Darius Garland and Jaylon Tyson rejoined the Cleveland Cavaliers to help fuel a double-digit win over the Indiana Pacers in the third game of group play in the Emirates Cup. 

There was a lot to like from the duo's return, particularly on the offensive end. Here's what stood out from the Cavs 120-109 win over the Pacers. 

The Straw That Stirs the Drink

Garland's second return this season was a welcomed one for the wine and gold, once again. It can't be overstated how important he is to this team offensively. It's not just his scoring – granted he matched his season-high of 20 points, which didn't hurt – it's also the fact that everything just seems to flow more smoothly on that end when he's playing. 

The ball movement is better. The shot selection is better. There's more spacing. And in many ways it just feels like he helps unlock Evan Mobley. Want proof? The starting five of Garland, Mobley, Tyson, Donovan Mitchell, De'Andre Hunter combined for 108 points tonight. Four of the five starters finished with 20-plus points, including Mitchell who posted his ninth 30-plus point game of the season.

So long as Garland stays healthy, we can really start to see the full potential of Cleveland's offense from this point forward. 

The Aggressor 

Early on in this game the reigning Defensive Player of the Year made a point in taking an assertive approach on the offensive end of the floor. Most the time the Cavs like getting Mobley in situations where he can get the ball in his hands cutting to the basket or up top where he can facilitate or decide for himself how best to attack. Against Indiana he was just straight up working his way inside with his back to the basket, baking down Isaiah Jackson, which is a little more rare for him. 

In the first half Mobley took six shot, not a single one was a three and only one came outside the paint or from within three feet of the basket. It was a different approach for Mobley but it got him going early on. He was also a force on the boards, where he finished with a team-high 12, to go along with 22 points when it was all said and done. The Cavs need more of THIS Mobley. 

Tyson Takeover

Jaylon Tyson made his own long awaited return to the floor on Friday night after dealing with a concussion and dropped another double-digit point performance with 14. Tyson started the game shooting a perfect 6-6 from the floor, including 2-2 from three. His "takeover" really started in the third quarter, where he entered with six points, but scored 8 in that stanza alone. There's a certain grittiness that it feels like the Cavs have when Tyson is on the floor that they really need. 

Rebounding, Rebounding, Rebounding

Like clockwork one of the first things in the box score I pan to is the rebounding totals throughout the game and tonight the Cavs really owned the glass. They topped the Pacers in that category by 10, 52-42 and what was noticeable was the effort given to chasing down some of those longer boards that have gotten away from Cleveland at times. Having a lineup that's more spread out may have helped with that too, but it's a step in the right direction overall. 

Déjà Vu

No one has forgotten just how much of a nightmare the Pacers were for the Cavs in that second round series last year. They were impossible too put away throughout the playoff when their opponents had a lead on them and on Friday night there was a moment where it felt like they were going to pull off another one of their epic comebacks. 

After Cleveland had built the lead up to 22 points in the second half, the Pacers then used a 12-0 run from the 11:18 mark of the fourth, to the 6:47 mark to get themselves back in the game. Fortunately this time the Cavaliers had an answer using a 10-2 run to build the lead back up over the three minutes that followed to put hold them off. 

That Court

I tend to cringe at the sight of most of the Emirates Cup courts around the league, but I will say, the Cavs wine colored hardwood looked better in person. Cleveland's tend to be more tolerable than most. 

Speaking of the in-season tournament, this win was a big one for the Cavs in terms of the group stage. They're now 2-1, with one game to play. With the Raptors poised to win the group, the Cavs will need some help to get into the actual elimination stage, via point differential. An 11-point win should help that cause...if anyone cares.