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Cleveland Cavaliers: Basketball Reference shows Collin Sexton is clutch – King James Gospel
Collin Sexton has continued to progress this season for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and again has led them in scoring, just as he did last season. Thus far heading into the second half of this campaign, Sexton’s had 24.1 points per outing, and he’s had a pretty robust 58.0 percent true shooting clip.
And though at times you’d still like to see Sexton attempt more three-point looks game-to-game, that’s been less of a concern lately. On the year, he’s hit a healthy 40.0 percent from deep, too, and has made strides as a finisher/scorer in the painted area.
Sexton has shown further growth throughout the year in terms of his capabilities with changing speeds on-ball as well, as he first really demonstrated last season. That’s been very good to see, and it’s apparent that with him again getting stronger over the past offseason, he’ll be able to pile up more and more free throw attempts.
Along with the on-ball/shot creation element, while he’s a score-first player, and always will be, Sexton has shown growth as a passer this season.
Granted, injuries have played into it for the Cavaliers, but Sexton has had a solid 4.5 assists per outing this year, too, as compared to 2.9 turnovers, which has been a positive. Sexton is not the passer of say, Darius Garland, though, who is undoubtedly Cleveland’s most gifted playmaking presence, factoring in what he’s shown as a scorer this season as well.
Nonetheless, even with the volume not having been nearly that of some others in the same realm, realistically, Sexton has proven to be a very gifted clutch time scorer this season, too. This below tweet from Basketball Reference illustrated that sort of thing from Sexton, in what’s been his third season for the Wine and Gold.
Best Clutch eFG:
(Last 5:00, 4Q or OT, game within 5, min. 25 FGAs)
1. Damian Lillard: .776
2. Collin Sexton: .639
3. James Harden: .632
4. Kevin Durant: .607
5. LeBron James: .582
6. Jamal Murray: .581
7. Kyle Lowry: .580
8. Kyrie Irving: .575https://t.co/APIRsvN7iw
For added context, “clutch” situations are considered those in which the score is within five points, with five minutes or less in regulation in games or in overtime situations. And though Sexton has not had quite the volume of the likes of Damian Lillard or LeBron James, for instance, Collin has shown he is more than capable of delivering in clutch time.
As Basketball Reference hit on, Sexton in clutch scenarios has had the second-highest effective field goal percentage among qualifying players, which they considered having at least 25 shot attempts.
That’s been only 11 occasions, in which the Cavaliers have ended up going 7-4, which isn’t nearly that of Lillard (19 occasions), LeBron (16 occasions) or Joel Embiid (17 instances), whose been fifth in average clutch scoring, for example.
The month of February, which was largely filled with L’s for Cleveland, and featured a bunch of blowout losses in a 10-game losing streak against postseason/contending hopefuls, didn’t lead to nearly enough competitive contests as one would’ve hoped for.
But the production from Sexton in the clutch situations that have come so far has been impressive, either way. And that sort of thing shows how when the Cavs need a bucket in tight scenarios down the stretch, that Sexton’s number will be called often and he can very well get it done; just ask the Brooklyn Nets and the Atlanta Hawks.
Now, Kevin Love having barely played thus far this season (high-grade right calf strain/reaggravation) may have played into it a bit regarding Sexton’s clutch production, when those situations have come, in theory.
However, even when Love is back, which could seemingly be sooner than later, I’d still expect Sexton, when the opportunities arise in the second half of this season, to still often be Cleveland’s go-to option for baskets in clutch time. Collin is second in the NBA in average clutch scoring (5.5 points per appearance), just behind Dame, which has been something in itself, honestly.
Needless to say, as that Basketball Reference tweet highlighted, when the opportunities have come, Sexton has shown that he’s highly capable in clutch time.
dark. Next. Sexton repping the Cavs in the 2022 ASG in CLE would be awesome
Looking onward, that’s a really encouraging development for the Wine and Gold, who will seemingly look to lock up Sexton long-term this upcoming offseason, or so that at least appears to reportedly be the case.
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