Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland — the team’s leading scorer — has entered the NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols, the team announced Tuesday. The news comes on the same day as rookie Evan Mobley clearing protocols and returning to the team.
Despite clearing protocols, Mobley is questionable against the New Orleans Pelicans tonight as he returns to competition reconditioning.
Garland joins teammates Jarrett Allen, Ed Davis, RJ Nembhard, Lamar Stevens and Dylan Windler in the protocols. This season, Garland is averaging 19.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists for the Cavaliers, who are 20-13 and the No. 5 team in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is 1/2 game behind the Miami Heat for the No. 4 spot and one game behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the No. 3 seed.
The league now has a shorter return-to-play plan in place for those who have tested positive. Isolation periods for players who test positive may now be significantly shortened — down to six days from what has been the customary 10 — provided those players are asymptomatic and meet other testing standards.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
