Cavs: Collin Sexton is now so hard to defend as a PnR scorer

Collin Sexton is emerging as a star for the Cleveland Cavaliers as a big-time bucket getter. Thus far this season, even while injuries have played into it to a degree, Sexton has continued to prove that he’s Cleveland’s primary scoring option looking onward.

Sexton has picked up where he left off in closing out last season, in what was ultimately leading into the league’s prior novel coronavirus-induced hiatus/end of 2019-20 for Cleveland.

To this point, though it’s still early on, Sexton has been lighting it up for the Cavs, en route to putting up 25.5 points per game on 61.2 percent true shooting.

Sexton did miss five games due to a left ankle sprain, of course, but he exploded for a career-high 42 points, of which 22 came in the overtimes versus the Brooklyn Nets in a Wednesday win. And he followed up that by having 25 points in another W versus the Nets, albeit one in which Kevin Durant wasn’t playing in (Achilles).

For Sexton, anyhow, he added to his Cavs record of consecutive games to begin a season with 20-plus points, in which ended out at 10 for him; he passed LeBron James in that regard at eight such games.

What has really jumped out to me, though, in the scoring sense, is that Sexton has gotten so difficult to defend as a pick-and-roll scorer.

Sexton has become so hard to defend as a PnR scorer for the Cavs.

Sexton, while Sunday’s loss at the Boston Celtics didn’t illuminate it, and he had only 13 points, has, generally speaking, continued to make strides as a PnR scorer.

He’s taken further strides it appears regarding change of speeds in that sense, and that’s led to him getting to floaters/push shots after screens set by Andre Drummond and Larry Nance Jr., and I’d imagine moving forward, Jarrett Allen a fair amount.

And perhaps most notably, with Sexton’s quickness, but also ability to change his pace in the PnR, it’s led to him being able to eat up dropping bigs, and those sort of mid-range pull-ups have helped Sexton get in-rhythm consistently.

From there, though, if Collin has gotten switchouts, he’s been able to get his spots, and as a driver, he’s been able to feast near the basket with his explosion, as a counter.

That sort of look has at times led to helpers coming from the wings to cover that, and that’s resulted in some kickouts for Sexton, too. And he’s been seeing those passes more often, which has led to looks for Cedi Osman, Nance, who hopefully is fine in a bit after appearing to injure his wrist versus Boston (though it didn’t seem necessarily very serious), and Damyean Dotson.

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Albeit circling back, with overall progression he’s shown, dating back to last season, as a PnR scorer, it’s typically resulted in quality, and pretty open shots in settled situations for the Cavaliers.

That’s included him being able to capitalize at times if guards have chosen to go under ball screens in primary coverage against Collin, and he’s taken advantage in those instances by and large, whether that’s been beyond the three-point line or in the mid-range.

Sexton, while I know it will come down eventually, has still hit 50.0 percent of his pull-up three-point attempts, per NBA.com’s shot tracking data. Needless to say, he’s made opponents pay when they’ve gone under in PnR coverage.

Moreover, even on a frequency of 40.3 percent, Sexton has been, again not counting the past blowout game, outstanding as a PnR scorer, and has placed in the 73rd percentile in those situations, per Synergy Sports.

Lastly, even in times Sexton has missed as a driver, with him causing bigs to rotate over/with the pressure he’s put on out of PnR operation, it’s led to easy putbacks and/or offensive rebounds.

So again, not factoring in Sunday’s game, which was a tough one for Cleveland, Sexton has proven to be so hard to defend as a PnR scorer. And moving forward, I’d only expect him to keep building on that, and I’d hope continue to make progress as a passer in those situations.