Cavaliers: Darius Garland is small, but has a big personality

Darius Garland might be one of the smallest players on the team, but he possesses a huge persona. "He has the type of personality that draws people in," Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "He embraces everyone the same immediately." The All-Star point guard is having the best season of his career. He helps form one of the most potent backcourts in the NBA alongside Donovan Mitchell. Bickerstaff said players want to follow Garland, a team leader despite being just 23 years old. "People want to play for him," he said. "Not every point guard has that (quality). Great leaders do have that and great point guards do, and I think Darius is on his way to being that." The 6-foot-1, 192-pounder is averaging a career-high 22.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 7.9 assists (seventh in the NBA). His shooting numbers have skyrocketed. Garland is converting .470 from the field and .432 from the 3-point line, both career highs. His free throw percentage has dropped to .856, even though his free throw with 10.7 seconds remaining in the Charlotte Hornets game Sunday proved to be the game-winner in the 114-108 victory. Garland finished with a game-high 28 points, six rebounds, six assists and one steal against the Hornets. Mitchell added 23 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. The two guards, however, combined to shoot 2-of-16 from the 3-point line. The Cavs (43-27), gunning for their first 50-win season since 2017-18, remained in North Carolina after Sunday's game and will face the Hornets at 7 o'clock tonight at the Spectrum Center. Garland missed the Miami Heat game Friday with a quad strain. He returned Sunday in a big way. However, the same can't be said for Cavs center Jarrett Allen. He missed the Charlotte game with a contusion to his right eye. The Cavs said he has no structural damage. Allen was poked in the eye by Miami center Bam Adebayo with about four minutes remaining in Friday's game and immediately was taken off the court. It's doubtful he'll play in tonight's game. The Cavs shifted Evan Mobley to center without Allen and Lamar Stevens started at power forward. Contact Bob Finnan at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on Twitter.