Cavs vs. Knicks: Game Preview

Another game, another day without Darius Garland in the lineup.

That remains the story for the Cavaliers, who again listed Garland as out for Sunday’s home game vs. the Knicks.

But hey, it’s gone OK so far. These things aren’t related, but the Cavs (4-1) only lost the first game — the game in which Garland played. For the first half, anyway. Since then, they’ve been riding the likes of Donovan Mitchell, Caris LeVert, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, among others.

Nonetheless, you have to think the Cavs would’ve had a better chance to hang on and beat the Raptors in the opener if Garland had played the whole game. Instead, his swollen eye is not quite ready for action.

“He’s improving. He’s doing more and more on the floor,’ coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters. “But, at this point it’s really a safety issue and not putting him in a compromising situation.”

So for now, the Cavs will have to just keep right on doing what they’ve been doing — finding a way to win without, in the words of Mitchell, their “elite” guard.

Cavs vs. Knicks

• RECORDS: Cavs 4-1; Knicks 3-2
• TIPOFF: 6 p.m. EST
• LOCATION: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
• TV: Bally Sports Ohio
• INJURIES: Cavs – Garland (eye) out; Dylan Windler (ankle) out; Ricky Rubio (knee) out; Knicks – Quentin Grimes (foot) out.

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