2025-26 Season
DARIUS GARLAND
2025-26 Season
DARIUS GARLAND
PBP Credit: Every play is analyzed from play-by-play data. Scorers get difficulty-adjusted credit, assisters get creation value based on the shot opportunity they created, and turnovers are classified by type. Shot difficulty is derived from 1M+ shots across 4 seasons. Full methodology
TEAM COMPARISON
of 18 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)
Similar Players
Same position, closest production profile this season.
SKILL DNA
Percentile rank vs 245 Guards with 10+ games
THE SEASON SO FAR
A frustrating defensive slump and erratic decision-making defined Darius Garland’s rocky start to the 2025-26 campaign. Even when his box score numbers sparkled, hidden defensive costs routinely dragged down his actual value on the floor. Look no further than 12/25 vs NYK, where he tallied 20 points and 10 assists but posted a dismal -7.2 impact score because a porous point-of-attack defense completely erased his offensive orchestration. His shot selection could be equally destructive. He delivered an absolute disaster class on 12/03 vs POR, forcing terrible looks to finish with just 6 points and actively torpedoing the offense for a staggering -20.2 impact score. However, Garland occasionally found ways to stay in the green even when his scoring volume dipped. On 12/29 vs SAS, he managed a +1.2 impact despite scoring a modest 15 points, relying on elite playmaking and surprisingly stout defensive metrics to keep the team afloat. Until he stops bleeding points on the perimeter, his brilliant flashes of facilitation will remain overshadowed by his glaring defensive liabilities.
Darius Garland’s midseason stretch was defined by a maddening pendulum swing between pick-and-roll wizardry and self-destructive shot selection. When he dialed in his decision-making, he was virtually unguardable. He peaked on 03/21 vs DAL, posting a staggering +18.7 impact score by delivering an absolute masterclass in pick-and-roll navigation to generate pristine looks. Yet, his offensive aggression frequently bled into hubris, yielding brutal hidden costs even when his point totals looked respectable. Look no further than 03/16 vs SAS, where he poured in 25 points but still suffered a dismal -7.2 impact score because forced, low-percentage jumpers resulted in a staggering number of empty possessions. The bottom completely fell out on 04/02 vs SAS. During that contest, a catastrophic shot selection profile single-handedly torpedoed the offense and dragged him to a horrific -11.3 impact score. For every surgical dissection of a defense, Garland offered a frustrating reminder of how quickly poor discipline can sabotage a lineup.
IMPACT TIMELINE
Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.
Volatile for his role. Garland has noticeable ups and downs, with scoring moving ~7 points between games.
Middle-of-the-road efficiency — shoots 45%+ from the field in 49% of games. Not automatic, but not a problem either.
Good defender on his best nights, but it comes and goes. Some games Garland locks in defensively, others he gets picked apart.
Getting better as the season goes on. First-half impact: +0.7, second-half: +6.1. That's a significant jump — could be a role change, confidence, or development clicking.
Hot right now — 5 straight games with positive impact. Longest positive run this season: 6 games.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Based on 41 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.
ON OFFENSE: WHO GUARDED HIM
His shooting stats against each primary defender this season
ON DEFENSE: WHO HE GUARDED
How opponents shot when he was the primary defender. Lower FG% = better defense.
SEASON STATS
GAME LOG
47 games played
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