The Worst is Confirmed for the Cavs Star

After a scary head collision with Kristaps Porzingis, Cavaliers star Darius Garland has now been evaluated and the worst has been confirmed.

Garland Injury

As revealed by NBA insider Shams Charania Garland is now suffering from a fractured jaw and is expected to be out for at least several weeks to recover.

Cleveland Cavaliers star guard Darius Garland has sustained a fractured jaw and is expected to miss several weeks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Garland suffered an injury to the head area in a collision with Kristaps Porzingis on Thursday night in Boston. pic.twitter.com/gLRSYDRZXk— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 15, 2023

How did Darius Garland break his jaw running into Porzingis's midsection? Need a Twitter doctor to explain this one to me.
pic.twitter.com/SOTGdZuN3I— Boston Sports Gordo (@BOSSportsGordo) December 15, 2023

Terrible Timing For the Cavs

After an impressive year finishing 4th in the Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers seem to be experiencing a similar pattern early on. Their 13-12 record so far doesn't fully reflect the quality of this roster, considering they're currently on a 3-game losing streak. This tough stretch included challenging games against the high-flying Magic and back-to-back matchups against the top-seeded Celtics.

With this recent run and the added concern of missing their starting point guard, the Cavaliers might be worried about their ability to replicate last year's success. Particularly, facing more star-studded opposition within their conference this year could pose a challenge.

Garland's Impressive Recent Form

In his fifth season with the Cavaliers, Garland seems to have solidified his position as the franchise's playmaker for the future. His overall statistics haven't changed much from two years ago, with him still averaging around 20 points per game. However, much of this is due to the adjustment of integrating an established first-option scorer like Donovan Mitchell.

Despite this, he has appeared to be playing his best basketball this season, particularly over the last month. Before his injury, he was averaging over 24 points per game in December, including a season-high of 36 just three games ago.


Evan Mobley also out


ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that center Evan Mobley, who has missed the last four games, needs arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks.