Jaylon Tyson’s star performance has Donovan Mitchell, Cavs stating Most Improved Player case

Cleveland Cavaliers second-year swingman Jaylon Tyson dished out the game-winning assist to Evan Mobley and set a career high with 39 points, leading his shorthanded squad to an admirable 117-115 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Tyson added five rebounds and four dimes in 38 minutes in the team’s second straight triumph over the Sixers on the road at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs are stating his Most Improved Player case for him.

“If Jaylon Tyson is not in discussion for, excuse me, the leader for Most Improved, then I don’t know what the award is for,” Donovan Mitchell said postgame. “This is no disrespect to past winners, but I feel like a lot of the past winners have been topics [of conversation]; they’re expected to be that.

“I promise you nobody in here said Jaylon Tyson was gonna have a 39-point night against the Sixers in Philly [with] no DG [Darius Garland], no Sam Merrill. That’s what the award is for, guys like him in that position where he catches everybody by surprise in his second season.”

Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson marveled over Tyson’s night, calling it “a five-star performance.”

“I just feel like it was a good team win,” Tyson added postgame. “I don’t want to make this all about me. Obviously, I did have a good game, but I feel like everybody made good plays… It was a good game, but I’m just glad we won. Get to celebrate on the plane and go to sleep.”

On what would be the deciding play of the contest, Lonzo Ball found Tyson in the left corner on an inbound. He drove the ball baseline and drew attention, passing the ball from his side to Evan Mobley with just enough space for an easy two-hand flush. Mitchell raved over the read Tyson made.

“The scoring is one thing, but for the presence of mind as a second-year player to not try to go take the layup and be the hero, to go ahead and make the right play, that to me was just as big as anything else,” Mitchell said. “He could’ve tried to get 40. He could’ve at the moment [been] about him, but instead, he makes the right play to win us the game. That’s a special mindset. It’s one thing to have a big night, guys have big nights. But in the biggest moment, biggest situation in a crucial situation, he goes out there and does that.

“I honestly think that last play is an embodiment of him. He’s doing all of this, yet he’s the same person. This isn’t somebody that’s changing. He’s going out there and doing whatever helps the team. Quite frankly, we’ve needed him to score his points. Whether his role has been some nights being in the half-roll all night and making the extra play, being on the boards, picking up full, [or] scoring 30, he’s done everything we’ve asked and he’s kept a positive mindset through out and he’s eager to learn. That’s the one thing I love just by watching him. Take away everybody else, that’s a special person, and it’s great to see.”

Mitchell joked that he’s running out of things to say about Tyson.

“For me to be thinking, ‘Where’s the second-year guy who’s the 20th pick on a contending, playoff-championship team,’ that should tell you where the trust level of the group is,” Mitchell said. “For Zo to think, ‘I’mma throw it to Jaylon,’ that should show you the respect we have for him in the locker room. That should show you everything. The fact that Kenny’s putting him out there every single night. He’s doing it. I’m really happy for him.”

Mobley wound up being the recipient of Tyson’s unselfish decision, and he was ready for the dump-off.

“Young guy, you would think he would try to challenge, get a dunk to finish,” Atkinson said. “The fact that he made the wraparound dish to Evan, it speaks to his maturity and how much he’s grown in two years.”

“I think that’s what he does,” De’Andre Hunter added. “He consistently makes the right reads. He’s confident in his game, as we saw [Friday]. To have the guts and balls to make that play when you can drive that basketball during that time of the game [instead], I think it speaks to his confidence and how well he’s playing right now.”

Hunter has seen “everything” in Year 2 from Tyson, who’s averaging 13.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and a steal on .524/.475/.759 splits in just over 27 minutes per game.

“What [Mitchell] said, Most Improved,” Hunter stated. “Since I’ve been here, he’s been one of the best guys on the team. He plays defense. And on offense, he’s shooting, I feel, like 60 percent from 3. He’s playing really well, and I’m really happy for him.”

Tyson’s near-40 point outing came on a stellar 13-of-17 performance from the field. He made seven triples on nine attempts, going perfect on his six free throws. The 23-year-old spotted up and relocated often, staying in perpetual motion all evening long. He knocked down open shots, drilled contested ones, and, most importantly, executed big plays in high-stakes moments.

“I’m shooting that,” Tyson said. ” From the start of the offseason to now, my biggest thing was, ‘Don’t think, just shoot.’ I found the space, and I’m shooting confidently. Dre made some good plays, JA [Jarrett Allen], Ev, Don, Qwan [Tomlin]. Everybody came in and made good plays that ultimately helped us win. Hopefully, we can just take this and keep stacking.”

“He played a complete game. Everything we needed him to do what he did,” Mobley said. “Knocked down some 3s, big plays, getting to the rim, assists. He did everything right. He’s gonna be a great player. Just keep working. Games like this boost your confidence for sure, so just keep staying in the gym.”

Atkinson was impressed, but marveled over how he guarded Sixers All-Star Tyrese Maxey.

“He’d hit a 3, then he’d pick him up full-court,” Atkinson said. “He was great on both ends.”

“To guard Tyrese Maxey the whole game, for two nights in a row, to hold him to two inefficient nights… that’s an All-Star starter,” Mitchell said. “You do that as you’re a second-year player while also hooping on the other end, that’s big time.”

Meet “California Jaylon Tyson,” Cavs fans

Seeing consistent double teams early in the game, Mitchell had a message for Tyson, Craig Porter Jr., and Tyrese Proctor.

“I said, ‘Hey, if they’re gonna do this, I need you to go back to Duke, I need you to go to Wichita State, I need to you go to Cal,” Mitchell said. “That’s what it’s gonna be. For those three — Craig had 10 assists, TP came in and made an impact right away, and obviously JT. For those three to take that and do what they did, we don’t get to this win without those three, and Nae’Qwan as well.

“For them to be stars in their college years, to come in here and do the little things and then get rewarded on a night like this on national TV, that’s what this is about. They’ve been carrying us throughout the entire season. I’m grateful. I’m glad that they’ve been able to get their success they’ve had and show it to the world. They’re a big part of our group.”

Tyson took Mitchell’s challenge to heart, and the Cavs reaped the rewards.

“I said, ‘Alright, if you want to see California Jaylon, I’ll show you California Jaylon,” Tyson said, describing his college self as getting a bucket, doing a little bit of everything, and being aggressive.

“I didn’t even watch him at California, so I don’t really know,” Mobley added. “But I mean, if that’s California Jaylon, we need that all the time.”

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