Defensive myths
At the top of this article, I mentioned Sexton’s horrendous Defensive-PIPM ranking for the 2018-19 season (3rd worst in the entire NBA). That only worsened in 2020, as he now ranks as the 2nd worst defender (according to D-PIPM, of course) in the league behind Trae Young. Take a glance at Sexton’s defensive win shares, defensive box plus-minus, his defensive RAPTOR rating; they will all try to tell you the same thing: Sexton sucks on defense.
Maybe it’s my favoritism-driven bias, but ever since I came across Sexton years ago I’ve never struck him as a bottom-feeding defender. I understood his impact would be limited given his small 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame; but I still never sold my stock on his defensive ability. To me, he has all the intangibles of a serviceable defender (minus the inches). He has a helluva motor; he’s fearless and focused at all times. He’s got super quick feet and a strong defensive base, he also has fast hands and can play ball-hawk when guarding off-ball (like a safety in football).
Yet, every time I bring this up to friends and fellow fans of the game, I hear the same thing in return. “Oh, but his D-PIPM” or “Oh, but his RAPTOR.” In most cases, I wouldn’t try to argue that (generally, I approve of the advanced stat movement), but in this case, I was confident that there would be another side to Sexton’s defensive story. Here is that other side:
First, a disclaimer: the Cleveland Cavaliers, in their entirety, suck at defense. According to Cleaning the Glass, they rank 29th in the league on defense. It’s a very slippery slope to reference defensive metrics (like D-PIPM and RAPTOR) when a player is playing on such a bad team. I’d argue that only stands more true when the team lacks rim protection (the final line of the defense), which the Cavs do.
The likes of Kevin Love, Tristian Thompson and Larry Nance (and for eight games, Andre Drummond) do not make for the most imposing group inside. The Cavs rank second-to-last in the league at protecting the rim (opposing teams make 60.5 percent of all their shots inside).
2020 Cavs Defensive Accuracy:
- Inside defense: 66.5 percent (28th)
- Mid-range defense: 41.9 percent (24th)
- 3-point defense: 37.7 percent (24th)
2020 Cavs Defensive Frequency:
- Inside defense: 38.4 percent (26th)
- Mid-range defense: 27.2 percent (6th)
- 3-point defense: 34.4 percent (9th)
In opposition to that though, Cleveland’s defense improves closer to the perimeter (as seen above). This is where a majority of Sexton’s work is being done (players only make 36.4 percent of their 3’s with Sexton guarding them); this is where his quick feet, strong motor, and strong defensive base thrive. He’s an active on-ball defender who can be a perimeter pest similar to the great Patrick Beverly; off-the-ball he’s usually alert and has a knack for intercepting passes (he also is averaging 1 steal a game in 2020).
Why is it that Beverly is praised for his “pitbull mentality” while Sexton’s similar mindset goes completely under the radar? Because a few skewed stats (due to him being on a bad team) go against his favor? that seems unfair to me.
He isn’t perfect on defense; I’m not trying to say that (the stats say he is anything but that). Sexton is still obviously limited by his frame, he’s really only a threat when guarding the point guard position. He also might overcommit when acting as a help defender and at times sets himself up in poor positions by trying to force turnovers.
What I am trying to say is this: it’s not fair to say “Collin Sexton sucks on defense.” It is certainly not fair to say he’s the worst defender in the league. The advanced stats that suggest otherwise are vastly skewed because of the team he is on and the defenders around him. A deeper look at those numbers, as well as some further looks at the film, reveals the truth though.
Sexton is a focused perimeter defender who can disrupt opposing point guards; he’s a playmaking hustle defender who, despite his size limitations, shows no fear on that end of the floor.
This is the case for Collin Sexton, and it is a strong case if I can say so myself. I’ve believed Sexton to be a great player for years now and my opinion is only stronger today. Collin Sexton is a good NBA player, and he is a player that can lead to winning basketball. I believe this no matter what a few “advanced” numbers may suggest; his work during the 2019-20 season justifies that.