The Cleveland Cavaliers are locking horns with the Memphis Grizzlies tonight, and everyone’s looking for the spark. That spark, of course, is Darius Garland. He’s been the engine driving Cleveland’s success this season, no doubt. But, here’s the rub: a recent injury’s got the star guard’s game status hanging in the balance. None of the Cavs’ top guys have suffered serious injuries to this point. But with Garland questionable, they may need to change things at the last minute. Things aren’t going to get any easier as the Cavs will be taking on a full and healthy Memphis team with a clean bill of health, operating with no deficiencies across the board.

Garland is dealing with a left hip contusion, putting his streak of availability in doubt. He has played in 54 games this season, putting up solid numbers—21.3 points, 6.7 assists, and 2.5 rebounds. He’s been running the offense alongside Donovan Mitchell. If he can’t go, Cleveland will probably turn to Ty Jerome and Craig Porter to fill the gap. But let’s be real—neither of them can fully replace what Garland brings to the floor.

It isn’t just Garland the Cavs need to worry about. Also questionable is Jarrett Allen with a finger injury. JT Thor is on assignment with the Cleveland Charge. That could leave Cleveland with two starters out against Memphis. Not ideal. Allen has been a beast on the boards, averaging 13.6 points and 10.4 rebounds. If he’s out, it’ll force more of the team’s depth to give it a workout. The Cavs are trying to get into the finals in the East. But the last thing they need is to lose any players so close to the season.

Garland has had some solid performances against Memphis in the past. In eight career games against them, he’s averaged 18.3 points, 8.9 assists, and 3.4 rebounds. His last time facing them on December 20, he dropped 14 points, grabbed 5 boards, and dished out 2 assists. He shot 40% from both the field and three. The good news? Cleveland still has Mitchell, who’s leading the team with 24.0 points per game. They have the firepower to survive without Garland for a night. But losing his playmaking and shot creation definitely wouldn’t help.

Face injury saga resurfaces as Mitchell calls for mask donations

As if the hip injury wasn’t enough, Darius Garland’s face took a serious beating in Cleveland’s last game against the Knicks. In the first half, he went up for a shot and got fouled mid-air by Karl-Anthony Towns. The landing? Brutal. He came down hard—face-first. Just before that, he had already caught an elbow from Jalen Brunson, who was hit with an offensive foul. Back-to-back hits like that? Yeah, not great. Fans held their breath as the 25-year-old stayed down on the court for what felt like forever.

What made it even scarier is his history of face injuries. Last season, he missed over a month with a broken jaw. This time, he managed to stay in the game and finished with nine points. But it’s hard not to be concerned. After taking so many shots to the face, it might be time for him to start thinking about some extra protection.

Donovan Mitchell, though? He saw the situation as a chance for some humor. He hopped on social media and got the fans involved. “Yoo @cavs fans can let’s make custom mask for DG send them to the practice facility please 😂😂 @dariusgarland22,” he posted. And just like that, the internet took off with ideas. Fans started suggesting all kinds of custom mask designs—superhero-style, Rip Hamilton throwbacks, you name it.

The jokes have been fun, but the reality is Garland might actually need a mask at some point. He hasn’t said anything about it yet. But given his track record with face injuries, it wouldn’t be shocking if the team encouraged it. Better safe than sorry, right?

Now, with both his hip and face taking a significant beating, the Cavaliers have a tough call before their game against Memphis. If Garland plays, they’ll need him to run the offense as usual. If he sits, Evan Mobley will have to step up even more. And as for the whole mask situation? That might be a conversation for another day. But one thing’s for sure—Garland’s health is becoming a big storyline as the Cavs push toward the playoffs.