Celtics rival loses All-Star guard for start of next season
The Celtics and Cavaliers were expected to go toe-to-toe in the East Finals this season before surprising second-round exits for both teams. Key injuries played a part in Boston's loss to the Knicks and it's now becoming more evident just how shorthanded the Cavaliers were as they fell to the Pacers in five games.
The team announced on Monday that star point guard Darius Garland underwent surgery to repair the great toe injury that hampered him throughout the postseason. He is expected to have an update on his recovery in four to five months, but Shams Charania of ESPN.com reports that he will likely miss at least the start of next season amid his recovery.
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Garland missed four straight games during the Cavs playoff run after suffering the injury in Game 3 of the Cavs-Heat first round series. The shifty point guard ultimately returned for Game 3 of the Pacers-Cavs series but looked like a shell of himself in the matchup, shooting just 34.2 percent from the field and 16.7 percent from 3-point range. That production was a far cry from his season averages of 20.6 points and 6.7 assists per game, along with making a career-high 47.2 percent of his shots from the field. Cleveland ultimately fell to the Pacers in five games, in part due to Garland's injury.
The intriguing subplot with Garland's injury comes with how Cleveland's front office views the guard's injury amid its plans going forward. Garland's name has come up already in trade rumors as the Cavs weight their options with a pricy roster moving forward that is projected to be above the second apron for the 2025-26 season. A strong trade return for Garland in a potential deal could be a bigger question now following a major injury. The Cavs also have a pair of free agent guards in their backcourt hitting the market this summer in Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill.
The door is wide open now for playoff teams in the East next season to make a push towards the top after Tatum's injury. The Cavs are still widely expected to be in that mix after 64-win season with their core returning. However, Garland's injury may just give another reason for other East teams to be aggressive this summer in loading up for a wide-open 2025-26 campaign.
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