Tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET, the Cleveland Cavaliers (23-19) shoot for their third straight dub against the Philadelphia 76ers (22-17), but a key injury might make it a chore.
Cavs PG Darius Garland is dealing with a toe injury, so Cleveland might need another playmaker to step up. The question then becomes, who?
Below, we’ll provide a Darius Garland injury update ahead of the Cavaliers vs. 76ers game and identify a player (or players) worth targeting for your lineup additions, plus PrizePicks NBA projections and analysis for Friday night.
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Darius Garland Injury Update vs. 76ers Tonight
Garland has been ruled out ahead of Friday’s game against the 76ers due to great right toe soreness.
This isn't related to the toe injury for which he missed time earlier in the 2025-26 season. The Vanderbilt product underwent surgery on his left big toe over the offseason, and didn’t make his debut until early November.
Garland leads the Cavaliers with 6.9 assists per game, while ranking second on the team in points per game (18.0). Luckily for Cleveland, it has already had to make do without him and has some serviceable guards to pick up the slack.
Who Could Benefit With Garland Out?
Cleveland anticipated potential backcourt health issues over the offseason. To address this, they sent SF Isaac Okoro to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for PG Lonzo Ball. With Garland out, Ball could fill the primary playmaker role.
The UCLA product posted 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in 14 minutes when Garland first suffered his latest toe injury on Wednesday. He averages 6.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game without Garland in the lineup. Ball has made just three starts this year, but might impact Friday’s game in a significant playmaking capacity, be it as a starter or a sub.
According to databallr, Ball’s teammates’ effective field goal percentage is 74.5% on his potential assists. He’s also hauling in 6.4 rebounds per 75 possessions in 2026, a 97th percentile figure.
He won't be alone in trying to fill the Garland-sized hole.
G-F Jaylon Tyson has started in nine of the 11 games he's appeared in without Garland this season. The second-year wing boasts averages of 16.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per contest as a starter when Garland is out of commission. He's also scored at least 15 points in his previous seven starts without the Cavaliers' floor general.
Lonzo Ball PrizePicks Projections vs. 76ers
Here are the most popular Lonzo Ball player picks vs. the 76ers tonight, via PrizePicks.
- 11.5 Pts+Asts+Rebs
- 9.5 Pts+Asts
- 6.5 Asts+Rebs
- 2.5 Rebounds
- 3.5 Assists
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Make Cavaliers vs. 76ers Picks on PrizePicks
Darius Garland has been ruled out for Friday’s Cavaliers vs. 76ers matchup with a toe injury, but Cleveland has the guard depth to stay afloat without its best playmaker. Lonzo Ball will likely be asked to step into a larger role, and still has enough versatility to stuff the stat sheet as a bench contributor.
No matter how you think Friday's game between the Cavaliers vs. 76ers plays out, you can cash in on your NBA picks on PrizePicks. Just pick your players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if your picks are right.
Check out the Playbook throughout the season for more NBA picks, predictions, and news every day through the 2025-26 season.
