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[Saba Sports News] Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland faced harsh criticism on social media Wednesday night after a dramatic, late-game sequence against the Houston Rockets.
With the Cavaliers trailing 109-107 in the final seconds of the fourth quarter, Garland received an inbounds pass from Ty Jerome and launched a potential go-ahead three-pointer. The shot missed, but Rockets forward Tari Eason was called for a reckless closeout.
After review, the foul was upgraded to a flagrant, giving Garland three free throws and the Cavaliers possession—a golden opportunity to steal the game.
However, Garland, a 90.1% free-throw shooter this season, couldn’t capitalize. He missed the first free throw, then compounded the mistake by missing the second.
Although he made the third attempt, the Cavaliers squandered their chance to take control when Donovan Mitchell missed a tough turnaround at the buzzer, sealing a 109-108 loss for Cleveland.
Garland’s missed free throws drew immediate comparisons online to Grant Williams’ infamous 2023 choke at the line. In that game, Williams (then with the Boston Celtics) missed two clutch free throws after confidently telling Donovan Mitchell he would make both, allowing the Cavaliers to win in overtime. This time, it was Cleveland on the receiving end of a similar misstep.
Social media users were quick to joke about Garland’s meltdown, with many referencing Williams’ blunder. Even Garland himself couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief after his second miss, evoking memories of Nick Anderson’s struggles in the 1995 NBA Finals.
Despite the tough loss, Garland is enjoying an excellent season, averaging 21.2 points and 6.7 assists per game while garnering All-Star buzz. But on Wednesday night, his late-game misstep overshadowed an otherwise impressive campaign, leaving Cavs fans to wonder what might have been.