The NBA has evolved into becoming a point guard’s league and the Cleveland Cavaliers did not miss out on the memo. The Cavs experienced much success with an elite playmaker in Kyrie Irving, so they did not hesitate to take their chances by selecting two point guards in Collin Sexton and Darius Garland on consecutive drafts.
However, both Sexton and Garland, while being offensively gifted, also pose serious concerns on the defensive end of the floor. But that won’t seem to deter head coach John Beilein from going all-in on the two court generals, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
The Cavs will prioritize youngsters Sexton and Darius Garland — the likely starting backcourt. Jordan Clarkson is one of the team’s most reliable scoring options and will get plenty of minutes off the bench. That means Knight will be battling Matthew Dellavedova for the other guard spot.
Last season, Sexton was among the NBA’s worst defenders. He was put through the fire and got exposed to pick-and-rolls that ended in disaster for the Cavs’ then-rookie. Garland, on the other hand, has a physical profile that doesn’t translate to becoming a lockdown defender.
The Cavs’ two other point guards, Matthew Dellavedova and Brandon Knight, are significant upgrades on defense, but they’re not really part of the team’s long-term plans.
The hope is probably for Sexton and Garland to compensate on making plays and getting buckets for the Cavs at a high level, as the coaching staff tinkers with lineups that could hide their lead guards’ deficiencies.
