Darius Garland gives Cavs the co-star Donovan Mitchell needs in Game 5 win over Magic -- Jimmy Watkins (2024)

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Darius Garland hears voices, and they sound repetitive during this playoff series. They sound like Marcus Morris Sr. reminding Garland to “be special,” which sometimes requires Garland to be selfish. They sound like coach J.B. Bickerstaff reminding Garland to “be aggressive” during the 100th straight huddle. And they took Donovan Mitchell’s tone after Cleveland’s 104-103 win over the Magic on Tuesday, which gave the Cavs a 3-2 lead heading back to Orlando.

The voices change. Their message doesn’t.

“Shoot,” Mitchell said after Game 5. “I don’t give a (darn). Shoot the ball. At the end of the day, go out swinging. There’s a different spark we get when (Garland is) like that. Obviously, I’ve set the tones in Games 1 and 2, but there’s a different spark when he’s continuing to go. I think that’s huge for us.

“Shoot the ball. At the end of the day, he’s a talented player. He’s an all-star-level player, and he should shoot the ball. Be you, be aggressive, and that’s what you see tonight.”

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Specifically, you saw Garland score 23 points, 17 of which came in the first quarter. You saw Cleveland’s point guard jetting past defenders with one change-of-pace dribble, then cashing pull-up jump shots when defenders backed off out of respect for his quickness. You saw a player that nobody could guard for 12 minutes, which is something the Cavs need to see more of going forward.

Mitchell called Garland “my guy,” and “my dog,” on Tuesday, and both players have used the word “brother” to describe their relationship. But the question concerning this pairing’s future is whether Mitchell’s brother — and/or his dog/guy — can double as his co-star. And the answer depends in part on how often Garland will listen to his inner voices and shoot. The. Darn. Ball.

Call it a classic case of true point guard. The diagnosis is rare these days, but the symptoms don’t lie. Garland can drive past most defenders and shoot from any spot on the floor. But he prefers to pass first, volume-scoring skillset be darned. So when he’s asked to do otherwise, the request can buffer his hoops brain.

Case in point: Garland attempted just 10.7 shots per game during the first four games of this series, which is four fewer than his career average and far fewer than Cleveland wants in an offensively-challenged series. He averaged two fewer drives per game and 1.4 fewer shots s at the rim than he did in the regular season. And according to Morris, our resident point guard doctor, Garland’s unselfish nature explains his passivity.

“I think it’s more so trying to keep everybody involved,” Morris said. “He is the point guard. His job is to keep guys involved. So sometimes I think ... it’s a give and take, man. You want to be super aggressive, but you want everybody to touch the ball, want everybody to have a feel for the ball.

“In times like this, he realized (he has to) get his first, and then it will open up for everybody else.”

Times like these are hard on TPGs because the postseason is filled with moments that demand they ignore their instincts. The right basketball play is not always the right playoff basketball play, because the wrong basketball player can ruin the right play during a ripe playoff moment.

Hard to follow? Try it this way: The Cavs beat Orlando by one point on Tuesday in part because Garland saved their first-quarter offense. The non-Garland Cavs scored 16 points on 7-of-18 shooting to begin the game, but they still led by 10 because of Garland’s 17-point burst. It’s not only a good thing Garland found his rhythm, but also a good thing he leaned into it. Because who knows how Game 5 would’ve finished without his flamethrowing.

You shudder to think, but you don’t have to worry. Garland deployed a “shot-first mentality” on Tuesday, which is to say he ignored his own inner voice and heeded the ones he keeps hearing.

They’re talking again now, and they sound like Bickerstaff praising Garland for the point guard’s aggressive mindset. They sound like Max Strus explaining that Garland proved he’s one of the most talented players at his position during Game 5. And they’re taking Mitchell’s tone to remind you that what you saw Tuesday night needs to be replicated.

The Cavs have proven nothing until they win this series, Mitchell said. And they might need another Garland spree to do that.

“It’s gonna be crazy to say: “He could’ve shot more,” Mitchell said. “That’s the mindset. He was doing things that show signs of growth within the series.

“... He was phenomenal throughout the whole game, and that’s my guy. He’s always even keel, always happy go lucky, and to see him have a night like that is great. But we’re greedy. We’ve got to do it again.”