It was a long wait for Los Angeles Clippers fans and basketball fans in general to see Darius Garland back on the court. Traded at the deadline for James Harden, he finally made his much-anticipated debut for his new squad against the Golden State Warriors. And his impact was almost immediate.
After his first game in a new jersey, the star point guard had a hilarious reaction to registering his first win with the Clippers.
Darius Garland Shows Flashes During Clippers Debut
After arriving in LA, fans had to wait a bit to see Garland in action. They finally got the opportunity against Golden State, and the early returns were promising. After going down by as much as 17 points, he played a key role in the comeback for Los Angeles, eventually guiding them to a much-needed win.
While on a minutes restriction coming off the bench, Garland still logged 23 minutes of action in the victory. Recording 12 points and 2 assists, he hit two 3-pointers to kickstart the comeback.
There were growing pains with a new roster, though, as Garland committed 5 turnovers against his 2 assists. But a 17-point comeback victory to keep their postseason hopes alive is a result virtually every Clippers fan would take. So would the excitement Garland had after the game, as he spoke to reporters on the court.
Shouting out, “Hell yeah,” his joy was contagious as he laughed his way back to the locker room, clearly pleased with the results of his debut.
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A first-round pick for the Cleveland Cavaliers after the LeBron James era came to an end for the second time, Garland quickly rose up the ranks to stardom, becoming an efficient bucket getter and floor general.
Good for 20 points and 8 assists per night at his peak, he also earned two All-Star selections. However, a piling injury history over the last calendar year hurt his standing within the organization, eventually forcing them to pull the trigger.
After winning 64 games last season, a toe injury that required surgery in the offseason hurt Cleveland’s chances in the playoffs, where they bowed out to the Indiana Pacers. This year, too, injury concerns forced him to miss a ton of time.
Not on the court since January 14, as the Cavaliers started the season much worse than their previous year’s lofty win total, a change seemed necessary. As a result, the Harden trade came into existence, and Garland was moving to a different team for the first time in his career.
