Collin Sexton is currently the cornerstone of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise. Sexton is the leading force behind the Cleveland Cavaliers’ surprising 10-11 start to the 2020-21 NBA regular season.
The former Alabama guard has elevated nearly every part of his game this season. Discussions of Sexton being an All-Star emerged after his career high of 42 points against the Brooklyn Nets, which was a Cleveland Cavaliers 147-135 victory. Of course, the Nets were debuting their fearsome trio of Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant. The trio’s debut had a high viewership naturally, and led to Sexton garnering a lot of attention.
Why Collin Sexton Could be an All-Star
There are several of statistics that support Collin Sexton’s All-Star campaign. First off, the 6-foot-1 guard has seen an increase in his average points per game in the 2020-21 season. Last season, Sexton averaged 20.8 points per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. In the current season, the guard is averaging 24 points per game while shooting 50.4% from the field.
Also, Sexton’s 3-pointer has seen a massive increase in efficiency. Collin Sexton is shooting 43.1% from behind the arc, compared to his 38% from the 2019-20 NBA season.
Most NBA All-Stars are typically on winning teams as well. The Cavs are sitting in playoff position at seventh in the Eastern Conference. The Georgia native now also holds the record for most 20+ point games to start a season in Cleveland Cavaliers franchise history.
Collin Sexton is the first player in @cavs history to score 20+ points in each of his first 10 games of the season. pic.twitter.com/9iYzUAb7qZ
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) January 23, 2021
Collin Sexton’s Competition
Sexton will have some serious competition in regards to making the 2020-21 All-Star team. The Eastern Conference has the most star power it has had in recent memory. James Harden and Russell Westbrook are two new additions to the Eastern Conference that will impact Sexton’s chance to make the team as a guard. Jaylen Brown, Zach LaVine and Malcolm Brogdon have all improved significantly compared to last season. Brown improved his points per game from 20.3 to 27.1, LaVine improved his points per game from 25.5 to 26.9 and Brogdon improved his points per game from 16.5 to 22.9.
The Eastern Conference is looking at 4-6 spots available for guards. Some virtual locks at guard include Bradley Beal, Brown, Harden, Trae Young and LaVine. There could be one spot left on the team that any position could get. Sexton will probably be competing with Irving, Ben Simmons and Khris Middleton for the last spot. If Sexton makes the All-Star team, he will barely sneak in.
Would Collin Sexton be a Snub?
Based off previous NBA All-Stars, Collin Sexton seems to deserve an All-Star spot. He would have a case for being an All-Star snub if he was to miss out. Some recent guards that were considered All-Star snubs in the Eastern Conference include Beal in the 2019-20 season and LaVine in the 2019-20 season. Beal during the 2019-20 season averaged 30.5 points per game on 45.5% from the field and still missed the All-Star team. LaVine averaged 25.5 points per game on 45% shooting during the 2019-20 season. Beal and LaVine were on losing teams and this could be the primary reason for missing the All-Star game. Sexton fairs well here since the Cavaliers are in playoff position. The Cleveland Cavaliers guard has statistics that are similar to Beal and LaVine’s stats from the 2019-20 season.
Between Sexton’s high field goal percentage and high scoring average, he would likely be an All-Star snub. Sexton certainly has a very strong case to make the 2020-21 All-Star game, and his race to the finish line should be an interesting one.
All stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.
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