NBA

There Are Concerns That Cavaliers PG Darius Garland Could Miss Time With Thumb Injury

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Cavaliers Darius Garland on win over Bucks - 'I think earlier on in the season, we probably would have given that game away'

The Cleveland Cavaliers are having a nice season so far in 2022-23. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has his team at fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 22-14 record. His team has also gone 6-4 in their last ten, but are on a small three-game losing streak. Cleveland were on the road last night to face the Indiana Pacers and lost 135-126. A top rated defense in the NBA let the Pacers score their most points on the season so far. To make matters worse, there is concern that Darius Garland could miss time with a right thumb injury. 

Garland has already missed time this season with an eye injury he got in their first game of the season. In their loss to the Pacers last night, Garland injured his right thumb and there’s concern he could be out a few games or even longer. His thumb was injured when a Pacers player hit his thumb when trying to knock the ball lose for a steal.

One thing that shouldn’t bother Cleveland is that they found a way to win without Garland earlier in the season. It may not be the ideal scenario for them, but they’ve proved they can do it. Donovan Mitchell is going to be having a few more 30 points games in that time. Ohio Sports Betting sites have the Cavaliers at (+1800) to win the Finals this season.

Cleveland has concern that Garland could miss time with right thumb injury

Garland did end up playing the rest of the game last night and finished with 18/1/8. He did not attempt a shot from the field for the rest of the game and got fouled late in the fourth quarter. The thumb injury was clearly causing him trouble as he missed both free-throws and is an 87 percent shooter from the line in his career. After the game, Garland had this to say to the media on the severity of his thumb injury.

“It was bothering me a lot,”… “I was just trying to go out there and compete as much as I could. The last two free throws, I looked at (head coach) J.B. (Bickerstaff) and I was like, ‘Ah, I really don’t want to shoot these.’ But I got fouled and just tried to make two.” – Darius Garland

He played with a wrapped thumb for the rest of the game and Garland felt he was not effective when his thumb was wrapped. Garland told the media that his thumb was already throbbing and swollen at that point in the game. The PG has expressed multiple times already this season about his frustration on being fouled harden than other players. His frustration is not with the physicality, but rather the inconsistency of the refs not blowing the whistle when an obvious foul is called.