CLEVELAND — Former Cleveland Cavalier and NBA Champion Tristan Thompson had high praise for Cavs guard Darius Garland and the team as a whole Monday afternoon.
On ESPN's NBA Today program, Thompson went to bat for Garland asking why he wasn't selected to the 2023 All-Star Game.
"He should have been an All-Star. Give some love to the little guy. For Darius this is a whole new position to take. Having Donovan Mitchell means more facilitating and getting guys involved. He took a backseat in terms of scoring. But name a guard in the NBA that didn't make an All-Star team that multiple 40 point games and a 50 ball! When his team needs it, he shows and performs."
Thompson also spoke to Garland's improvement with turnovers late in games compared to last year. Garland is currently has the lowest turnover percentage since his rookie season at 2.9 per game despite a higher usage rate.
Some may call what Thompson had to say next about his former team nothing more than a hot take. But on the heels of a six-game winning streak, a comfortable fourth-place position in the Eastern Conference and the blockbuster trade moving Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to the Western Conference, what Tristan said next feels a lot more realistic.
"I'm going to stand on this right now. If they play the way they're playing right now [in the playoffs], Cavaliers... Eastern Conference finalists."
The entire clip can be seen below.