NBA Notes: Cavs, Darius Garland, Pistons, Cade Cunningham, Raptors

Cavaliers

Cavaliers All-Star point guard Darius Garland is listed as questionable for Tuesday’s road game against the  Magic due to the ongoing hip issues. Garland sustained the injury during Friday’s victory over the Knicks, forcing him to miss Sunday’s win over the Grizzlies.

Following Sunday’s game, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson expressed confidence that Garland’s injury wouldn’t be a long-term concern.

“My amateur opinion is this is probably [a] one [game absence],” Atkinson told reporters. “I don’t think it’s going to be long-term. I’d anticipate him being ready very soon. I’m not going to guarantee next game, but I’d say, you know, [it’s] trending that way.”

Garland has missed only three games this season, all of which resulted in victories for Cleveland.

If Garland is unable to play against Orlando, the Cavaliers will need to compensate for his absence. Although the Magic are struggling, their defense remains formidable, which could pose problems for Cleveland’s ball handlers. Ty Jerome filled in admirably for Garland in the win over Memphis, and he may be asked to step up again if Garland is sidelined.

• Atkinson opted to start Isaac Okoro in place of Garland on Sunday, a decision based on the matchup with Memphis’ Ja Morant. He also considered starting De’Andre Hunter or Dean Wade. With Orlando’s size on the wing, it seems likely one of those players would start if Garland is unavailable.
• Garland is enjoying a career-best season, averaging 21.3 points and 6.7 assists per game, with a career-high effective field goal percentage of 58.9%.
• Cleveland has no other players listed on the injury report, though its three two-way players have been ruled out for Tuesday’s game. The Magic will be without Jalen Suggs (quad) and Mo Wagner (knee).

Pistons

Cade Cunningham, fresh off his first All-Star selection, continues to impress with his all-around game. In Sunday’s matchup against Atlanta, he recorded 38 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks.

Backup Dennis Schroder praised Cunningham’s play, drawing comparisons to Luka Dončić.

“He reminds me of Luka a lot,” Schroder said, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “I followed his game very closely. It’s impressive how he picks the defense apart. He’s really unselfish. A lot of people don’t do that if they’ve got it going, not shooting. I don’t know how many shots he took in the second half.”

• Cunningham’s performance this season could also earn him a spot on the All-NBA team, a distinction that would increase the value of the maximum-salary extension he signed last summer.
• If named to the All-NBA team, Cunningham’s starting salary would jump from 25% to 30% of the cap, raising the total value of his five-year contract from $224 million to approximately $269 million.

Raptors

Chris Boucher’s name surfaced in trade rumors leading up to the deadline, but the Toronto Raptors big man was confident he would remain with the team. He maintained steady communication with the front office during that period, which helped put his mind at ease.

“I won’t lie to you, I think it was the most peaceful deadline I had compared to the other years,” Boucher said in an interview with William Lou of RaptorsRepublic.com. “I was also talking with (general manager Bobby Webster) and all of them, and I never thought I was going to be going away.

“The media says one thing, but really, the GM, and the people around here would have told me if something would have happened, and then I would have been a little bit more concerned.”

Boucher is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, unless he reaches an extension with the team before then