The Cleveland Cavaliers are on fire, and Darius Garland thinks it’s time for the NBA to take notice. The star guard believes four Cavs players deserve All-Star spots this year – and he’s not being shy about it.
“I’m trying to be as humble as possible. But… yeah, I should be an All-Star,” Garland said after Wednesday’s win over Oklahoma. “There should be four of us on this team that are All-Stars.”
The Cavs are making history. They’ve won an incredible 34 of their first 36 games – a start so good that only four teams in NBA history have done better.
Let that sink in for a moment: 34-2.
Their latest victory came against the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, a 129-122 statement win that proved they’re the team to beat right now.
While Garland didn’t name names, it’s pretty clear who he’s talking about: himself, Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley. Mitchell and Garland have been lighting it up, both averaging over 20 points per game.
Mitchell’s been particularly impressive. He’s putting up typical Mitchell numbers – 22.9 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 45% from the field. This could be his sixth All-Star selection if he keeps it up.
The scary part? The Cavs might not be done making history. If they keep winning at this rate (90%), they could match the Golden State Warriors‘ all-time record of 73 wins.
They’ll get another chance to prove they’re for real when they face the Thunder again on January 16.
While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander might be the current MVP favorite, don’t count out Mitchell from entering that conversation if Cleveland keeps dominating like this.
For a team that’s playing this well, maybe Garland’s four All-Stars request isn’t so bold after all.
