"Makes Everybody's Job Easier:" Cavs Relying More On Caris LeVert's Playmaking
The injuries to the Cleveland Cavaliers roster have hit at the worst time possible. The team as a whole was looking to get back on track after a slow start following the All-Star break while looking at the home stretch of the season.
Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Max Strus who remained sidelined account for three-fifths of the team's typical starting five. This has forced J.B. Bickerstaff and the coaching staff to rely more on one of their most steady pieces off the bench.
That's Caris LeVert.
The guard is now in his eighth season and finds himself in more of a leadership role both on and off the floor.
Even though the Cavaliers came up short, LeVert played a huge role against the Phoenix Suns. He stepped into the starting lineup for the second straight game and instead of focusing primarily on scoring, he was a key facilitator on offense finishing the game with 11 assists.
Bickerstaff said after the game just how important LeVert has been over the last few weeks.
"He just makes everybody's job easier," said Bickerstaff. "He's just so unselfish. That's what I love about Caris. He has an attack mindset, but it's not an attack just for him. He attacks to look and find his teammates."
LeVert also spoke on this after the game and doesn't feel like he's doing too much different, but just playing the same style of basketball since being drafted.
Jan 7, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (3) celebrates his three-point basket in the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
© David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
"When you have a couple of big scoring games, people kind of look at you as a certain kind of player. But I've been a playmaker my whole career."
It's still unclear when the Cavs will get back some of their key pieces. They're going to need to continue to have LeVert step up in this role while they wait for reinforcements.
