Through their first nine games of the 2020-21 season, the Cleveland Cavaliers are an impressive 5-4, which is good enough for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Much of it is due to the improved play of third-year guard Collin Sexton.
In fact, an advanced stat shows that Sexton is right up there with Luka Doncic and Trae Young in terms of production.
Through games on Jan. 7, here's how all third-year players have fared in TPA during the 2020-21 #NBA season. pic.twitter.com/vhKVW9SPQ0
— NBA Math (@NBA_Math) January 8, 2021
Sexton was the eighth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He was a good player in his lone season at the University of Alabama, but he seems to be a different player today.
So far this season, the Georgia native is putting 25.1 points and 3.5 assists per game while shooting an amazing 51.6 percent from 3-point range.
His defense, which has been a significant concern, has even improved.
The Cavs’ future hopes lie almost entirely on the young shoulders of Sexton and fellow starting guard Darius Garland. Like Sexton, Garland is also off to a nice start so far this season.