Examining Cedi Osman’s play so far
Cedi Osman is the definition of streaky. His points per game and three-point percentage are down this year and so are his minutes per game. In his defense, he has gotten inconsistent playing time due to him being in the Bickerstaff doghouse from time to time.
Despite that, Osman has the second-highest net rating on the team with 7.7 and he also is third on the team in defensive rating. Plus, he’s involved in some of the best lineups the Cavaliers have put on the floor this season.
In the 37 games where he has 20 or more minutes he has scored double digits in 24 of those games. The Cavs have a 26-11 record when Osman plays 20 minutes or more, compared to 12-12 when he doesn’t. Osman is a streaky player, but given the Cavaliers’ glaring weakness at the small forward spot, he should be given more opportunities than the ones he has been given.
Osman’s grade so far: B-
From there, we’ll give our rationale for the grading for Lamar Stevens.
Examining Lamar Stevens’ play so far
Another guy who has gotten inconsistent playing time is Stevens. Stevens was a starter for a short period earlier in the season, starting 18 games total. Through the first two months of the season, Stevens had 44/35 shooting splits while playing 26 minutes a game. He was one of the team’s best defenders in that span, and has shown versatility on that end.
After putting Stevens in the starting lineup and rotation, the Cavs were second in defensive rating from Nov. 18 to Dec. 31. His lauded junkyard dog mentality got this team back on track. However, his playing time has waned since the new year.
He has only crossed the 20-minute mark three times and is now, for the most part, out of the rotation entirely. While his offensive efficiency can be questionable at times, Stevens has a defensive intensity that the Cavaliers need in a long playoff series. His performance on offense can be better, but he deserves a spot in the playoff rotation nonetheless.