The mood shifted inside Xfinity Arena when Cleveland Cavaliers star Darius Garland, who had been carving up the Philadelphia 76ers’ defense, was forced to the locker room after a painful-looking collision. The immediate concern was palpable on the Cleveland bench.

Why did Darius Garland leave the game? What injury did he suffer?

During the third quarter, with about 4:15 left on the clock, Garland dribbled the ball into defender Jabari Walker, who collided with him, leaving the ball loose.

During the collision, Garland appeared to injure his leg, holding onto it while in pain as the 76ers scored on the other end. Immediately afterward, head coach Kenny Atkinson called a timeout. The player was examined by trainer Steve Spiro after returning to the team’s bench and was soon taken to the locker room.

After some time, the Cavaliers announced that Garland had been ruled out for the rest of the game with a right foot injury.

Crucially, this is not the same foot he had surgery on this offseason that has bothered him throughout the year.

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How did Darius Garland perform before leaving?

Darius Garland played well before exiting tonight’s game. In 23 minutes, the guard scored 20 points on 8 of 13 shooting, as well as three three-pointers, and added seven assists, three rebounds, and a steal. He also logged a +10 plus/minus, highlighting his impact as a floor general for Atkinson’s squad.

The guard had recently begun to bounce back to his All-Star form after a poor start to the season. He averaged 22.5 points and 7 assists across the last four games. Only time will tell how severe his injury turns out to be.

How did the Cleveland Cavaliers adjust without Garland?

In Garland’s absence, the Cavaliers leaned on reserve guards Craig Porter Jr. and Lonzo Ball to orchestrate the offense. Both of them performed well, combining for 10 total points, seven assists, and seven rebounds. However, with Garland out, much of the offensive responsibility fell to Donovan Mitchell, who led the team to a win with an elite 35-point performance.

This injury marks the latest setback in a disastrous season for Garland, who already missed a significant portion of the campaign last year while recovering from a big toe surgery on his left leg. After a promising 2024-25 campaign that saw the guard return to the All-Star game after a two-year absence, this season has reignited trade rumors around Garland, whose numbers have dropped across the board, despite logging similar minutes.

Right now, the Cavaliers have given no indication that an exit is impending for Garland.

Just over a week ago, reports from NBA insider Michael Scotto indicated they’ve rebuffed any offers for the All-Star, but general sentiment among opposing executives is that a trade is much more likely in the offseason if it were to take place, especially with the mounting second-apron penalties.