2025-26 Season
DARIUS GARLAND
2025-26 Season
DARIUS GARLAND
Garland produces at an average rate for a 30-minute workload. 3.0 turnovers per game cost 5.8 points of value nightly.
About this model: Net Impact can't measure floor spacing, help defense rotations, or playmaking gravity — so wings and guards are slightly undervalued vs bigs. How Net Impact works
TEAM COMPARISON
of 18 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)
SKILL DNA
Percentile rank vs 236 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.
Boom-or-bust player. Garland's impact swings wildly relative to his average — some nights dominant, others invisible. Scoring varies by ~7 points per game.
Middle-of-the-road efficiency — shoots 45%+ from the field in 46% of games. Not automatic, but not a problem either.
Defensive difference-maker. Garland consistently forces tough shots and protects the rim — opponents shoot worse when he's guarding them.
Getting better as the season goes on. First-half impact: -3.6, second-half: +1.8. That's a significant jump — could be a role change, confidence, or development clicking.
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
41 games played