The Los Angeles Clippers made one of the more intriguing moves of last month’s trade deadline when they sent 11-time NBA All-Star James Harden out and brought Darius Garland in from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It was a significant change in identity for Los Angeles. Swapping out a ball-dominant guard like Harden for another high-level point guard was never going to be a seamless transition in the middle of a playoff race. Some adjustment was always going to be necessary. Garland, however, has settled in quickly and has already given the Clippers reason to believe that they made the right move–especially when considering that he is 10 years younger than Harden.
Through his first eight games in Los Angeles, the 26-year-old guard is averaging 24.1 points on 49 percent shooting, along with 4.4 three-pointers on an elite 49.3 percent clip. He has also added 2.6 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Those are excellent numbers for any stretch, let alone for a player learning an unfamiliar system and new teammates midseason.
His performance in the Clippers’ most recent game offered the clearest glimpse yet of what this partnership can become. Garland poured in 41 points in a 138–131 win over the Dallas Mavericks, shooting 15-of-24 from the field and knocking down eight three-pointers. He also finished with three rebounds, 11 assists, a steal, and a block.
The win was especially important given the context. Los Angeles had dropped four straight games, wiping away the momentum it had built from its previous four-game winning streak, and badly needed someone to steady things. Garland did far more than that in this win over Dallas.
The Clippers are still in the thick of the playoff hunt at 35–36, good for eighth in the Western Conference. They remain four games behind the Phoenix Suns for the seventh seed, so a climb out of play-in territory is still mathematically possible, though unlikely at this point with 11 games left on their schedule. More likely than not, Los Angeles will have to fight its way into the playoffs the hard way through the play-in and on the road.
That should not make any of their Western Conference rivals comfortable.
Garland’s arrival has created a potent partnership with Kawhi Leonard, who is in the midst of the best offensive season of his career. Together, they are beginning to look like one of the league’s better one-two punches. Garland brings a steady pace, shot creation, and playmaking, making him an ideal partner to set up and coexist with Leonard. As the two continue to grow more familiar with one another, the Clippers should only become more dangerous.
This was never going to click overnight. A transition period was expected, and there may still be uneven nights ahead. But Garland has already brought clarity to the Clippers’ offense and has shown that he can thrive in this environment.
Los Angeles may still have to go through the play-in, but it is not the kind of team any higher seed will want to see. Garland’s arrival has raised both the floor and the ceiling of this group, and beyond this season, it has also given the Clippers something equally important: a two-time All-Star point guard entering his prime who can help lead them into what looks like a promising future.
