Cleveland Cavaliers: Collin Sexton building his case for Rookie of the Year

By Tony Pesta | Nov 26, 2018

CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 24: James Ennis III #8 of the Houston Rockets gurus Collin Sexton #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena on November 24, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Rockets 117-108. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

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Cleveland Cavaliers Collin Sexton (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Recent performances

Let’s start this off by examining how Collin Sexton has been playing lately. So far, Sexton has started in a total of eight games. In these games, he is averaging 19.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 55.6 percent from the 3-point line and 50.8 percent overall.

The Cavaliers have a 3-5 record with Sexton as their starting point guard. He has had a huge impact on the team’s last two wins, scoring an average of 26.0 points in each victory. Sexton even posted a career-high 29 points en route to a victory over the Houston Rockets.

One of the most impressive things about Sexton has been his shooting. Coming into the season, it was uncertain if Sexton’s already shaky jump shot would translate to the NBA level. Young Bull has silenced any criticism on his shooting by going 10-for-18 from the 3-point line over his last eight games.

He has also been great at using his speed to get to the rim. Sexton is one of the fastest players in the league and takes advantage of this whenever he can. There have been multiple instances in which he’s had a bigger man switched on to him and he simply bursts passed them for a quick layup.

Furthermore, his threat as a mid-range shooter helps free up lanes to the rim. He uses his hesitation dribble efficiently to bait defenders into leaving their feet, allowing easier paths for him to attack the paint.

There are still a few areas of his game that are clearly underdeveloped. He is a talented on-ball defender but his help defense and IQ need some work. The most notable thing that needs to be improved is his ability to create plays for others. He is currently only averaging 2.4 assists per game, which is not ideal for a point guard.

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