Cavs’ Kenny Atkinson on Jaylon Tyson: Matter of time before he has ‘big game’

It’s not been the best of days for Cavaliers youngster Jaylon Tyson. He’s played two playoff games … and scored a grand total of five points.

In Game 1, he picked up three fouls in a matter of minutes while trying to defend Raptors forward Brandon Ingram. Still, there are times when Tyson has been really good. There are others when he’s looked kind of lost.

Either way, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson says he believes. In fact, Atkinson guarantees.

“I told him today he’s next up,” Atkinson told reporters after practice on Wednesday. “(Max Strus) had that big game, the core four had their big games. [Next] it’s going to be Jaylon Tyson. I can almost guarantee that he’s going to have one of those games where he’s converting that offensive rebound, he’s getting into the half roll because they’re playing smaller.”

Tyson’s stat line in this series is 1-of-8 shooting, five points, 26 total minutes. But anyone who’s followed the Cavs at all this season knows that’s an aberration. When it comes to playoff rotations, he’s still more like a rookie. This is his first real taste of the real thing.

He also had a better-than-solid regular season, hitting 3-pointers, defending with determination and playing with high emotion (that last part hasn’t changed). 

And man oh man, the Cavs sure hope Atkinson is correct. Strus scored 24 off the bench in Game 1. In Game 2, the bench had 15 points — total. Toronto’s bench scored 46.

Yes, the Cavs lead the series by a 2-0 count entering Thursday’s Game 3 on the road. But a lack of bench production is not sustainable. Not if you’re talking deep playoff runs. The Cavs know that, and they are confident it will come around.

Perhaps Tyson will be a big reason why.

“He’ll have a big game,” Atkinson predicted. “It’s just a matter of time. It’s really talking to these guys individually about the patience needed until we get there. But I’m loving what I’m seeing from him right now.”