Cavs Coach Kenny Atkinson Praises Darius Garland Despite All-Star Voting Exclusion

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Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson expressed surprise over Darius Garland's exclusion from All-Star voting. Garland led the team to their 12th consecutive victory on Thursday, defeating the Toronto Raptors 132-126. The Cavaliers now boast a 33-4 season record and are 20-1 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Garland's standout performance included a season-high of 40 points, alongside two rebounds and nine assists.

Evan Mobley also contributed significantly with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. The Cavaliers have now matched the fifth-best record in NBA history through 37 games. Atkinson credited Garland for the win, stating, "He carried us." He emphasized that this was the first game where one player dominated entirely. "We weren't good, you know, but he single-handedly took over this game," Atkinson added.

Garland's impressive performance nearly doubled his average of 20.4 points per game for the 2024-25 season. He is also averaging 6.7 assists and has a shooting percentage of 42.9% from beyond the arc. Despite these achievements, Garland was not included in the All-Star voting shortlist last month.

Donovan Mitchell was the only Cavaliers player to make it to the All-Star shortlist, despite being rested during Thursday's game. Atkinson questioned this decision by saying, "If he is not an All-Star, I don't know what an All-Star looks like." He further praised Garland's clutch performances and defensive skills.

The head coach continued to express his confusion about the criteria used for selecting All-Stars. "I don't know if it counts clutch numbers," he said. "He makes big plays for us at the end of the game; he's been incredible on the clutch." Atkinson believes Garland deserves to be in the top tier of players.

The Cavaliers will face off against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday before playing them again on Tuesday away from home. This upcoming schedule provides another opportunity for Garland to showcase his skills and possibly change perceptions regarding his All-Star status.