In a relaxed interview hosted by Baron Davis with contributions from Draymond Green, Cleveland guard Darius Garland reflects on a pivotal "grown‑man" conversation he had with teammate Donovan Mitchell over the summer that unlocked their backcourt chemistry and set the stage for the Cavs' surge toward the Eastern Conference Finals. Garland explains how the dialogue clarified roles—Mitchell as the primary scorer and Garland as the facilitator—allowing both to play to their strengths. He describes the impact of the team's expanded roster of versatile 7‑footers (Lauri Markkanen, Evan Mobley, Isaac Okoro) and role players (Max Strus, Caris LeVert, Nick Niang, Tyrese Haliburton) on reducing ball‑handling load and creating better spacing. The conversation shifts to Garland’s pursuit of the elite 50‑40‑90 shooting club, noting its rarity and his focus on efficiency rather than the label. He attributes his high field‑goal percentage to easy layups generated by big‑men screens and the team's offensive system, while acknowledging the importance of concentration at the free‑throw line. Draymond Green interjects with a technical critique, challenging Garland’s claim that big men make layups “easy,” praising Garland’s skill in executing last‑second drop‑off passes and navigating defensive cat‑and‑mouse situations. Throughout, the tone remains conversational and enthusiastic, with moments of supportive affirmation and constructive criticism, painting a picture of a mature, self‑aware backcourt driving the Cavs’ success.
Chapters
Man, you and Donovan Mitchell, y'all look great this year together after 3 seasons. You know, it looked like y'all finally finding y'all groove. I remember playing with David Wesley, you know, and when you, you know, it's like almost similar size backcourt, right? It take you a little bit of time to figure out, like, okay, he's a point guard too, used to having the ball in his hand, you know, I'm a point guard, this is what I really wanna do. Like, when did y'all really, like, what was it, a play, or when did y'all really feel like y'all was locked in, you know, as teammates? And when did you feel like, okay, I'm the point guard, you the 2, but I understand, you know, how you flowing? Yeah.
To be completely honest, bro, I'm gonna really say this summer.
Yeah.
Really, really got locked in on what we really wanna do and what we wanna accomplish. He knew that I was pretty upset about last year and not having the performance that I wanted and what he wanted. And as like a team perspective, yeah, we just sat down and talked and we just really explained to each other like, this is what we gonna have to do to win. This is what we gonna have to do to get to the Eastern Conference Finals and to the Finals. And yeah, it was like a grown man conversation. Just really sat down and just unfolded everything. That's like probably like the first grown man conversation I had in the league so far.
Wow.
It was like a lot of—
That's dope.
Yeah, it was like a lot of release off my shoulders., and I know it was a lot of release off his as well. Cause I know the tandem can work perfectly. Uh, he's a scoring guard and I like to play make. And then coming to this year, he's used to averaging 30 and high 20s, but now this year his minutes are down low and he's not averaging 25, he's averaging like 23, 24. And we the number one team in the league.
Mm-hmm. Right.
Like he just realized what the talent that he had around him and he's just letting me facilitate and he's just playing off me a lot more as well. Just trying to get him open shots and open looks. 'Cause everybody's gonna hound him on the, on the offensive end. 'Cause he's Donovan Mitchell, raining off.
Right.
He's an MVP candidate. So just trying to get him some easy ones, get him going. And when we need to make some tough shots, that's when he can go be, go be Spider that everybody else knows.
Yeah, I like that. I feel like that grown man conversation, you can see, 'cause that's how y'all operating in the backcourt, like grown professionals. Y'all taking care of each other. And you know, sometimes it's not even communication, it's the know. And you can tell he'll playmake for you to get you going, right? At the same time, you're doing the same thing for him. You know, and I, I, you can see the maturity. I just like the fact that, you know, that's your first grown man conversation and it's with your backcourt mate.
Nah, it, it definitely took us over the top. What I believe, 'cause that was my thing. Like my first All-Star year had Lauri Markkanen, Jared Allen, Evan Mobley as a rookie, Isaac Okoro. Like I thought I had to do it all by myself. He felt the same way in Utah before he came over here. So it's like now we got a dynamic duo with these two 7-footers down here that can move their feet on the defensive end, block shots, and then catch lobs, break screens on the offensive end. So let's figure this thing out. And then we bring Max Strus, George, Niang, uh, Ty.
Ty.
Big Ty hooping.
Uh, Yes, he is.
Like, you know, we got, we got a lot more pieces now, so we don't have to do as much on the ball. We can get off the ball a little bit more and they can go make a play for themselves. So I mean, it was a perfect dynamic for sure.
You staring down the possibility of joining the exclusive 50-40-90 club this season. I know you're a team-first guy, but how important is it for a point guard to be in this club, especially in the season you having?
Man, it's cool. I mean, I think it's like 8 guys in the NBA history that's actually done it. And actually completed it for an entire season, which is pretty tough to do. But I mean, it's cool just having the stats and like a great field goal percentage. Like Draymond said, like at my size, it's pretty hard. So I mean, it's cool just being up there with some of those guys. I haven't been completed yet for an entire season, so I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna like jump into it. But I mean, it's cool just being recognized like that. It's cool to have some stats like that for sure.
you walk into the game, right? It's not like you saying I'm 50-40-90, you hitting those marks. You walking in the game like, what is that? What does that feel, right? 'Cause you at a high clip right now.
That's crazy.
Like what is that confidence? What's that feel, bro? It's gotta be a feel, bro.
Yeah, I mean just going in with confidence, bro. Just trying to play the right way. Be aggressive when I can, but just trying to take the right shots, playing the system a little bit, you know, but just trying to be aggressive at all times. Trying to get in the paint as much as possible. And then with the lob threats that we got, I mean, everybody going back to their man, they 5 man. 5s don't never want their bigs to score ever.
That's true.
Draymond Green is doing right now. I'm getting some easy layups, so, That's why the field goal percentage so high. I'm getting looks from the 3-point line. Our bigs had some really good screens for me to come off and get some open looks. And then my teammates setting me up so well. So, and then the free throw percentage, I mean, that's just focus and concentration. So not too much to say about free throws.
I be pretty focused and concentrated when I'm going to the free throw line. My shit not like that.
He's crazy.
Don't tell me it's just focus and concentration. That's not true. That's just simply not true. You just made that sound less difficult than what I see.
I'm difficult now?
No, I'm talking about one thing you said in specific, which is specifically, which is you said, "Bigs don't want their, their centers don't want their men to score, so I'm getting easy layups." I disagree with that. I agree that centers don't like their men to score, but I think you do such an incredible job of keeping, like, what we're taught as bigs is to cat and mouse. Like, never give up. Like, if you're gonna fully commit to the guard, never give up if you're completely taking the big away when you're in that 2-on-1 situation. And you do it just about as well as anyone where you will literally pass the ball at the very last second. Like, if you get all the way to the rim and you about to lay the ball up, and finally I go because I have to go at that point, you do as good a job as anyone of them making that drop-off pass after you get that guy to commit at the last second. And that's such an incredible skill. So I, I, I have to disagree with you there, uh, where you say I'm getting easy layups because I got live threats, because I, I, I get a lot of guys with live threats in that situation and they can't finish. Like, and so they can't finish that layup, don't know when to take that layup. And if they drop that ball off, you better believe it, I'm going to steal it and go the other way. And you do it as well as anyone in this league. So I just wanted to throw that out there. Why you make it sound so easy?
