Darius Garland made his debut with the Los Angeles Clippers during the team's win over the Golden State Warriors on Monday. The star guard put up 12 points, two assists and a steal during the victory. 

After the contest, Kris Dunn spoke in the locker room about Garland's impact. His words should only reinforce Clippers fans who have high hopes for his future in Los Angeles. 

"As you know, he could run the show," Dunn said. "He's a really good pick-and-roll player, he makes really good decisions. It's his first game back after almost two months. He's just got to find his rhythm a little bit, but he made big-time plays down the stretch."

Fans who watched Darius play in Cleveland know this to be true. He's a truly talented playmaking guard, and it's not a red flag by any stretch of the imagination that he doesn't look like a tier-one difference-maker just yet. 

"And then defensively, he's going to get a lot of steals," Dunn said. "He wants to be a really good defender, he has the ability to. I think he just needs to be around the right pieces."

This is a conversation of fit, and we know that fit matters immensely in the NBA. Garland is probably not going to be a game-changing defensive player in every single environment he gets put in. But surround him with the right pieces, and he absolutely could be. 

"JVG works with him every day, he puts the work in," Dunn said. "And then I think we complement each other in a way that defensively, I like to fly around anyway, and then offensively he can create." 

The Dunn and Garland pairing has real potential. Dunn is the defensive disruptor who creates chaos, while Garland is the offensive engine who can manufacture buckets and run an offense with precision. 

That kind of complementary dynamic is exactly what contending teams are built around. Having players whose strengths fill each other's gaps is a big asset. On paper at least, Dunn and Garland are a seamless fit alongside each other. 

The other encouraging sign is the work ethic Dunn described. Garland putting in daily work with the coaching staff during his recovery suggests he didn't just show up to his debut hoping rust would shake off on its own. He's been making preparations, and that's likely to pay off in the big picture. 

Monday was one game after a two-month absence. The Clippers know they can't realistically ask Garland to be the best version of himself right now, they just need him to continue ramping up. And based on what Dunn described, that process is already well underway.

This has been a strange season for LA. But although the Clippers aren't in a position to seriously contend this season, they have a lot to look forward to in the future.