The Cleveland Cavaliers looked like a juggernaut for much of last season. 64 wins, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and a first-round sweep of Miami. But anything can happen in the playoffs, and the Indiana Pacers proved it, ending Cleveland’s run in the second round.
Both teams came in hot from their first-round matchups, but the Cavaliers entered the series without their starting point guard Darius Garland. He missed two games against Miami and two more against Indiana. Returning at less than full health, he managed just 14.0 points per game on 34% shooting, doing little to change the series as Cleveland fell short.
It’s a storyline that still lingers over the Cavaliers’ season, and Garland isn’t shying away from it. Appearing on SiriusXM NBA Radio, he made it clear he believes Cleveland would’ve gone on to win the NBA championship if he hadn’t been hurt.
“I think we would have won it. I say that pretty confidently.”
Darius Garland sends a message, saying the Cavs would have won the title last season if he had been healthy 👀
“I think we would have won it. I say that pretty confidently.”
(🎥 @SiriusXMNBA )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 19, 2025
