HOUSTON – First it was Trae Young from Atlanta. Dan Ben Simmons of Philadelphia. Monday night it was John Wall and Victor Oladipo of Houston for the second time in a week.
In a series of games against All-Stars or former All-Stars, Cleveland Cavaliers’ talented third-year guard Collin Sexton, who was hoping for his first nod in the league’s annual showcase, surpassed everyone – and, more importantly, contributed to winning in the process. The Cavs continue as he goes. Sexton led Cleveland to its fourth straight win on Monday, beating the Houston Rockets 101-90.
“He would not let us lose,” head coach JB Bickerstaff said of Sexton. ‘They make it hard for you because they have some good individual defenders and they vary in length and that’s where you have to beat your man. Collin has the ability to beat his husband. He was great for us tonight. ”
Not even a broken lip requiring half-time stitches could delay Sexton. They do not call him ‘Young Bull’ for nothing.
Sexton scored 39 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, while shooting 12-of-20 from the field, 4-of-8 from 3-point and 11-of-15 from the foul line with eight assists, three rebounds to go. and two steals in 42 minutes.
On Feb. 23, the start of the Cleveland turnaround, bouncing back from a miserable, non-competitive losing streak of ten games, Sexton calls tonight’s game against the Hawks a must-win. He promised to keep the team competitive. He has. Monday was his ninth consecutive game with 20 or more points. It was the first time he had scored 30 points since his career game more than a month ago against the Brooklyn Nets. During this finish line, Sexton felt more like himself. He scored 29.7 points over the last four.
Sexton’s performance overshadowed John Wall’s season high of 32 points. That helped the Cavaliers overcome a whopping 21 turnovers that turned into 24 Houston points. It wiped out a sloppy, uninspired second quarter in which the offense scrambled and scored just 17 points.
Darius Garland, Sexton’s fullback, shook off an opening outside the rhythm, which was tied to dirty problems. Garland scored 10 of his 14 points in the third quarter before limping off the track due to a minor groin injury. Garland, who also had seven assistants, returned in the fourth quarter. Jarrett Allen had his eighth consecutive doubles double, and it was also an appetizer in place of the disabled Andre Drummond. Allen finishes with 10 points and 15 rebounds in 31 minutes.
There were many reasons behind the Cavs’ pre-All-Star spray. Better defense is one. Cleveland kept the Rockets below the 100-point threshold and limited to 40.8% shooting and 32.3% from outside the arc. A revised offense that led more to a commitment to three-pointers is another. The Cavs went 10-of-30 from deep Monday night. Dean Wade starting at power forward can not be overlooked, giving the team a more natural option, with Larry Nance Jr. (broken left hand) and Kevin Love (tense calf) who are both on the sidelines. Wade scored eight points and scored two tries.
But Sexton playing like an All-Star – even though he was not selected – was the centerpiece. The last time Cleveland won four games in a row was the 2017-18 season. It was LeBron James’ last season in Cleveland and months before Sexton arrived as the first piece of this remodel. Now Sexton is the ‘cultural backbone’ – to borrow a phrase often used by members of the organization – and the team’s barometer of success.
Following
The Cavs host the Indiana Pacers in the first semifinal on Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 19:00
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