Despite his hot streak, the Los Angeles Clippers star guard is still very underrated.
Darius Garland has been on a tear for the Los Angeles Clippers. Ever since making his debut with the team earlier this month, Garland has been one of the best offensive guards in the league. Averaging 21.
1 points and 6.8 assists on 50.6/51.2/82.6 shooting splits in 27.7 minutes per game, Garland is playing the best basketball of his career. Yet, the former two-time All-Star continues to be severely underrated.list has Garland ranked 54th. In the little blurb, Garland is described as "held back by his lack of durability and size." While it's true that Garland is an undersized guard and has been dealing with injury concerns, especially this season, his ranking is still disrespectful.Taking a glance at the players ranked above Garland, so many names that don't belong stand out. Ranking ex-Clipper Norman Powell above Garland at 53 is hard to justify. Amen Thompson, with immense upside thanks to his athleticism and physicality, is at 38 despite being completely unproven and a potential offensive liability in the playoffs. Keyonte George of the Utah Jazz, who has yet to play a meaningful game in his career, is also above the Clippers guard. Among guards who play a similar role, Garland still ranks below James Harden , LaMelo Ball , De'Aaron Fox , and Austin Reaves . If one has a problem with Garland's defense, they need to have it with all of the players named above as well. If Garland's availability is an issue, how does one justify ranking Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis, and Joel Embiid all above him? Franz Wagner, who missed more of the season than Garland, is also 12 spots ahead of the talented guard. Yes, in today's NBA, size, physicality, and athleticism are as important as ever. Small guards have a target on their back on defense and can struggle creating good shots on offense in the playoffs. Even if we accept the idea that Garland may be a better regular-season player than the playoffs, we can't disregard the fact that his skill set is still the most valuable in the NBA: being an engine that can consistently generate good offense. Garland can create shots for himself and others. He can run the pick-and-roll, hit off-the-dribble threes, or find the open man. He can dribble, pass, shoot, and score, making him a complete offensive player. Plus, he doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective. As an elite catch-and-shoot player, he can fit seamlessly as an off-ball player next to another ball-dominant star. It's not a coincidence that he was a part of the best offense in the league last season in Cleveland, and the Clippers have an over 130 offensive rating with him and Kawhi Leonard on the floor this season. The Clippers didn't skip a beat going from Harden, allegedly the 20th-best player in the league, to Garland, the 54th-best player in the league, this season. They are arguably playing their best basketball of the season right now with Garland at the helm. If this continues, it's all but guaranteed that the dynamic point guard will be significantly higher on this list in the next edition.Cem has worked as an Associate Editor for FanSided's Regional Betting Network sites for two years and continues to be a contributor, producing NBA and NFL content. He has also previously written soccer content for Sports Illustrated. He has extensive prior experience covering the NBA for various Fansided sites. Cem has been living in the Washington, DC area for over 15 years since moving to the United States from Istanbul, Turkey. On any given day, he can be found watching soccer or basketball on his couch with his many cats and dogs.Clippers Have a Higher Playoff Ceiling Than You Think
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Kings Reportedly Have Eyes Set on Polarizing NBA Draft ProspectThe Sacramento Kings are reportedly 'really big fans' of Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr.
Read more »
Allen Iverson co-signs Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff as he receives a historic Reebok dealAcuff made history with Reebok by becoming the first NCAA men’s athlete to receive a signature shoe with a major U.S. brand while still in college.
Read more »
3 Anime With Seriously Dark Endings (#1 Is Hard to Rewatch)These anime have seriously dark endings, and they'll leave viewers thinking about them longer after they're done.
Read more »
Arkansas Star Darius Acuff Jr. Lands Historic Reebok Shoe DealRazorbacks freshman Darius Acuff Jr. signs a signature shoe deal with Reebok, becoming the first NCAA men's athlete to achieve this with a major U.S. brand while still in college. His outstanding performance in the SEC and NCAA tournament has led to this landmark deal, alongside projections for the 2026 NBA draft.
Read more »
Kawhi Leonard scores 27 as the Clippers beat the Raptors 119-94Kawhi Leonard had a game-high 27 points, Darius Garland added 24, and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Toronto Raptors 119-94.
Read more »
Kawhi Leonard scores 27 as the Clippers beat the Raptors 119-94- Kawhi Leonard had 27 points, Darius Garland added 24, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Toronto Raptors 119-94 on Wednesday night.
Read more »