The two-man game is widely known to be James Harden’s specialty as a playmaker. It’s like his middle name, and when the LA Clippers traded him at the deadline, this was the one area that wouldn’t suffer with Darius Garland, but certainly decline to some extent. However, Rich Paul, a well-known agent, revealed on the ‘Game Over’ podcast with Max Kellerman that there is a metric, in terms of decision-making, where Garland is at the top of the league out of the pick-and-roll.
This implies the Clippers somehow improved in an aspect they didn’t expect to by trading for Garland, which is the cherry on top. Why? Because the deal already looks one-sided as a fleece in LA’s favor, considering the two-time All-Star’s success thus far in his new threads.
Honestly, though, Paul’s point makes sense based on what we’ve seen. Garland has been the ultimate ball-handler out of the pick-and-roll for the Clippers, and the benefits have helped lead to wins, which is all the Clippers need.
Darius Garland’s success in the two-man game is a result of great chemistry
Making plays for others is one of the primary ways in which Darius Garland leaves an impact. He was excellent as a Cleveland Cavalier, but with the LA Clippers, particularly after he made the adjustment to a new system, the 26-year-old has performed at an unexpectedly high level.
Unfortunately, Garland never had the opportunity to team up with Ivica Zubac; these two would have been a match made in heaven. Still, he has had opportunities with Yanic Konan Niederhauser, which went well before his season-ending injury, and more notably with Brook Lopez, Isaiah Jackson, and John Collins.
It’s become clear, following a number of points put up on the board, that Garland has been working behind the scenes on his connection with the Clippers’ frontcourt.
They know precisely where to look for the ball from the roll, which spots to be in, and the very split-second when the defense is caught off guard to gain positioning for a quality shot attempt.
This is important, as the more regular-season repetition there is, the higher the chance it will have a notable impact in the playoffs.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that Garland has gotten comfortable with Lopez in the pick-and-pop. Directly after the screen, the ball is right in the shooter’s pocket for the big man, making it easy for a quick-fire three-pointer.
That said, Garland has picked up where James Harden left off phenomenally in the passing department. There has been no trade-off, which is the realization LA was in dire need of.