Cedi Osman Is Bringing A Special Kind Of Energy Off The Cavs Bench
There are some players who come off the bench and are strictly lights-out shooters, some are defensive specialists, and others are trying to prove their spot in the rotation.
Then there are some players such as Cedi Osman who bring a special kind of energy with them and will do whatever is being asked of their teammates and coaches. These are the kind of players that can directly lead to winning basketball.
With Kevin Love out with a fractured thumb, someone had to step up to fill the void. Love averages 13.6 points a game and more importantly, he grabs 7.2 rebounds per game as well. These numbers help the Cavs have one of the deepest benches in the NBA so it isn't easy to replicate.
However, Osman came off the bench and helped lead the Cavs to a victory over the Heat.
Cedi finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists. His 12 rebounds not only helped give Cleveland extra chances, but they are also a career-high for the sixth-year forward.
After the game, Cedi focused more on what he can bring to the team, not on his individual performance. He said:
"I'm just trying to be consistent that way. Whenever my number is called you know I'll be ready and try to bring my best to the team and obviously, I'm glad I was able to do that tonight, and hopefully, you know every other night. I'll just be ready every time my number is called."
Nov 20, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman (16) looks to pass as Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin (16) defends during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Osman may not be the very best player when he's on the floor, but he always does what is asked of him. He knew that with Love out that someone was going to need to play more in the paint and grab some boards and that's exactly what he did.
In past seasons he's filled in at shooting guard and power forward which may not be his most comfortable positions, but he did the job that was asked of him.
This doesn't go unnoticed by his coaches or his teammates either. After the game, J.B. Bickerstaff said, "(Cedi) is a spark plug. He has a strange energy to him that the guys love, that the fans love." Isaac Okoro followed that up and said, "I mean it's electric. When (Cedi) is hot, he's hot, hot. So, like you see in the second half he his one three and then he hit three in a row. You know it's just contagious."
Energy or electricity isn't a stat that can be tracked, but it clearly is a reason that the Cavs continue to play good basketball when Cedi is on the floor.
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