Following Wednesday morning’s shootaround, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue noted that the team’s starting lineup would not change going forward.
As most hoops fans know, the Cavs made several changes just hours before this season’s trade deadline, sending out six players. In return, they received four new faces: George Hill, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., and Rodney Hood.
The Cavs seem to have found a new energy since their mid-season moves. In fact, they’re currently riding a four-game winning streak, and all four new players have made a noticeable impact in their own way. Hill is an excellent on-ball defender, Clarkson is a crafty slasher, Hood is a silent assassin, and Nance Jr. is always ready to throw it down on anyone.
Cedi Osman has been starting at small forward in recent games, and it sounds like that trend will continue, per coach Lue. The former Turkish Cup winner has remained humble since joining the Cavs in 2015. He’s constantly soaking up knowledge from the players around him. There is no way around it as his game has improved, which seems to be paying off in more playing time.
The Cavs, now the third-ranked team in the Eastern Conference standings with a 34-22 overall record, will kick off a back-to-back set on Thursday night with a matchup against the Washington Wizards inside Quicken Loans Arena (at Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 23). Tip-off for Thursday’s game is set for 8:00 p.m. EST with TNT and FOX Sports Ohio having live broadcast coverage.