Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland will miss Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first-round series against the Miami Heat on Monday night. The All-Star guard is dealing with a sprained left great toe.
Garland aggravated the toe injury late in Game 2 of the series. He previously sat out Game 3 on Saturday, a dominant 121-84 victory for the Cleveland Cavaliers that gave them a 3-0 series lead. He attempted some on-court activity before Game 4 before the team made the decision to rule him out again.
The Cavaliers hold a commanding advantage over the Miami Heat, putting them on the brink of elimination. No team in NBA history has rallied from a 0-3 deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff series. Teams trailing 0-3 have lost the series every time (0-158).
Miami is attempting to avoid being swept for the third time in franchise history and the second time since Erik Spoelstra became head coach. Their Game 3 loss marked the franchise's most lopsided defeat in a playoff game.
Beyond the challenge of overcoming the 0-3 hole in the Cavaliers vs Heat matchup, Miami is also dealing with other injuries. Guard Terry Rozier (sprained ankle) and forward Kevin Love (personal reasons) remained out for Game 4.
The Cavaliers have shown statistical dominance in the series, particularly on offense. They entered the playoffs with the league's best offensive rating and have continued that pace against Miami's defense.
Game 5, if required, is scheduled for Wednesday in Cleveland. A Cavaliers win in Game 4 would advance them to the Eastern Conference semifinals to face the winner of the Indiana-Milwaukee series, which would not start before Saturday.
Despite facing historic odds and a looming Darius Garland injury situation for the opposing team, the Heat expressed resolve.
“This is our reality right now," Heat guard Tyler Herro said after the Game 3 defeat. "But like I told the guys, it’s not time to let go of the rope. We’re going to play until the final buzzer.” (Source)](https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article305154691.html)
