Darius Garland DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland (toe) will return to action on Friday against the Indiana Pacers. After missing four games due to a toe sprain, Garland has been upgraded from questionable to available and will start the contest. The first unit will also have Evan Mobley (ankle) back on Friday, giving Cleveland a much-needed boost after opening the series with two consecutive home defeats. Garland's return will move Ty Jerome back to the bench. He has been effective coming off the bench all year and should still be a factor in Friday's game.

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland (toe) is considered questionable for Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. He is still nursing a toe injury, which has kept Garland sidelined for five games. Cleveland has used Sam Merrill and Ty Jerome in his spot in the starting lineup. Jerome got his big opportunity in Game 2 but failed miserably, finishing with two points on 1-for-14 shooting. This may prompt Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson to return to Merrill if Garland is not cleared to play on Friday. Merrill notched 14 points, four rebounds, and two steals on Tuesday, marking his best postseason performance by far.

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland (toe) has been downgraded from questionable to out for Tuesday's Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers. This marks his fourth consecutive absence due to a toe injury. Sam Merrill is likely to continue filling in for Garland in the starting unit, while Ty Jerome will have a more significant role in the rotation. Jerome has averaged 17.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists since Garland exited the lineup. Due to his absence, Donovan Mitchell also takes on even more responsibility on offense.