Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Collin Sexton scored 18 points to lead the team to an 82-68 win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday in the quarterfinals of the 2018 NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Sexton, the number 8 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, also issued six assists to help the Cavaliers book a spot in the semifinals where they will face the defending summer league champions Los Angeles Lakers, a 101-78 winner over the Detroit Pistons.
Holland, Sexton Shine For Cavaliers
John Holland led the Cavaliers with 23 points, Billy Preston and Scoochie Smith added 10 points apiece, while Okaro White tallied 10 boards for the Cavaliers, who went 27-of-66 from the floor for 40.9 percent.
The Cavs got the win without Ante Zizic and Cedi Osman. The Cavaliers gave Zizic a day off following his trip to Croatia to support his country in the World Cup finals. Osman is expected to be sidelined in the NBA Summer League after spending his summer playing with the Turkish national team.
Chris Boucher finished with 18 points, Malachi Richardson and Alfonzo McKinnie contributed 14 points each, and Giddy Potts added 12 points for the Raptors, who shot just 25-of-81 from the floor for a dismal 30.9 percent.
Sexton Living Up To Expectations
In the 2018 NBA Summer League, Sexton has been living up to expectations as the number 8 overall pick and a possible replacement for LeBron James, who joined the Los Angeles Lakers recently.
Entering the game, Sexton is averaging 18.4 points and 3.2 assists per game in five contests. Against the Raptors, Sexton showed his playmaking skills that could make the difference for the Cavaliers next season.
However, the only concern about Sexton's play was his shooting. He finished 6-of-14 from the floor and missed all of his two attempts from beyond the three-point arc.
Sexton scored eight points in the first half, but the Raptors grabbed a 39-37 lead at the break. Despite nursing an eye injury that he sustained in the first half, Sexton helped the Cavaliers turned the close fight into a rout as they outscored the Raptors, 21-4, in the third period.
Based on Sexton's performance in the NBA Summer League, Andre Snellings of ESPN said the Cavaliers rookie has a chance to become the focal point of the team's offense in the future.
"He showed some useful skills in Vegas, both as a scorer and as a creator, but needs to work on his long-range shooting and passing ability to achieve his maximum impact at the pro level," Snellings says.
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