Representing one of the great stories of the season, the rise of Darius Garland and more generally of the Cavaliers has remade Cleveland a city where basketball is truly fashionable. And for once, it’s not thanks to a man from Ohio whose name begins with LeBron and ends with James.
Little riddle of the day: when was the last qualification in the Cavaliers Playoffs without the presence of LeBron in the team? We give you a clue, you have to go back to the previous millennium and it was the year when Zizou transported France to the roof of the world with his two headbutts against Brazil. Yes yes, we are talking about 1998. Another era, almost another world, world in which Shawn Kemp, Wesley Person and Zydrunas Ilgauskas guided Cleveland to a 47-win season before falling in the first round of the Playoffs against Reggie Miller’s Pacers. Then, during the two decades that followed, the Cavs obviously reached the heights thanks to a certain number 23, with nine qualifications in the postseason including five participations in the NBA Finals and the famous title of 2016. But in the midst of these moments of glory , there were also dark periods coinciding each time with the departure of LeBron under other skies. No qualification in the Playoffs between 2010 and 2014, no campaign with more than 22 victories in the three seasons following the signing of the King to the Lakers in 2018, in other words, the Cavaliers have often struggled to fill the huge void left by James.
Except that today things are different, Cleveland being suddenly back in the eastern heights. We didn’t really expect it at the start of the season, at least not so quickly and not so spectacularly, but the results are there: record of 27 wins for 18 losses, and a spot in the Top 4 of the conference . What put stars in the eyes of Darius Garland, who wants to punctuate this very loving season of the post-LeBron Cavs with a qualification ‘in the Playoffs, or even more.
“Having our own legacy, which has nothing to do with Bron, would be really cool. And then to make a run in the Playoffs without Bron for the first time in so long, that would be amazing. Just having the city pushing us, they’ve been waiting for that for a long time. Making the Playoffs would mean a lot to the city of Cleveland and the Cavaliers franchise. »
– Darius Garland, via The Athletic
Over the past two decades, the Cavaliers have always been linked to LeBron. The success and the Playoff campaigns when he was there, the impact of his absence when he was playing in sunny Miami and then Los Angeles. In short, the Cleveland franchise has never really managed to build something solid without the King and thus come out of its shadow. Until this 2021-22 campaign, where the Cavs are among the big surprises of the season, with Garland potentially All-Star for the first time in his career (in Cleveland moreover), an Evan Mobley in Rookie of the Year mode, an equally valuable Jarrett Allen in the racket and a JB Bickerstaff present in the race for the title of Coach of the Year (no joke). It still looks pretty much like the dream scenario, even if the Cavaliers have also been hit by adversity (injury to Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio in particular). This adversity could have weighed down Cleveland but the Darius band continues its merry way, it remains on five consecutive victories. This is serious !
Darius Garland and the Cavaliers are writing their own history. A story that is only on its first pages but a story that really promises a lot. Something to bring back some memories of the golden years, when Akron’s number 23 was in town.
Source image : The Athletic
“Having our own legacy without having anything with ‘Bron to do with it, that would be pretty cool” – Cavs emerging star Darius Garland sits down with @Stadium to discuss his growth, franchise’s rise, Cleveland’s push for first non-LeBron playoff berth since 1998, more. pic.twitter.com/iKBgdeGnbr
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 19, 2022
