Collin Sexton continues to outshine All-Star guards, leads Cleveland Cavaliers to 101-90 win over John Wall, – cleveland.com

HOUSTON — First it was Atlanta’s Trae Young. Then Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons. On Monday night, it was Houston’s John Wall and Victor Oladipo for the second time in a week.

In a stretch of matchups against All-Stars or former All-Stars, Cleveland Cavaliers’ talented third-year guard Collin Sexton, who was hoping for his first nod in the annual showcase of the league’s best, has outplayed each one — and, more importantly, contributed to winning in the process. The Cavs continue to go as he does. Sexton led Cleveland to its fourth straight win Monday, beating the reeling Houston Rockets, 101-90.

“He was not going to let us lose,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of Sexton. “They do make it tough on you because they have some good individual defenders and they switch with length and it turns into where you have to beat your man. Collin has the ability to beat his man. He was awesome for us tonight.”

Not even a busted lip that required stitches at halftime could slow down Sexton. They don’t 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 range and 11-of-15 from the foul line to go with eight assists, three rebounds and two steals in 42 minutes.

On Feb. 23, the start of Cleveland’s turnaround, bouncing back from a miserable, non-competitive 10-game losing streak, Sexton called that night’s game against the Hawks a must-win. He vowed to keep the team competitive. He has. Monday was his ninth straight game with 20 or more points. It was the first time he reached the 30-point mark since his career game against the Brooklyn Nets more than a month ago. During this winning streak, Sexton has felt more like himself. He’s averaging 29.7 points over the last four.

Sexton’s performance overshadowed John Wall’s season-high 32 points. It helped the Cavaliers overcome a whopping 21 turnovers that turned into 24 Houston points. It erased a sloppy, uninspired second quarter in which the offense floundered, scoring just 17 points.

Darius Garland, Sexton’s backcourt mate, shook off an out-of-rhythm opening half tied to foul trouble. Garland scored 10 of his 14 points in the third quarter, before limping off the court because of a minor groin injury. Garland, who had seven assists as well, returned in the fourth quarter. Jarrett Allen had his eighth consecutive double-double, coinciding with becoming a starter in place of deactivated Andre Drummond. Allen finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds in 31 minutes.

There have been plenty of reasons behind the Cavs’ pre-All-Star spurt. Better defense is one. Cleveland held the Rockets below the 100-point threshold and limited them to 40.8% shooting and 32.3% from beyond the arc. An overhauled offense that has seen more of a commitment to 3-pointers is another. The Cavs went 10-of-30 from deep Monday night. Dean Wade starting at power forward can’t be overlooked, giving the team a more natural option with Larry Nance Jr. (fractured left hand) and Kevin Love (strained calf) both sidelined. Wade scored eight points and made two triples.

But Sexton playing like an All-Star — even though he wasn’t selected — has been the epicenter. The last time Cleveland won four games in a row was the 2017-18 season. That was LeBron James’ last season in Cleveland and months before Sexton arrived as the first piece of this rebuild. Now Sexton is the “cultural backbone” — to borrow a phrase members of the organization often use — and the team’s barometer for success.

Up next

The Cavs will host the Indiana Pacers in the First Half finale on Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.