CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There are plenty of theories surrounding Collin Sexton’s scorching stretch, tallying at least 23 points in seven straight games and matching a rookie mark last hit by San Antonio Spurs great Tim Duncan in 1998 – an accomplishment that Sexton referred to as “cool.”

He admitted to cleveland.com more than a month ago that the Rising Stars Challenge snub was motivation, believing Knicks rookie Kevin Knox got picked as Lonzo Ball’s replacement because Knox plays in New York. Sexton, with his passion and relentless determination, is constantly looking to prove doubters wrong, to use whatever he can find as fuel. That’s just how he’s wired. So thinking that’s playing a part in his recent scoring binge wouldn’t be wrong.

The game has also noticeably slowed down for Sexton, allowing the rookie to play instinctively. That’s been part of his ascension. Kevin Love’s return has removed the spotlight. The Cavs have used the rookie away from the ball, keeping opponents from loading up against him. He’s seen numerous defensive coverages at this stage of the season and he knows how to best attack them. All of these factors matter.

But there’s something else. His shot selection.

“He’s taking steps in the right direction.,” Tristan Thompson said following the 107-102 win against Milwaukee. “He’s putting up the scoring numbers, he’s taking the 3-ball now. Earlier in the year he would take the mid-range, now he’s getting confident in his 3-point shot, which has spaced out the floor so much for him. I think it’s helped him be able to get to the rim more. The more he’s shooting 3s and teams respect it, it makes it easier for him to attack the rim.

That respect led to Sexton’s off-the-dribble layup with 42.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter, forcing Ersan Ilyasova to play him tighter than most defenders did in the first few months, when they constantly went under screens or sagged back to keep him from blowing by.

Prior to the All-Star break, Sexton was averaging 5.4 mid-range shots while taking just 2.7 3-pointers. He was shooting 38 percent from the mid-range while shooting 39.7 percent from beyond the arc. In the 14 games since the All-Star break, Sexton is only attempting 1.6 mid-range shots while his 3-point attempts have skyrocketed to 5.6.

“My teammates, they scream and yell at me for pump-faking and taking one-dribble and shooting the mid-range,” Sexton said, “So I was like I might as well start shooting (the 3). I practice on it so I might as well shoot it.”

Following a loss against Dallas, a night in which Luka Doncic schooled Sexton, the Cavaliers rookie went to the practice facility and hoisted 750 shots. Hours after that defeat, all Sexton could think about was working on his shot. One week at Cleveland Clinic Courts, the Cavs counted 9,000 shots from their players -- a number tallied by an internal monitoring system set up at the facility -- and Sexton took 3,000. The Cavs have even tried to get him to pick up a hobby so basketball isn’t all he does.

Proper shot selection is a good step. It was a needed adjustment. But it’s not meaningful if the shots aren’t falling. Because of the countless hours Sexton has logged behind the scenes -- getting to the arena, as usual, before 5 p.m. Wednesday night for a lengthy shooting session with player development ace Mike Gerrity -- he’s improved his outside shot faster than expected. Sexton is secretive about the changes, but credits his father for finding necessary tweaks while watching film.

“I knew coming into the season that was the biggest thing -- I couldn’t shoot -- so I work each and every day to try to make sure my 3 ball is good and make sure my jump shot looks good,” Sexton said. “That motivates me a whole lot, just to show and prove people wrong.”

Sexton’s shot is quicker. The release is more fluid. The placement of his guide hand looks different. The commitment he’s made is paying off. On Wednesday, Sexton went 4-of-7 (57.1 percent) from beyond the arc, including one with under two minutes remaining that made it a two-possession game once more. It’s a season-high seventh straight game with multiple 3-pointers.

Since the break, Sexton is shooting 46.8 percent on 3s. Of all players to attempt at least 30 triples during that stretch, he ranks ninth.

The change in approach has led to a much more efficient player. Before the All-Star break, Sexton’s effective field goal percentage was 44.6. Since then it’s 56.5. Once ranked near the top in mid-range shot frequency, Sexton now ranks below Klay Thompson, Dwyane Wade, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tobias Harris, Kevin Durant, Otto Porter Jr. and Kawhi Leonard, among others.

Apparently, his teammates’ scolding worked.