OKLAHOMA CITY -- All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook didn't play in the first meeting between the Cavaliers and Thunder on Nov. 7.

He will be in the lineup Wednesday night. While head coach Larry Drew didn't reveal who would get the first crack at defending Westbrook, wanting to see which player the Thunder start at shooting guard first, rookie Collin Sexton is ready in case it's him.

"He doesn't take any plays off. He plays hard," Sexton said when asked to give a scouting report on Westbrook. "I have to match that same energy he plays with."

Easier said than done. Sexton hasn't seen a player like Westbrook yet. The combination of size, strength, speed and athleticism can be overwhelming. Westbrook never stops. As Drew said, Oklahoma City is a "much different animal" with him in the lineup.

That means the test changes from the first meeting, when Sexton made his first career NBA start against Oklahoma City and matched up against Dennis Schroder.

"It's a big difference because the pickup points are different," Sexton said. "Pick him up a lot higher because if he gets a full head of steam it's tough."

The Cavs haven't been putting too much of the defensive load on Sexton recently. Against Philadelphia, they used him to guard others like Wilson Chandler and fellow rookie Landry Shamet. According to NBA.com matchup stats, Sexton defended Ben Simmons just four times.

On Saturday night, David Nwaba took the challenge against leading scorer James Harden. But Sexton was the primary defender against Jeff Teague on Monday night and he will likely find himself matched up against Westbrook at times, especially with Nwaba sidelined because of continued knee soreness and George Hill not yet ready to return from a sprained right shoulder.

"Just be physical, make sure I show my hands and make sure I don't get in foul trouble early," Sexton said of his defensive strategy.

The youngster has learned this season not to get caught up in individual showdowns. Even if he has been in awe of some of the point guards he's already played, Sexton certainly wouldn't admit it. He tries to treat each game the same.

"I'm trying to win, go out there and get a victory, Sexton said. "That's what it's all about at the end of the day. That's what I do each and every game."

For the Cavs, that starts with turnovers. The Thunder boast the league's best defensive rating. They are incredibly disruptive, getting into the passing lanes and making opponents uncomfortable on the perimeter. When they force turnovers, they get out and run. In the first game between the two teams, Sexton committed three of the team's 19 miscues. The Thunder finished with 12 fastbreak points.

He admitted he needs to be smart with the ball and keep things simple. It's all part of Sexton's growth.

"He continues to get better," Drew said. "There's going to be some games where he won't be as good from a shooting standpoint. But his effort is there every single night, he plays with a lot of energy. He's continuing to grow and learn. That's the most important thing for him right now coming in as a rookie because it's tough enough to come in at that position as a rookie. He's doing well with it.

"I like the fact that he's embracing the situation, getting an opportunity to play, making the best of his opportunity to play and he's getting better and better."