Darius Garland Climbs Up Cavaliers Franchise Leaderboard
Darius Garland has been known for two main things since entering the NBA. One of those is his three-point shooting and the other is his incredible playmaking ability. DG has been a part of the Cleveland Cavaliers for just four and a half seasons, but he's already made his mark on the franchise's record books.
Donovan Mitchell knocked down a three-pointer assisted by Garland in the first quarter of Cleveland's matchup with the Brooklyn Nets. With that, Garland recorded his 1,821st career assist which also moved him into ninth on the Cavaliers' all-time leaders list.
This milestone is even more memorable because Garland passed Cavalier great Austin Carr. Carr was actually in attendance as he is the color commentator for game broadcasts on Bally Sports Ohio.
Playmaking and finding the open has always been a strength in Garland's game. He's averaged 6.6 through the first four and half seasons of his career. DG's career-high in assists was 7.8 back during the 2022-23 season.
Garland has taken a step back this season in terms of facilitating this season. He's averaging just 5.6 assists this year which is the lowest since his rookie season when he averaged 3.9.
Feb 7, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) dribbles as Washington Wizards forward Deni Avdija (8) defends during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Let's compare these numbers to the man that Garland passed.
Carr played for the Cavaliers from 1971-80. During his nine seasons with the organization, he averaged 2.9. Carr's best seasons in terms of facilitating were 1973-74 and 1974-75 when he averaged 3.8 assists.
This shows just how much the game has changed in the last 40 years. But both Garland and Carr have cemented themselves as greats in terms of Cavalier records.
