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Cleveland Cavaliers: Debunking 3 myths of a ‘failed’ season

By Tony Pesta

CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 20: Collin Sexton #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the second quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on January 20, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 20: Collin Sexton #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the second quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on January 20, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Cleveland Cavaliers Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

Cleveland Cavaliers’ myth: Collin Sexton and Darius Garland can’t coexist

We will start with the most pressing issue from last Summer, can Darius Garland and Collin Sexton play together?

In Garland’s rookie season, the answer looked like a resounding no. The pairing was atrocious defensively and equally as disappointing on offense due to their ball-dominant playstyles. Consequently, SexLand was the worst duo in the entire league.

In order to fix this, two things needed to happen. Firstly, Garland had to improve as an individual. His bumpy rookie season made an already difficult task even more challenging as he struggled to establish himself as an NBA-level point guard. Then, the two would have to find their own niches and solidify their roles alongside one another. Garland and Sexton have succeeded on both these counts.

Garland has improved in every category, averaging 17.7 points and 6.2 assists on 45.2 percent shooting from the floor and near 40 percent efficiency from the 3-point line. He has become the commander of Cleveland’s offense and the team’s Offensive Rating juices up when DG is on the floor.

This is in part due to an important shift in the Cavaliers’ approach. They no longer have multiple point guards battling for touches. Instead, they have a primary ball-handler (Garland) and a pure-scorer (Sexton).

Sexton has built on his scoring each season and is putting up a career-high 24.4 points on 48.1 percent shooting. Though he still has moments of tunnel vision, Sexton has improved as a playmaker and is becoming a serious offensive threat that demands defensive attention every single night.

Both have improved in important facets of the game. While defense will almost always be a weakness of undersized backcourts, this can be balanced with a stronger supporting cast and consistent effort from the duo.

The staggering offensive attacks of Garland and Sexton create a bright future for Cleveland. They genuinely have two of the most promising young guards in the NBA and the key is no longer figuring out if SexLand can play together — but rather, how can the Cavaliers build around their two stars? We will talk more about this later.

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