It’s almost time for the Cavaliers’ second act, and while they have the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, they know the NBA playoffs are how they will be judged.
They also know that the second-seeded Boston Celtics are the champs until someone can knock them off. Just ask Darius Garland.
The All-Star point guard said in an interview with Run It Back on FanDuel Sports TV that he views the Celtics as the Cavaliers’ biggest rival entering the playoffs.
“They probably think of us like we’re their little brother,” Garland said. “So, probably the Celtics and OKC maybe.”
Cleveland (64-18) hit the 60-win mark for just the third time in franchise history, and the first time without LeBron James. Now, they get to wait a week before Game 1 of their first-round series at Rocket Arena on Sunday.
The Cavaliers also must wait until Friday before even learning who their opponent will be. The options are the Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, or Miami Heat — whoever falls into the eighth spot in the play-in tournament.
When asked if he had a preference, Garland just smiled. “I get to answer quietly, right?” he said.
As for having a week off and not knowing who they’ll face, he indicated it’s not that big of a deal.
“I don’t think it’s a disadvantage because we see everyone (multiple) times a year,” Garland said. “I would like to know who to prepare for, but like I said, we’ve seen everybody three or four times, so we know the matchups, we know all the schemes and stuff that we’re gonna do. It’s just tough with the whole week off.”
Garland, 25, completed a career regular season in which he averaged 20.6 points and 6.7 assists, lifting the Cavs to a banner season along with the likes of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and many others. He also played 75 games one year after being repeatedly sidelined with major injuries, including a broken jaw.
“That’s probably the healthiest season I’ve had in my career,” he said. “Playing 75 games is truly an honor. In the past couple years I haven’t even hit 60 probably. Just playing so many games and being there for my teammates and the coaching staff, and even the fans. It’s been really just being out on the floor and doing something I love.”
You can check out the full interview below:
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