Depleted Cavs to take on Heat again

Even though the Cavaliers have provided no update on Darius Garland's condition, the club will be severely shorthanded tonight in its rematch with the Miami Heat. The Cavs (7-4), fresh off their 140-138 loss to the Heat on Monday, have ruled out Garland (left big toe, injury management), guard Donovan Mitchell (rest), forward/center Evan Mobley (rest), swingman Jaylon Tyson (head contusion) and swingman Max Strus (foot). Forward/center Larry Nance Jr. (left knee contusion) is questionable. Garland has played in just three games this year and averaged 13 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists. He is shooting .333 from the field and .368 from the 3-point line. Cleveland has averaged 140 points in the three games in which he's played. The two-time All-Star aggravated his surgically repaired left toe in the first half of the Miami game Monday. Garland started the second half and exited midway through the third quarter. "Obviously, he couldn't continue," Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said after the game. "(He) took a fall there and tried to come back." The 6-foot-1, 192-pounder missed four playoff games last year with the injury. He attempted to come back for the Indiana Pacers series wearing a steel plate in his shoe, but was largely ineffective. Garland had surgery June 8 and missed the entire preseason and the first seven regular-season games. "At the end of the day, hey, there are going to be setbacks," Mitchell said after the game. "There's going to be things that happen, right? This is all part of the process." If Garland is out for considerable time, Mitchell will likely shift to point guard and Tyson or Sam Merrill will move in at shooting guard. The Heat (7-4) will also be missing several key performers. Power forward Bam Adebayo (left big toe), guard Tyler Herro (ankle), guard Terry Rozier (not with team), guard Jahmir Young (G League) and forward Myron Gardner (G League) are out, while guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (ankle), guard Davion Mitchell (back), guard Dru Smith (knee) and center Kel'el Ware (hip) are available. Bob Finnan can be reached at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.