Darius Garland advances to 5-on-5 practice, nearing LA debut

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The LA Clippers enjoyed a a rare three-day break during the NBA season, and it came at the absolute perfect time for the franchise to try integrates three new players into their system.

Darius GarlandBenedict Maturin and Isaiah Jackson were traded back at the NBA deadline, and the five days of practice between the All-Star break and the start of their brutal March schedule, all at home, gave the Clippers a chance to build.

The Clippers practiced for the second straight day on Wednesday, one night before they face the Minnesota Timberwolves in their final game of February 2026. There, head coach Tyronn Lue offered positive updates on Darius Garland and John Collins, both of whom are currently dealing with injuries.

Garland participated in five-on-five scrimmages during Tuesday’s practice at the Intuit Dome and came out of it feeling great. The Clippers’ rookie point guard did not participate in a scrimmage during Wednesday’s practice, but will participate in a team scrimmage before Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“He looked great yesterday,” Tyronn Lue said of Darius Garland’s takeaways. “He looked really good, in movement, both ways, he had great pace, and of course he shot great. But in terms of movement, he looked really good.”

Halo Board welcome for Darius Garland here at the Intuit Dome before Clippers-Cavs pic.twitter.com/KMI59zvieu

— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) February 5, 2026

Darius Garland has been sidelined since Jan. 14, when he sprained his right big toe. Since being traded to the LA Clippers, the team has evaluated Garland and determined that he is coming off a right toe injury. The team, however, is currently dealing with lingering pain stemming from offseason surgery on his left foot.

“I’m not sure what he needs to do to come back,” Lue said. “He’s got to keep checking the box and keep working. But like I said, he looked really good.”

“You have to ask the doctor. I mean, he’s on the floor, playing 5-on-5, and then as far as what he needs to do, the next steps he needs to take, I’m not really sure.”

Darius Garland has officially been ruled out for Thursday night’s game against the Wolves, but he’s clearly getting closer to returning to the hardwood and making his Clippers debut.

John Collins, who suffered a head laceration in the Clippers’ loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, is questionable for Thursday’s game. He missed Sunday’s game against the Orlando Magic, but was a full participant in practice and greeted members of the media after practice, hinting at a return in the very near future, if not Thursday night.

The Clippers have lost two straight games and are currently 27-30 on the season. They are essentially tied with the Portland Trail Blazers, who are currently 28-31. LA was just one game away from a .500 record after beating the Denver Nuggets in the first game out of the All-Star break, but fell short when they lost to the Lakers in a game in which Kawhi Leonard left with wrist pain and John Collins left with a head injury.

Kawhi Leonard is also listed as questionable for Thursday night’s game with a sore left ankle, but is expected to warm up and contribute, especially considering the team just had three days off and will have two more days off after the game.