Don’t look now, but Caris LeVert has been playing his best basketball all year and at the most critical time of the year, too! As he finds himself moving back to the bench as the Cavs get healthy, don’t be shocked if somewhere in the playoffs Caris carries this club like Nick Van Exel or Vinnie Johnson, a 6th man who carried their team to a key playoff win.
LeVert was asked recently when things started to click for him.
“I believe [Darius] sat out the second game in Miami last month, and I just got more shot attempts and I got into a pretty good rhythm going into that two-game series in Charlotte.
That first game, I knocked down some shots (in Charlotte). And then we had the Philly game on the back-to-back and Ricky was out that game, so when guys are out, I get to play my natural position, which is the 2. I can play that position in my sleep.”
Here are Caris’ stats from that Miami game on (compared to the 13 prior):
MPG 32:25 vs 25:25
FG% 52.8% vs 43.4%
3 pt % 52% vs 27%
PPG 15.8 vs 7.4
He continued.
“So, I think we just had a stretch where I was able to slide into my natural role, which was cool.
When we have our full team, I try to be good at whatever role they need me. And I know that’s how it’s gonna be in the Playoffs.
But those few games playing the 2 is what actually jumpstarted me.”
Caris lists juggling as his non-basketball talent. Right now, Coach Bickerstaff has been juggling him into different roles, and he has performed nearly flawlessly whether it’s the 1, 2 or 3 positions!
Caris LeVert's last 6 games:
16 pts, 3 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 4 3pt
15 pts, 2 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 2 3pt
22 pts, 4 reb, 7 ast, 4 stl, 4 3pt
24 pts, 3 reb, 6 ast, 1 stl, 5 3pt
15 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast, 4 stl, 1 3pt
18 pts, 2 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 3 3ptDude's playoff ready 🔥 pic.twitter.com/UQmngc60Ys
— Cavs Nation (@CavsNationCP) March 22, 2023
Go back to Okoro buzzer-beater against Brooklyn on March 23rd. Who passed the ball to him in the corner? Who crashed the boards and if the ball missed was there for the put back?
Yep. The young man from Columbus, Ohio!
LeVert and his father’s death in High School
Caris was forced to grow up faster than many of his peers. As a high school student, LeVert’s dad died unexpectedly from heart failure. He and his brother were now responsible for their mom and her battle with multiple sclerosis.
Kim LeVert mentioned to the New York Post in an interview about Caris and his leadership qualities after her husband’s passing.
“He always had a sharp sense of who he was. He took in the things I tried to teach him. … He’d been around an educator all his life, so he’s always had structure. Then after his father died, he did have to grow up real soon.”
From Kim LeVert as seen on New York Post.
The sophomore basketball player grew up on that day. Caris added:
“But after he passed, after it happened, it made me a little more focused, and made me more hungry and made me want it that much more for my family.” (Caris in the same Post article)
His first year on the campus of the University of Michigan, coach John Beilein witnessed Caris’ quiet confidence.
“In his first year, there wasn’t the leadership yet, just the calming attitude and a lot of confidence. … We tried to redshirt him and he was just killing us in practice every day. As soon as we put him in the game, it was like it was just natural.”
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
As a freshman, Caris helped Michigan reach the NCAA finals before losing to Louisville. He had to deal with various injuries his later years with the Wolverines, but he was always grounded. Even during his pro career when he was traded to Indiana from the Nets and was told of a mass on his kidney, he knew how to handle that diagnosis and his trade on basically the same day.
“I have a lot of faith in God. I know that everything is not perfect, but I feel like, in life, it’s just how you react to certain things. It’s not what happens to you.”
Trade to Cavs
The Pacers traded Caris to the Cavaliers in 2022 after Rubio and Collin Sexton were both shelved due to injuries. The trade happened when Indy was in Cleveland for their game. Cavs GM Koby Altman on the trade:
“We are very excited to add a dynamic young player of this caliber and experience. Caris LeVert fits uniquely into our culture and his Ohio roots brings an immediate connection to our community. We look forward to seeing what type of impact he can make on this roster.”
