3 reasons for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ sudden resurgence

Reasons for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ sudden resurgence: Sturdy second unit

A reliable second unit is something the Cleveland Cavaliers have been missing in recent years. This season, however, timely performances from numerous players have lifted the Cavaliers through hard times.

Kevin Love, Cedi Osman, and Ricky Rubio all rank in the top 25 for bench scoring this season, making them the only trio to appear on the list.

The Cavs’ great bench unit: Kevin Love

The last remaining member of the 2016 championship team, Kevin Love is undergoing a resurgence of his own. He is not the same All-Star player he once was, but we are seeing an energized Love for the first time in years.

Love might be averaging the fewest points since his rookie season, but his 38.6 percent three-point clip is the best since his first All-Star appearance in 2011. He’s averaging roughly the same stats as last season at 11.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists, but he is doing it in five fewer minutes off the bench.

Above all else, Love looks like he is having fun again. He is emerging as a true veteran leader who provides a steady dose of offense whenever he is on the floor.

Believe it or not, he is even exerting himself on the defensive end. Love’s 100.8 Defensive Rating is the best of any rotational player other than Evan Mobley.

The Cavs’ great bench unit: Ricky Rubio

Addressing perhaps the biggest need of the offseason is Ricky Rubio, whose ability to command the second unit and serve as a complementary ball-handler next to Darius Garland has kept the Cavaliers’ offense in constant flow.

Rubio began the year firing from deep. He is drilling a career-high 1.8 three-pointers per game and even lit up Madison Square Garden for 37 points and 10 assists earlier this season.

Dishing out 6.3 assists per game, Rubio leads all bench players in this department. He also has the third-highest net rating of anyone on the Cavs outside of Darius Garland and Evan Mobley.

The Cavs’ great bench unit: Cedi Osman

Cedi Osman nearly shot himself out of the NBA last season, ranking as one of the worst 3-point shooters in the entire association.

So, seeing him lead Cleveland in three-point shooting efficiency with the 11th best percentage (41.1 percent) of any bench player this season is pretty astounding.

Osman has bounced back tremendously from a down year and is having the best season of his career. His constant effort on both ends of the floor has energized the Cavaliers multiple times and his consistency from deep has made him a crucial part of their nightly attacks.