Cavs SF Cedi Osman bounces back against the Czech Republic

Cedi Osman is expected to be a key component to the Cleveland Cavaliers for the upcoming NBA season. After a poor performance in a loss to the United States, it was encouraging to see Osman bounce back in Turkey’s next game against the Czech Republic.

Cleveland Cavaliers small forward, Cedi Osman, is going to be a major piece for the Cavs moving forward. The upcoming 2019-20 NBA season is going to be crucial for him to show that he can be a starting small forward on a contending team in the future.

KJG’s Josh Friedman previously discussed what Osman must improve on next season to show the front office he belongs in their future plans.

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Osman is one of the key contributors for Turkey’s national team and he struggled against the top-ranked Americans. Osman was on the floor longer than any other member of the Turkish national team except for Ersan Ilyasova.

Despite his high minutes’ share, Osman failed to produce. According to FIBA’s official box score, in 37 minutes, Osman had 15 points, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds. He shot just 4-for-15 from the floor (26.7%) and 1-for-7 from three (14.3%).

However the poor shooting performance wasn’t the worst of it for Osman, he missed two crucial free throws, late, in overtime, that would have extended the lead for Turkey to three.

The United States’ Khris Middleton then nailed two free throws on the other end to allow the American national team to escape with the victory.

Unfortunately for Turkey, the result of their game against the Czech Republic had the same result, this time a 15-point loss.

However, Osman was the best player on the floor for them. Osman led the way in minutes at 33. He also had a fantastic stat line, according to FIBA’s official box score, of 24 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. He was much more efficient.

Again according to FIBA’s official box score, Osman finished 8-for-14 from the floor (57%), 3-for-6 from three (50%), and perhaps, most importantly to him, 5-for-5 from the free-throw line (100%).

This type of performance, after a major let down in the prior game, is exactly what the Cavaliers’ front office should hope for from Osman. The NBA regular season is a long one and there will be many ups and downs throughout, it’s how player’s respond to the downs that define them.

A win against the United States would have been the biggest win in the history of the Turkish national team. Osman didn’t let the missed free throws or the poor performance overall impact his play in their next game, against the Czech Republic.

Having the mental fortitude, and showing the leadership, to bounce back after a major disappointment, is what takes a professional athlete to the next level. Osman is a player who can make the jump next season from a solid, middle-of-the-road starting small forward, to up into the upper echelon of starting small forwards in the NBA.

He is showing that he has the mental fortitude and leadership to respond to tough situations. Now he needs to put performances, like the one against the Czech Republic, together consistently to make that leap.

Cleveland Cavalier fans and the front office will be watching and will be holding out hope that he does leap.