Is Darius Garland playing today, November 21, for Cavaliers vs Pacers?

The Cleveland Cavaliers face the Indiana Pacers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in NBA Cup action, a matchup that could prove pivotal as the competition continues to gain momentum and attract more attention. With stars playing an increasingly important role in these knockout-style games, one question stands out: Will Darius Garland play?

Darius Garland could make his return from injury on Friday, as he is listed as questionable for the game against the Pacers. The update aligns with earlier reports from Wednesday suggesting the guard was nearing a return to game action.

The report regarding Garland’s potential comeback against Indiana came from Shams Charania, and the possibility now appears realistic. Garland has appeared in only three games this season while dealing with a lingering toe issue that also bothered him at the end of last year.

In his three appearances this NBA season, Garland has averaged 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists in 24 minutes per game. He has yet to rediscover the rhythm he showed last season, but if he manages to stay healthy from this point forward, he will remain one of Cleveland’s key players to watch.

Darius Garland #10 of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

How the teams enter the matchup

Beyond Garland, the Cavs have several other names on their injury report. Jarrett Allen is also questionable with a right finger strain, while rookie Jaylon Tyson remains in concussion protocol. Sam Merrill will miss his second straight game due to a right hand sprain.

see also

D’Angelo Russell’s accountability issues reportedly irritate Mavericks teammates

Cleveland enter the night at 10-6 and face a Pacers group that look very different from the team that eliminated the Cavs in the second round last spring. The Cavs are trying to position themselves once again among the top teams in their conference this season.

Indiana, meanwhile, are 2-13 and have been hit hard by injuries, headlined by Tyrese Haliburton’s ruptured Achilles suffered in Game 7 of last year’s Finals. Haliburton dominated Cleveland in that postseason series and was central to Indiana’s run.

The Pacers also lost Myles Turner in free agency to the Bucks and have been without key rotation pieces such as Aaron Nesmith and Obi Toppin. What was a Finals-caliber roster six months ago is now a patchwork group simply trying to stay afloat.