In Darius Garland's eyes, he may be under the impression that his fit on the LA Clippers is that of a true, playmaking point guard. No one’s saying he is incapable of doing it. But, for the LA Clippers to actually succeed, Garland’s goal each time down the floor must be to get buckets; dishing out assists should be a secondary focus. At times, that hasn't been the case, and soon enough, it could be a reason the team is slowed down.
Garland tried a bit too hard to play the floor-general role against the New Orleans Pelicans, and he did well. Six assists and zero turnovers are efficient, no matter how you look at it. However, the Clippers lost, and part of the reason was that the 26-year-old took only 12 shots and scored 13 points.
There should be no reason why Brook Lopez has the same number of attempts in more minutes over the span of a ball game. It’s setting the Clippers up for failure.
Scoring needs to be the only thing on Darius Garland’s mind
Darius Garland is as talented a scoring point guard as there is. He legit has an entire arsenal in his back pocket, from side-step three-pointers to a high-arching floater to even a criminally underrated mid-range. And in the process, Garland is relatively efficient because he has mastered creating space for an open shot.
This is all only useful to the Clippers, though, if Garland is making a clear effort to put it on display. So far, he's been seen as too invested in running the offense, when that’s not what he’s in LA for.
To say the least, this is a concern. If Tyronn Lue doesn’t shut it down by meeting with Garland and letting him know to be himself, opponents will clamp down on the Clippers' offense with ease.
Additionally, it’s worth noting the Clippers are bottom-ten in the league in three-pointers. Who could easily raise that number up, with no effort at all? Garland. In fact, that’s literally his specialty, given his range, release, and mechanics.
In the event Garland is double-teamed or can read exactly what the defense is going to do, then creating for others is a good idea.
But, he shouldn’t be the lead ball-handler, dribbling with the intention of facilitating. That’s the last thing Garland needs to be doing, as it could really destroy the Clippers, particularly in the playoffs.