CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cavaliers rookie point guard Collin Sexton stared down Washington Wizards All-Star John Wall before dribbling from right to left and between his legs. Then Sexton stepped into a 3-pointer from the right wing -- in Wall's face.

Splash.

That third-quarter bomb, which gave the Cavaliers a 29-point lead, their largest of the game, was symbolic of Sexton's career night. It was one of many highlights during an exciting 116-101 win against the Wizards.

"I saw Collin very aggressive early and he didn't let up," Cavs head coach Larry Drew said. "He was in the attack mode I think the entire game. When you get into a rhythm like that when you are making shots and getting to the basket good things happen. Tonight was Collin's night."

These are the games Cleveland's promising rookie has circled. Another opportunity to test himself against one of the league's premier point guards.

Saturday night was supposed to be his latest bit of education. Only the pupil turned into the professor. Sexton matched his career-high with 29 points on 13-of-23 from the field and 3-of-7 from 3-point range to go with a season-best six assists.

Wall, meanwhile, scored one point on 0-of-5 from the field and 0-of-3 from 3-point range in 26 forgettable minutes. His first scratch didn't come until late in the third quarter when he split a pair of free throws.

Saturday night was Wall's 566th career game. It was just the ninth time he had been held scoreless at halftime. Sexton's tenacious defense -- and perhaps Wall's own illness that kept him from participating in morning shootaround -- played a big part in Wall seeming out of rhythm for a big chunk of the night.

"This kid doesn't back down from a challenge," Drew said. "I don't care who it is. He's had some pretty tough matchups thus far through the course of the season and whether win, lose or draw in those matchups, I can always say at the end of day, he has never backed down and tonight was another example playing against a guy like John Wall who is as tough as they are from a talent standpoint.

"He accepted the challenge tonight and he played a phenomenal game on both ends of the floor and it says a lot about who he is."

Games like this are why the Cavs have been so gleeful when discussing Sexton's potential. It's why they are invested in Sexton's growth. Why they traded for Matthew Dellavedova to be a mentor and dogged practice partner.

Most everything with the Cavs these days is about Sexton. He's the face of this new era and the linchpin of the rebuild. Sexton is starting to look the part.

The teenager is still learning more about the game each night. He's figuring out how to best attack defenses, when to pass versus when to seek his own shot and even how to make his teammates better. As Drew said before Saturday's game, Sexton still has a ways to go.

That's the most exciting part. If this is how Sexton looks already when playing against a seasoned five-time Eastern Conference All-Star, then what's to come in the future?

Sexton did something on Saturday night that not even Kyrie Irving accomplished as a rookie. Sexton tallied double figures in scoring for a 16th straight game, hitting that mark by the end of the first quarter.

Irving's longest streak in his first year was 15. The last rookie to have a stretch like the one Sexton added to: LeBron James.

"That's pretty good," Sexton said. "I feel like I'm getting comfortable."

Tristan Thompson helps set tone

Sexton got plenty of help from Thompson, who rebounded nicely from a brutal performance against the Sacramento Kings one night earlier.

Thompson scored 23 points and grabbed 19 rebounds.

With his board in the second quarter, Thompson passed Hot Rod Williams for fourth on the franchise's all-time rebounding list.

"Workhorse. He sets the tone for us. When he comes out with that type of energy, we feed off that," Drew said. "He's been terrific every game he has played. Again, it's not all about scoring. When we do get scoring from him it's a plus. We really rely on him to get on that glass. We rely on him to be the anchor for our defense. We rely on him to set the tone for us. I thought tonight he really played well and played with energy and set the tone very early for us. We just rode him."

Spot start

With Rodney Hood sidelined because of soreness in his right foot, Drew inserted Alec Burks into the starting lineup. Drew also pondered how he wanted to fill out the rest of his starting group all the way up to tip.

Ultimately, Drew decided on two-way player Jaron Blossomgame.

The Wizards went small, using Otto Porter Jr. at power forward, and it left Drew without much of a choice. He didn't want to use the two-big group with Thompson and Larry Nance Jr, David Nwaba remains sidelined because of a sore knee, JR Smith is exiled and Sam Dekker was part of Friday's three-team trade.

That gave Blossomgame his first NBA start. He scored six points in 20 minutes.

Burks reached double-digits again, tallying 14 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes.

Dellavedova's debut put on hold

Dellavedova walked into Quicken Loans Arena wearing a black suit shortly before 6:30 p.m. The fan favorite was officially back.

Only he couldn't play. Not yet anyway. Not until all other members of Friday's three-team trade completed their paperwork and took their physicals.

Despite the Wizards being in town, Dekker had to fly to Washington D.C. for his paperwork and physical. George Hill wasn't set to arrive in Milwaukee until later Saturday night, after the deadline for the Cavs to determine their actives/inactives against the Wizards.

That meant Dellavedova's debut was put on hold. He still received a standing ovation and a mini-tribute in the first quarter, being shown on the jumbotron as the song "Reunited" played over the loud speakers.

Dellavedova doesn't know for sure when he will suit up for the Cavaliers. He believes it will be Monday, back in Milwaukee where he spent the last two-plus years.

Up next

The Cavs head to Milwaukee to play the Bucks for the first time this season on Monday night. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.