Cavs: Collin Sexton’s 20-plus point record to begin year was quite a run

Collin Sexton has been scoring in bunches for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

With how he established himself as the top scorer for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season, and with how he closed out last season, if you will, it’s no surprise that Collin Sexton is again filling it up.

Sexton, who was Cleveland’s top scorer last season with 20.8 points per game, and had 24.2 points per outing in what would be his last 25 appearances of 2019-20, has taken his output a step further in Year 3.

Sexton is currently averaging 25.1 points per game on 61.9 percent true shooting, and he’s started the season hitting 51.6 percent of his 3.9 three-point attempts per outing. Sexton, after demonstrating more polish as a scorer this past season, which included him showing the ability to change speeds off-the-bounce, has had the full array on display thus far in 2020-21.

Sexton has been so productive in the pick-and-roll scoring realm, which has led to in-rhythm pull-ups and push shots, his transition feel/capabilities as a finisher have improved, and he has looked nearly automatic on spot-ups.

In that regard, Sexton’s placed in the 95th percentile on spot-ups thus far, per Synergy Sports. Going forward, that from Sexton should be key for players such as Darius Garland, Andre Drummond, Isaac Okoro, Larry Nance Jr. and Cedi Osman, among others.

It’s been truly something else to see Sexton keep filling it up in a huge way for the Cavaliers, and he keeps getting better as an all-around scorer.

Of course, Sexton would go into the Cavs’ game on Thursday at the Memphis Grizzlies questionable due to a left ankle injury he suffered on Wednesday at the Orlando Magic, and he ended up missing his first game as a Cav versus Memphis. That capped his opening run at 155 games played, which was incredible, honestly.

Albeit the start has been quite a run for him, and I wouldn’t expect this to be too serious; Thursday was the second leg of a back-to-back.

Sexton opened the season with eight straight 20-plus point games, which is a franchise record; he passed LeBron James, who previously started out with seven such outings.

That Cavs franchise record to begin the season was quite a run for Sexton.

Sexton opened up his third season, again, with a franchise record eight straight 20-plus point games, and broke that record set by James.

Now, objectively, the Cavs have been brutalized with injuries, and Sexton himself again missed that Thursday outing due to the ankle injury. Damyean Dotson, while on the subject, suffered an ankle injury then also, and hopefully, both can get ample treatment to help with that; Dotson was active Thursday, anyhow.

And that was a heck of an effort by the Cavs to pull out a W so short-handed over the Grizz, even with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. still sidelined.

The Wine and Gold are still without the likes of Kevin Love for a few weeks it seems due to a right calf strain/him reaggravating that last week, and Dylan Windler has been sidelined since Cleveland’s first game versus the Charlotte Hornets because of a fourth metacarpal fracture in his left hand.

And Darius Garland is set to be sidelined for seemingly nearly a week yet due to a right shoulder sprain, and in what was a crushing injury for him/the Cavs, Dante Exum is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks with a right calf strain, after which he’ll be re-evaluated.

The Cavs will reportedly apply for a hardship exception this weekend as a result of their injury woes, along those lines.

In any case, regardless of how things have shaken out, what Sexton has been doing in the bucket-getting realm has been big-time for the Wine and Gold.

And although I know he’s not the passer of Garland, I do give Sexton credit for helping in a de facto primary playmaking role with DG and Exum out, and Sexton’s feel has improved there. Matthew Dellavedova, to add to that, has not played yet this season because of a concussion, and he’s had a history of those.

It’s again so apparent, however, that Sexton is seemingly just getting started for the Cavs, and he’s continued to lean into that role as their go-to guy. That Cavaliers franchise record run of 20-plus point games to begin the season, in turn, too, highlights that.

Hopefully Cleveland can get some of their horses back sooner than later, though, and we can see Collin out there on Saturday at the Milwaukee Bucks to conclude this current road trip. And clearly, that run to begin to his career of games played was outstanding, too, and props to him for that.