The Los Angeles Clippers are in the midst of a miracle season turnaround and look to be in a good spot for the Play-In tournament and a potential playoff run. It hasn't been an easy road to get there, but a certain midseason addition to the roster has been one of the most impactful players by far.

When the Clippers traded James Harden for Darius Garland at the deadline, it was a surprising move as the Clippers were already surging their way through the NBA and were on track to the position they're in now. But, trading for Garland was done with not just the present in mind, but the future as well. 

Garland is a young guard with a wealth of talent, something that he's put on display often for the Clippers by averaging 21.3 points and seven assists in his 13 games with the team. Just as impactful though is his energy and the way he's been able to elevate his teammates both on and off the court in just over a month in Los Angeles.

"Just him coming in, a fresh body, fresh face, he's always joking around happy. He has a good relationship with a lot of the guys in the locker room right away," head coach Ty Lue said of Garland. "The style of play that brings has been great. We needed it. We needed that pace."

Garland's energy and his talents have been a breath of fresh air for the Clippers. He can affect the offense wherever he is on the floor and he's shown that he can deliver in the clutch.

But that positivity that Lue mentioned may be the biggest benefit he brings to the Clippers.

The start to the season was more than demoralizing for Los Angeles and the injuries that the Clippers suffered so early on only made things harder. Morale already began to improve as they embarked on their midseason recovery, but Garland's brightness and camaraderie with the rest of the team is exactly the kind of boost they need.

Lue was always a steadily positive figure for the team. He was the one that, as their record sank lower and lower, represented the team and expressed his confidence that they would be able to recover. With Garland in the mix, the energy around the Clippers have been different and their confidence is skyrocketed. 

It's those kind of intangible qualities that contribute to the winning that's reflected in the score sheet and when it comes to the playoffs, energy, confidence and belief are put to the test more than anything.

With Garland on their side, it's a test the Clippers can very well pass.