Darius Garland had something to say to those questioning his toughness after he returned from a toe injury to help the Cavaliers dominate in Game 3.
Garland had missed Game 1 due to a sprained toe, and his absence was clearly felt as Cleveland fell behind 2-0 to the Indiana Pacers. But on Friday, he was back on the court, and while his stats weren’t flashy, his presence was a game-changer.
He helped push the pace, ran the offense, and allowed Donovan Mitchell to focus on scoring. After the game, Garland addressed the criticism about his injury, speaking to Joe Vardon of The Athletic:
“Y’all don’t understand what I’m going through,” he said. “Everyone’s got their opinions. I’m just out there playing ball. At this point in the season, everyone’s banged up. I’m trying to help us win this series.”
Though Mitchell’s numbers get more attention, Garland’s role as the team’s offensive catalyst can’t be overstated. Without him, Indiana zeroed in on Mitchell, forcing others like Jarrett Allen and Max Strus to step up, while backup Ty Jerome struggled to build chemistry with the starters.
Now that Garland is back, the Cavs finally look like themselves again.
The toe injury he’s playing through—a sprain to his big toe—is no small thing. It affects balance, movement, and explosiveness. Injuries like this have ended playoff runs before; Blake Griffin, for example, missed an entire series in 2017 with a similar issue. Even though Garland didn’t break his toe, the sprain is still serious and tough to manage.
His critics may not grasp how difficult it is to play through an injury like this. In fact, many players wouldn’t risk it. But Garland is willing to, especially with Cleveland aiming for a championship after finishing among the East’s top teams. If that means pushing through the pain, he’s ready to do it.
