I really hope sometime in the future I stop reading all the bad mouthing on LeVert. He's everything we need right now. Without him then you're watching Issac Okoro be more depended on.
LeVert has been excellent all year. There are maybe a handful of shots each game I wish he would have gotten a big man something or kicked for a 3..and I think getting used to his new role and DG coming back soon really should, IMHO, help curtail some of his worst offensive habits.
Aside from overall FG% though, LeVert has been just playing the game the right way.
I’d like to see a little bit more attacking the rim all the way to the cup, not pulling up on a dime for a little jumper every single time. I feel like he’s getting overplayed when he attacks the cup to the point where they’re actively avoiding sending help. He’s long and strong and good enough…lay that shit in Caris!!
Defensively has been the real revelation so far. He’s played exceptionally well defensively. He has always been a pretty capable man defender. He’s got the size. Speed. Strength. Length. And now he’s starting to play the game the right way. He’s rotating well. Being vocal on switches. He’s all over the passing lanes like white on rice. I’m very hopeful that this lineup can work with DG back but I think starting Dean Wade and subbing in LeVert is a tantalizing option that we may want/need to turn to for awhile this year for a couple various reasons.
Finally, health. His body looks right again. He’s got burst. Confidence in his speed and agility. And that’s only going to get better. If he can manage to have an injury free season, we may see a career year not in terms of statistics but in terms of IMPACT on winning.
Mitchell has also been extremely solid defensively. Using his Iw and athleticism to create turnovers and runout opportunities. Being a menace on the glass as a guard(we did not have this at all last year…Okoro spends large chunks of time seriously just not engaging in on court play besides playing defense. At least Tony Allen would rebound and stuff as well.
So the Cavs have gone from 3 question marks defensively to two of them very potentially being “pluses” in Caris and Spyda and Garland is also a bit of a ball hawk. The Cavs are going to generate a lot of turnovers and get out in transition as a result, often lol. Our defense csn absolutey be elite, especially when Rubio comes back though I still think an Okoro for Crowder deal sounds more appetizing for both ends every day…but I don’t know if we can promise him the role he wants hence we’re back at square one lol. But we have time to figure it out!
