Cavs might have Collin Sexton back on Friday vs. Wizards

In the past three games, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been without their big-time bucket-getter in Collin Sexton.

Sexton sustained a concussion in Cleveland’s close loss last Friday at the Charlotte Hornets, of which he reportedly did not feel the effects of until after Cleveland left the Spectrum Center.

Sexton has again led the Cavs in scoring this season with 24.5 points per outing on 58.1 percent true shooting, and in his past five games active, has had 27.6 points per outing on 64.3 percent true shooting.

And it does appear that the Cavaliers might end up getting Sexton back in their next game on Friday at home against the Washington Wizards. He was upgraded to questionable for this Friday game against Washington on Thursday, as h/t Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

This would provide a lift for the Cavs, but we’ll have to see if Sexton is in there.

Of course, Sexton is clearly listed as questionable, as Fedor noted above, so it’s not definitive whether or not Collin’s in there on Friday.

If that’s the case, though, it’d give the Cavs, I would think, even if he’s potentially on a minutes restriction, a lift. I would imagine given it’s been the past three games for Sexton, that that’d be the case, anyhow, and that’d be understandable if so.

Concussions are tricky, so we’ll have to see what plays out for Sexton in this case and/or if he’s possibly back on Cleveland’s game on Saturday instead in a home tilt against the Miami Heat.

Albeit if Sexton is in action for the Cavaliers on Friday, perhaps they’d have a more realistic shot against Russell Westbrook, Bradley Beal and Washington.

Sexton again has been very sharp as of late in the time leading up to his last few absences and after returning from missing two outings because of a left groin strain, as we hit on.

Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro and the Wine and Gold did play pretty well in their last meeting with the Wizards on the road on Sunday, but a rough fourth quarter ultimately did them in and Washington was able to capitalize on Cleveland’s miscues down the stretch. Admittedly, Garland did have six turnovers in that contest; however, given the workload he’s had, particularly as of late, it’s tough to completely grill him.

And even while Matthew Dellavedova, and Sexton, to an extent, being out of late has had some to do with it, particularly regarding playmaking, Garland still has had 23.3 points and 8.1 assists per contest in his last seven games.

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Plus, thanks some to his efforts this month, he’s now hitting 40.0 percent from three-point land on the season as well, for what it’s worth. The confidence lately in trusting his deep range has paid dividends, too.

Nonetheless, even with Sexton potentially back for the Wine and Gold, it is possible that he again might not be in action on Friday versus the Wizards.

Given the Cavaliers essentially having no more shot at a play-in tournament berth at this point, of which the injury situation, which has grown considerably as of Cleveland’s past Wizards game, for instance, hasn’t helped, this could be a tough one, either way.

That’s whether Sexton is back, at least for a real chunk of the contest or not; regardless of a potential fatigue factor coming off the concussion, even.

And on the plus side, the Wine and Gold potentially adding to their slide of late wouldn’t hurt their draft odds, of which Cleveland is currently projected to select sixth in the 2021 NBA Draft, per Tankathon. Although with the league’s draft odds now, it’s tough to exactly pinpoint where the Cavaliers will land at this point, and we’ll have to see on that.

Albeit circling back, while it’s unclear if he will be in there on Friday, Sexton being back for the Cavs could very well be a boost for their offense, and lessen some burden on Garland, for instance. It could help him/the team get more in-rhythm in the closing stretch, perhaps, also.

But either way, recent two-way add Jeremiah Martin I still do believe should get some real spurts of meaningful run in coming games, as how things have shaken out of late, that’d be a sound move.

We’ll again have to see in regards to that/if Sexton will be back at least some, though.