Collin

Sexton

Sexton was able to contribute a bit of value in every category, and he nearly won this game for the Jazz. He had the ball with just a few seconds left and was trying to get by Rui Hachimura. Time was ticking, and Will Hardy tried to call timeout. With the arena loud, the refs didn’t hear him and award him the timeout until Sexton started to turn the corner for a layup, which he made. Sexton had another chance after the timeout to win it, but he wasn’t able to get a good shot up. He’ll continue to be a primary source of offense for them, though he’ll likely be on the trade block within a couple months.

Without Lauri Markkanen and John Collins, Sexton had free rein over the offense and capitalized with 26 points in this one. It wasn’t enough to keep the Jazz in the game, but it was another big scoring effort from the 25-year-old shooting guard whose play continues to trend in the right direction.

Sexton made big plays to keep the Knicks at arm’s distance during the fourth quarter, a fitting conclusion to one of his best performances of the season. Saturday’s win was his fourth 20-point game, and the 25 points represented a season-high for Sexton. He remains ranked outside the top 150 in 9-cat formats, but Sexton appears to be trending in the right direction.

Despite being ranked outside the top 150 in 9-cat formats, Sexton remains rostered in over 80% of Yahoo leagues. He’ll figure prominently in the Jazz offensive attack as a starter, so there isn’t too much risk in rostering Sexton. The issue is the lack of defensive production; punt steals and blocks, and Sexton is an 11th-round player. He’s never been known as a lockdown defender, so there’s no reason for fantasy managers to expect this to change anytime soon.

Sexton has reached double figures in every game this season except one, an October 29 loss to the Kings. While he remains ranked well outside the top 150 in 9-cat per-game value, the Young Bull’s status as a starter keeps his rostered percentage (86%) so high. Keep an eye on Sexton because there may be opportunities to “buy low” due to his slow start.

Sexton shot the ball well on Saturday, his second game this season in which he scored 20 points or more while shooting over 50% from the field. Shot selection can be problematic for the Jazz guards, and Keyonte George (foot) being sidelined made it even more critical that Sexton and company be more disciplined in their approach. Utah plays four games in Week 4, beginning with the Suns on Monday, and Phoenix will be playing its second game in as many nights.

After a two-game absence, Clarkson looked sharp in his 21 minutes on the floor. The lingering question is whether or not the playing time represents JC’s ceiling, especially with starter Collin Sexton (14 points, two rebounds, seven assists, and two 3-pointers) playing 27 minutes. Off to a slow start to the season before the heel injury, Clarkson needs more minutes if he’s to be a factor in standard leagues.

Markkanen returns from a lower back injury, and in addition to starting, his minutes will not be restricted (the same goes for reserves Jordan Clarkson and Isaiah Collier). Sexton will retain his place in the starting lineup while Williams continues to fill the void left by the injured Taylor Hendricks.

Sexton’s fractured finger is on his non-shooting hand, so he can play against the Nuggets. He’s come off the bench the last two games, but that’s likely to change with Jordan Clarkson (foot) sidelined. Sexton’s fantasy value will increase if he’s moved back into the starting lineup.

Dropped to the bench after Monday’s loss to the Mavericks, Sexton did not take the change well based on his in-game production. He scored four points the following night, shooting 0-of-7 from the field in a loss to the Kings. Sexton was noticeably better on Thursday, sharing the team-high in scoring with Keyonte George (15/4/5 with one 3-pointer and seven turnovers). The lingering question is whether Sexton can play his way back into the starting lineup, especially with Jordan Clarkson offering limited value in that role.