Garland to miss several weeks with a jaw fracture

Garland suffered the injury against the Celtics on Thursday.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be without Darius Garland for the next several weeks.

As first reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Garland is going to miss time with a fractured jaw. Garland, Cleveland’s 23-year-old point guard, suffered the injury after a collision with Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis on Thursday during Cleveland’s loss to Boston.

The Cavs have since confirmed the injury, offering up the following statement:

Cavaliers Guard Darius Garland sustained a fractured jaw during the third quarter of last night’s road game at Boston. A CT scan administered this morning at Cleveland Clinic confirmed the injury. Garland will have a procedure to heal the affected area and will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks. His status will be updated as appropriate.

Interestingly, Garland did finish the game Thursday after going into the locker room and then returning. In fact, he played all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter.

This is unquestionably a massive blow for the Cavs. Garland is who makes this team tick when he’s on floor. Without him, there’s no real point guard on the team either — meaning the Cavs will have to go unorthodox and decline to start a point guard or thrust rookie Craig Porter Jr. into the role. This injury, plus Evan Mobley’s knee surgery, also puts a huge dent in the Cavs’ season and where it could have gotten to. These are the kind of injuries that change a season for the worst.