Cavs: Grades are top of the class for team on the rise

The Cavs Bench Grade: A

Another week and another A for the Cavalier group. The team is certainly getting great support from its world travelers.

Ricky Rubio was again solid and has taken over late in games and been the manager of the team. His sense of the game and knowing when to pass or take that step back three has been a delight to watch. He seems to really love playing the game this year. And as an older vet in the league, he seems to have found a new home in Cleveland, where the fans and city tend to gravitate to a good, hearty story and Rubio flips the bill this year.

His scoring average of 13.7 points is the highest in his 11-year career, to that point. His assists are near seven a game too. It’s really a resurgence for the Spaniard in Rubio.

Turkish-born Cedi Osman was terrific as well this last week as he seems to have really become a more reliable go-to for the team off the bench. He’s not overdoing it in the scoring department but still doing enough.

He had nine points in the win against the Celtics. That’s not a lot of points but all his points came in the fourth quarter when Cleveland was needing someone to step up. He had two steals and a block late in that game as well.

Plus, even when Osman’s not scoring he’s helped add a layer of confidence and grit to this team that seems to have been missing the last three years.