo back,” and his confidence appears unshaken.
Unlike last year, when frustration was evident in his body language, Garland still “looks like he’s having the best time of his life,” according to Ethan Sands.
The Mitchell-Garland partnership represents the Cavs’ ceiling and floor.
If Garland can recapture his early-season form alongside Mitchell’s more balanced approach, the backcourt could power a deep playoff run. If not, the questions about their compatibility in high-pressure situations will only grow louder.
As the regular season winds down, all eyes will be on Garland’s shooting numbers and Mitchell’s continued willingness to adapt his game for the greater good.
Note: Artificial intelligence was used to help generate this story from the Wine and Gold Talk podcast by cleveland.com. Visitors to cleveland.com have asked for more text stories based on website podcast discussions.