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Cavs SF Alonzo Gee Making A Case To Start Over Omri Casspi

Published: 2nd Jan 12 1:07 pm
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by Robert D. Cobb
Cleveland Browns Featured Columnist, Follow me on Twitter, @Dawgfather_76
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Cavs SF Alonzo Gee Making A Case To Start Over Omri Casspi
David Richard-US PRESSWIRE

Cleveland, Ohio – If there has been one pleasant surprise during the (2-2) Cleveland Cavaliers 2011-12 season has been the play of second-year player Alonzo Gee.

Gee, a 6’6, 219-pound small forward out of Alabama would score 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field, including going 3-of-5 from three-point range in 30 minutes in Cleveland’s 98-82 victory over the New Jersey Nets on New Year’s Day.

Through four games, Gee has played an average of 28.7 minutes, made 58 percent of his field goals and shot 40 percent from three-point range.

Gee has shot 66.7% from the free-throw line and averaged ten points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 3.7 assists for Cleveland.

If Gee continues his sold play, what does this mean for current starter Omri Casspi?

Casspi, a 6’9, 225-pound small forward who was acquired in a off-season trade for J.J Hickson and a lottery-protected first round pick in 2012, has struggled early in Cleveland.

Through his first four games in Cleveland, the former Maccabi Tel Aviv standout has shot 31.8 percent from the field—including 28.6 percent from three-point range.

Casspi has averaged 20.3 minutes a game and scored 5.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists.

According to The News-Herald, Gee’s steady performance coupled with Casspi’s early-season struggles may lead to Gee taking over as starting small forward.

In the Cavaliers last two games, Gee has played the entire fourth quarter and played more minutes, while Casspi has sat on the bench.

Gee seems to give the Cavaliers more athleticism out on the wing, while Casspi seems to be a better spot-up shooter.

Gee and Casspi both give the Cavaliers—and coach Byron Scott—options at the small forward position and could either end up platooning with each other playing more according to matchups.

Either way, Gee is making a strong case to start, and if Casspi continues to struggle, it will only be a matter of when not if before he finds himself watching Gee from the end of the Cavaliers bench.

Follow me on Twitter, @Dawgfather_76

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