If an NBA game is close late, give the ball to Darius Garland, and watch him deliver.
The Cavaliers’ All-Star guard might not be the first player you think of in that scenario. But he’s a huge reason Cleveland is on a 16-game winning streak and has the best record in the league.
And by the numbers, Garland is the most clutch player in the NBA.
The league defines clutch time as any point in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within five points.
And in clutch time this season, Garland is shooting 58.7 percent. That’s the best of any player with at least 80 points in clutch time.
All told, the Cavaliers have had 27 games at least temporarily reach clutch time. Garland averages 3.4 points per game in clutch time, which the high-flying Cavs often quickly move out of by establishing a bigger lead.
Just as impressive, Garland has shot 57.1 percent from 3-point range in clutch time. He is also top-20 in the league in clutch time assists (0.6 per game).
Garland is just ahead of Donovan Mitchell in clutch time scoring. The former Jazz star averages 3.0 points per game in clutch time, but on a much less efficient 39.5 percent from the floor.
Cleveland certainly has benefited from Garland’s play. You don’t have a season with win streaks of 16, 15 and 12 without making plays down the stretch of close games.
