Fans of the LA Clippers saw how Darius Garland performed against the Memphis Grizzlies and the New York Knicks, on a minutes restriction, and immediately want to believe he’s back. Understandably so, everyone has waited years for a young point guard to take over the scene. But, on the ‘Game Theory Podcast,’ Sam Vecenie mentioned concerns around a lack of burst and suddenness, causing optimists to hold their horses.
Garland has had back-to-back 20-point games for the Clippers, 21 points and six assists at Memphis, and 23 points and seven assists versus the New York Knicks, but in both, his field-goal percentage was in the lower-40’s. This is part of the concern.
Additionally, the eye test explains exactly what Vecenie is talking about. His life has been difficult to navigate around defenses, particularly at his first step, which is why fans must not overhype what they’ve seen so far.
The explosiveness from Darius Garland still needs time to progress
Scoring the rock is clearly Darius Garland’s niche, and it’s something he’ll be doing for the LA Clippers for a very long time. He also doesn't have to prove himself here, as the fans and organization have seen it for years on the Cleveland Cavaliers.
But, since debuting for the Clippers, how has he gotten his buckets? Are they tough, heavily contested shots he had to work for? Or are they self-created spaces he initiated with his handle and burst?
To Sam Vecenie’s point, Garland has had a tough time making the game effortless. He has struggled to maintain an unpredictable pace, change directions seamlessly, and simply be quick with the basketball. Â
These are all of the areas he excelled in, which made him a beast on the Cavaliers and essentially an All-Star not once, but twice.
Right now, the hope is that with time, Garland will slowly flip the script on each of his shortcomings, one by one, and will eventually turn into the player fans want him to be: an exhilarating star in a Clippers’ uniform for the long run. Patience will, of course, be required in the process.
But, there’s also a chance the nightmare comes that Garland’s burst faded away through the lingering toe injuries with Cleveland.
No one knows, and won’t know, until the offseason, when there’s a sufficient sample size to evaluate. Thus, the high hopes must be held off for the foreseeable future.