Cleveland Cavaliers have found their secret weapon due to injuries

It was a much-needed victory for the Cleveland Cavaliers against a Victor Wembanyama-less Spurs, and a new impact player continues to impress.

Dec 5, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Thomas Bryant (3) celebrates with guard Jaylon Tyson (20) during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

What a difference a year makes for a Cleveland Cavaliers player, who has been arguably the biggest standout in a season riddled with injuries.

And it was as clear as any, based on his performance against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night. With the Cavs outplayed by the Spurs in the first half, Jaylon Tyson stepped up in the most monumental of ways as he poured in 16 of his 24 points in a stunning third quarter to propel Cleveland to an eventual 130-117 win.

Tyson was a sublime 11-for-15 from the floor and 2-for-4 from three-point range on a night when the Cavaliers needed a savior; a miracle given that six players were absent. It would have been a seventh, but Evan Mobley (illness) answered one of the Cavs’ prayers by drafting on. Tyson was their beacon, and his performance his season is a massive transformation compared to a year ago.

In his rookie season, Tyson either did not play or was inactive in 35 games. He averaged 9.6 minutes and just 3.6 points per game.

What a difference a year makes

Jaylon Tyson in Cleveland

Rookie season: 9.6 mpg, 3.6 ppg, 35 DNP/Inactive

Second season: 27.3 mpg, 13.1 ppg, 13 starts

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) December 6, 2025

Fast forward to season number two, and Tyson is logging 27 minutes a game and averaging 13.1 points in 13 starts. You can look to the amount of injuries that the Cavs have had for his extra playing time, but you can’t argue that he’s making the most of his opportunity.

And he led the second-half charge against San Antonio, lifting them from a 72-64 halftime deficit to a resounding 44-point third quarter, to swing the game entirely in Cleveland’s favor, leading 108-91 going into the fourth. It was astonishing.

“We had that second unit, and it was like [California] Berkeley Jaylon Tyson,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said about Tyson afterwards.

“There was handles and making plays; playmaking Jaylon, which he has, but we don’t use very much. But these are things in your toolbox, they start putting weaker defenders on him, they’re denying [Donovan Mitchell], and [Jaylon] makes a play.”

His energy, his determination, spurred the rest of the Cavs on and if one player was calling for that before the game, it was Donovan Mitchell, who had his own motivational speech answered by the two-year player.

“When you can go out there and fill a void that’s needed, guys are out, opportunity arose, and he’s thriving,” Mitchell told reporters about Tyson postgame.

“For him, he’s doing all the little things for us. If I miss a shot, there’s at least a 50 percent chance that somebody is going to be there, and it’s usually him.”