Jaylon Tyson proving he is ready to take the next step for the Cavaliers

In his sophomore NBA season, Jaylon Tyson has taken a major offensive leap for the Cleveland Cavaliers, shooting 45.8 percent on 4.6 three-point attempts per game.

Cleveland has since upped the ante on Tyson's expectations. His offensive emergence has played a key role in elevating the Cavs this year, especially after a painfully rocky start to the season. With injuries plaguing the entire roster, the second-year wing kept the team afloat in numerous close games, including a career-high 39 points against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Cavaliers have seen plenty of great offensive feats in recent years, however. Donovan Mitchell dropped 71 points to set a new franchise record during his first year in Cleveland. None of the Cavs' offensive highlights have given them anything beyond one second-round win in a postseason.

Instead, the Cavs need to see a defensive evolution to survive a Playoff run. Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson said Tyson had to "earn" his minutes in the rotation, despite the organization recently touting Tyson as a foundational piece of the future. If Tyson wanted to force Atkinson to give him a starting spot, he would have to show the level of defensive intensity that nobody could challenge.

This past offseason, the Cavaliers challenged Tyson to level up his offense and become a legitimate scoring threat. He did that instantly.

Now, the Cavs' second challenge is already being answered.

Tyson revels in his defensive success

Following Cleveland's 113-109 victory over the top-seed Detroit Pistons, Tyson gave a confident answer in media availability that perfectly encapsultaed the mentality the team needs out of him. When asked about being tasked with guarding All-Star and MVP candidate Cade Cunningham, Tyson showed no hesitation.

In the second half, the Cavs held Cunningham 0-of-5 from the field, scoring only two points in the half via the free-throw line. On the night, Cunningham connected on four shots out of 16 attempts. While other defenders like Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis played their roles, Tyson was the primary defender on Cade every time they shared the floor.

Tyson finished the game with 22 points, four assists, three rebounds and two blocks. He also collected five personal fouls, clearly valuing physicality over playing it safe. With two offensive juggernauts in the backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, the Cavs need a starting three who can accept low-volume scoring nights and still offer their best defensive effort. Tyson does that, and when his chance comes, he has shown just as much offensive firepower as he did earlier in the season.

Whatever Atkinson wanted Tyson to prove to keep earning his rotation spot, he's probably already surpassed that in just a few days. Since the arrival of Harden, Tyson has adapted his offense and defense to fit the new star. Tyson is not just finding a spot for a corner three and waiting for his chance. He is constantly running and cutting, setting hard screens for Harden and driving to the lane.

Defensively, Tyson searches for opportunities to take the burden off his teammates. He takes on taller, larger assignments and also defends shifty guards on the perimeter without hesitation.

The Cleveland Cavaliers need players like Tyson. His grit, team-first mindset and unbreakable mentality are all the ingredients that make for a legitimate game-changer in a potential Finals campaign.