Jaylon Tyson has all but locked up the breakout honor the Cavaliers will love

Cleveland Cavaliers wing Jaylon Tyson put on a true breakout performance against the Philadelphia 76ers, ending the night with a game-high 39 points, five rebounds and four assists while shooting seven-of-nine on three-pointers.

Tyson not only showcased his talent on the NBA court, but he did so on a nationally-televised, down-to-the-wire showdown against former MVP Joel Embiid and a cast of rising star guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Tyson was everywhere, defensively locking up Philly's Maxey while being the focal point of the offense at the other end.

As the clock winded down, Tyson gave the Cavaliers a one-point lead in the final minutes, and after the Sixers tied the game, the young wing dished out a perfect pass to Evan Mobley for the game-winning dunk.

Tyson is exploding onto the scene as more than just a 3-and-D wing specialist. He is demonstrating talent as a three-level scorer, solid ball handler, tough defender and fearless deep shooter. Tyson is adept at moving off-ball, getting himself and others open. When he has the ball, though, he can flash some of his best work from his year as a Cal Golden Bear, creating his own shot or finding an open teammate.

That kind of performance may be Tyson's career-high accolade, but this has not been an unusual occurrence to see Tyson take over and win a game for Cleveland. On the season, Tyson is putting together a fantastic breakout year with high efficiency and high volume.

Averaging 13.4 points, Tyson is shooting 47.5 percent from three-point range on 4.3 attempts per game. He has a true-shooting percentage of 64.3 percent, ranking among one of the highest in the NBA by a non-center.

Jaylon Tyson deserves MIP

At 23-years-old, Tyson is displaying a much higher ceiling than expected when he entered the NBA last season. His improvement has been monumental for the Cavs to reclaim their season, and superstar Donovan Mitchell put it best on Twitter (X) after his 39-point domination.

Last season, Cleveland saw another breakout from Ty Jerome, as the veteran guard ended the year as a finalist for the NBA's Most Improved Player award. With Tyson now emerging as a potential future star of the league, the former 20th overall pick deserves to be at the top of the MIP pecking order.

In his rookie campaign, Tyson rarely saw the court and only averaged 3.6 points on shaky efficiency. He was expected to take a step forward this season, but he has catapulted himself into conversations as the team's most important player outside of the core four. He may even push the boundaries to make it a core five if he continues to excel.

For a player drafted after three college seasons with three separate universities, Tyson is defying any and all expectations. Many draft profiles projected Tyson in the mid-second round, comparing him to solid role players like Caleb Martin and Josh Hart. Halfway through his second season, Tyson is challenging all of his comparisons and could see himself in All-Star considerations next year.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have needed an answer for a starting wing for years. Tyson is offering everything Cleveland needs and more, breathing life back into a season that had begun to feel lost.