LeVert joined his Brooklyn teammate, Jarrett Allen, and for whatever reason struggled as the Cavs missed out on the playoffs. Maybe it was playing him at the small forward (3) spot. Maybe it was the craziness of the trade. Or possibly shooting issues, or the lack of production on the bench during that last month of the season. Whatever the reason, the Cavs missed out on the playoffs again in the Post-LeBron era.
2022-2023 Season
It’s been an odd season for Caris. He’s in a contract year, so I’m sure he’d like to show his employer that he can be trusted.
The Cavs tried him in the starting rotation, but it was a difficult beginning as the Cavs dealt with eye injuries and an unsettled rotation. As the Cavs tried to find how to incorporate Mitchell and Garland in the offensive sets, Caris was often left to find his niche. And it was a struggle on a team where the guards needed touches. One game LeVert was at the 2, the next a small forward.
The 13 games prior to his March 10th game the Cavs were 9-4, but the injuries to various players caused an odd rotational system by Bickerstaff. But when the second game in Miami happened, so did something vital for the club: Caris found his outside stroke.
Caris LeVert: Certified DOG.@ThatsJared | #Ad | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/ObM28TwkKg
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 13, 2023
Pairing his triple success with his solid defense, Caris gave the coaches exactly what they needed heading into playoff time: a scorer and defender.
Caris Playoff stats
It’s easy to see why the Cavaliers wanted LeVert. In the 2019 playoffs, he became the first Nets guard to record 25+ points in successive playoff games. (TRIVIA: Who was the most recent prior to Caris? See below.)
Caris LeVert is the Cleveland Cavaliers’ playoff x-factor (@common_cor) https://t.co/CJIxWnI0uG pic.twitter.com/Vb4aE5GCfC
— FearTheSword (@FearTheSword) March 30, 2023
He averaged 21.0 points/4.6 boards/3.0 assists/1 steal in 28.8 minutes against the 76ers.
Caris and Allen were the Nets leading rebounders in that series loss to Philadelphia. Comparing the starters only, they were the two best Nets starters in true shooting percentage and effective percentage. Also, they were number 1 and 2 in Game Score, a metric that basically mirrors John Hollinger’s Player Efficiency Rating.
Courtesy of NBAE via Getty Images
In 2020, LeVert and Allen again dominated the ratings for the Nets, even though they lost in four games to Toronto. Caris averaged 20.7/5.2/5.9/1.1 in 31.6 minutes. From three point land he was 9 of 21 for 42.9%.
2023 Playoffs vs New York Knicks
The 4/5 seed matchup of Cleveland and New York is set. The New York Post listed their five keys to the series. But one of the missing pieces is Caris LeVert. He will be a wildcard for this club, barring an injury. Don’t be surprised if he makes a play to win the game for the Cavs.
“When we have our full team, I try to be good at whatever role they need me. And I know that’s how it’s gonna be in the Playoffs.”
Caris loves his teammates and coaches in Cleveland and they him. Now if he can juggle his life to get his house sold in Indiana and move all his stuff here to Cleveland, he might help his team/state get to the promised land again!
“I think a lot of people look at me as just a scorer and someone who creates shots for himself. But I’ve always prided myself on being a complete player. If you watch me, I think you will see that.”
Mitchell loves what LeVert brings now that he has a role and is excelling in it.
“He works. He’s in the gym every day. We all trust giving him the ball, putting him in the spots. And then defensively he is playing well too. That’s something I didn’t even realize about his game until I got here.”
On the website, cavsnation.com, JB Bickerstaff had this to say about Caris:
“That’s just the type of dude he is where all he wants to do is be a part of the team and help the team win and he’s been willing to do whatever it takes.”
From Jim Chones to Phil Hubbard to John “Hot Rod” Williams to Iman Schumpert, these men were and are fan favorites because of their constant focus on TEAM and willingness to do whatever it takes to win. If all goes well, it might be time to add Caris to this list. Because when he wins a series for this club, he will finally get the recognition he’s due.
Now, about the recognition for his juggling…
TRIVIA ANSWER: Vince Carter.
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