Garland avoid serious injury after leaving the game against the Wizards.
The Cleveland Cavaliers couldn’t have asked for a much better start to the season. They could be headed for their first bit of real adversity as Darius Garland exited Tuesday’s game against the Washington Wizards with a head injury. He was evaluated for a concussion and did not return to Tuesday’s game.
Garland suffered the injury after bumping into Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas. He was able to gingerly walk off the floor on his own, but immediately went to the locker room accompanied by head athletic trainer Steve Spiro.
Garland has played all but one game for the Cavs this season. He was having a nice game before suffering the injury as he had 12 points on 4-7 shooting with three assists and a steal in just under 17 minutes.
The Cavaliers have a busy week ahead of them. They play the Denver Nuggets, Charlotte Hornets, and Miami Heat in the next five days.
Garland is in the midst of the best season of his career. He’s averaging 20.8 points on .492/.452/.949 shooting splits with 6.9 assists per game. The Cavs offense has been phenomenal when Garland is on the floor as they registered a 124.4 offensive rating with him playing. That’s good for the 95th percentile.
Update: Head coach Kenny Atkinson and Garland himself downplayed the injury after the game.
“He looked fine in the locker room,” Atkinson said. “It doesn’t look like anything that will hold him out.”
Garland was his normal self in the locker room afterward. He compared the hit with Valanciunas to a car crash but backed up what Atkinson said.
“I’m good, I’m alive,” Garland said before laughing.