J.B. Bickerstaff says Darius Garland is ‘doing better’, but waiting for the swelling to go down

According to Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, All-Star guard Darius Garland is ‘frustrated’ by his injury, but in a good place

“We were FaceTiming and it’s more about how he’s doing,” Bickerstaff said. “... Whether or not he’s in pain, how he’s improving, can he see?; can he open his eye? All of those things are more important. He’s in a good place.”

Garland was injured in the second quarter of the Cavs’ season-opening game last Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors when Toronto guard Gary Trent Jr. inadvertently poked him in the eye. On Thursday, the team issued an update that Garland suffered no structural damage and visited with a doctor from the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute.

Per cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, Garland is aiming to return next Friday when the Cavs play the Celtics in Boston, but that isn’t a guarantee and he could be out into the weekend. After the Celtics game, the Cavs next play on Sunday, Oct. 30 at home against the New York Knicks.

“He’s doing better,” Bickerstaff said when asked about where Garland is currently at in his recovery. “Just waiting until the swelling goes down. When you hold his eye open, he can see — so that’s obviously a good thing. It’s just going to take time. We’ll wait and see how the swelling responds.”