Cavs: Three takeaways from thrilling comeback win over Heat

Takeaway #1: Kevin Porter Jr. should start

This isn’t a prisoner of the moment take, either. I touched on this a while ago that Porter Jr. should start for the Cavs, at least if Cleveland were then really considering starting lineup changes.

In Monday’s game, Porter Jr. was terrific, as he had a career-high 30 points, per Basketball Reference, on nine-of-18 shooting overall, which included him hitting four-of-seven from three-point range and eight-of-10 from the free throw line. He also scored 15 of his 30 in the fourth quarter/overtime, and along with that scoring outburst, Porter had eight rebounds, three assists and three steals, too.

I’ve believed for a while KPJ starting made some sense, but I think he definitely should now. I believe right now, Porter Jr. has proven, of the three key young guys at this point that are available, KPJ is the most promising of the three players.

The Cavs still have a lot of issues defensively and obviously don’t have the personnel yet to be a decent defensive team, but Porter Jr. would give them more size in the backcourt as a starter. The Cavaliers still need wings, but starting two 6-foot-1 guards in the backcourt, especially young ones, is going to cause a bunch of defensive problems.

Plus, it doesn’t make it easier that Cleveland doesn’t have wings to make up for that whatsoever.

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Garland and Sexton drew comparisons to the Portland Trail Blazers’ duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum coming into the season, well at least as a best-case scenario. Portland has always had defensive deficiencies with those two in the backcourt, but their offensive brilliance compensates for many of the decencies on defense they have.

For that to happen, Garland has to develop into a superstar point guard and Sexton has to develop into a McCollum-esque scorer. Otherwise, they just won’t make up for the defensive issues you have with two 6-foot-1 guards playing a bunch together in the backcourt.

I believe Sexton has a role with this team and will be a very good player in the NBA for a long time, but in an ideal situation, Sexton is a good sixth man on a good team.

He doesn’t have the playmaking vision Garland has, nor does he have Porter’s capability as a secondary playmaker.

Meanwhile, Porter Jr. still has a long way to go and still has a ways to go to find consistency, but he looks like the guy that has the most promise long term and should start at the 2 for the Cleveland Cavaliers at this point.