Caris LeVert

November 6, 2024

Cavs set a franchise record in the Big Easy, and they make it look kinda easy

Josh Cable / Blog blog sidebar, Caris LeVert, Cavs, cavs intel, Kenny Atkinson, more / 0 Comments

We have a fruit-fly infestation in our home, and the Cavaliers set a franchise record by starting the season 9-0.

I’d rather talk about the Cavs.

The Cavaliers fell behind early, tied it at halftime and then overpowered the Pelicans in the second half. They’re absolutely rolling.

I’d like to tell you it wasn’t easy in the Big Easy, just so I can use that line, but … it kinda was. At least in the second half. Even with the Pelicans outscoring the Cavs 34-32 in the fourth quarter – and even with the disparity in foul shots – it never felt like the win streak was in serious jeopardy. The Cavs are just too locked-in right now.

Here are some initial thoughts. With my ADHD brain, it’s hard to corral all of them.

I think it’s safe to say that this is a really good situation for Kenny Atkinson, who now holds the record for the longest winning streak by a coach in their first year with a team. Atkinson inherited a team that made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals last season. But he also got a group that must be a coach’s dream: talented, no-nonsense, unselfish. There’s great chemistry, and not a whiff of any LeBron-size egos. Most of them have been playing together for a few years, so there’s familiarity, continuity and trust. And they’re mostly healthy.
Atkinson brings “a calm sort of confidence,” Caris LeVert told reporters after the Cavs won their ninth straight to start the season. “He never panics. I think he just fits perfectly with the group. It’s kind of been a seamless transfer.”
That calm confidence was palpable when the Cavs fell behind early in the game. They steadily chipped away at a 12-point Pelicans lead, tying the game at 59-59 by halftime.
The Cavs are a team that looks ready to take the next step, and Atkinson – after three years as an assistant to Steve Kerr in Golden State – looks like he’s ready to take his coaching career to the next level. He’s in the perfect spot to do that.
One of the kids left an open smoothie bottle on the kitchen table. When we came back from a five-day trip to upstate New York, there were fruit flies everywhere. When I saw a cloud of fruit flies enveloping the smoothie bottle, it was clear that something comparable to an orgy had taken place in there.
Speaking of smoothies, it seemed like there were a lot of empty seats at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The official attendance was 15,694, but the margin of error is a couple thousand, right?
Atkinson was a hot topic of conversation during the Cavs postgame show. On Atkinson’s decision to pass up potential head-coaching jobs so he could continue working with Kerr in Golden State, Austin Carr opined: “[Atkinson] knew he had to have a little bit more polish on his coaching game.” It sure seems like things are clicking for Atkinson now.
LeVert picked up right where he left off after missing the last couple games with knee soreness. LeVert had 16 points, six rebounds and six assists in the win over New Orleans.
“It’s just a fun group to play with,” LeVert told reporters after the game. “We enjoy being around each other. And we’re getting better every game.”
I can’t say enough about Ty Jerome. He had 11 points, five assists and two steals in 15:48 of game action. “His IQ is through the roof,” Atkinson said of Jerome, who missed all but two games last year with a severe ankle injury. Not to be overlooked on his list of compliments, Atkinson added: “I’m really happy with his defense too.”

October 31, 2024

The 5-0 Cavs are exorcising some demons

Josh Cable / Blog blog more, Caris LeVert, Cavs, Cleveland Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, more, sidebar / 0 Comments

The undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers are rapidly approaching “Putting the Rest of the NBA on Notice” territory.

Yes, it’s early. And the Cavs front-loaded three quick wins over inferior opponents to tip off the 2024-2025 season.

But Monday’s night’s slugfest in Madison Square Garden – in which the Cavs battled back from a 13-point deficit to knock off the Knicks – was a statement win over a team that’s had their number in recent years.

And Wednesday night’s demolition of the Los Angeles Lakers was an exclamation point to that statement.

As of Thursday, the Cavs have the best record in the NBA at 5-0, and are one of only two undefeated teams in the association.

Heading into Wednesday night’s showdown with the Lakers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, LeBron James was 9-2 against the Cavs. With Anthony Davis controlling the boards, the Lakers went 2-0 against the Cavaliers last season.

But things are different this year.

The Cavs pushed the pace against the Lakers – a point of emphasis for Kenny Atkinson this season – and jumped out to a 42-23 first-quarter lead. Their biggest lead of the game was a 28-point margin.

En route to a 134-110 win, Evan Mobley led the Cavaliers with 25 points in just 19 minutes of action. Mobley was absolutely dominant in the fourth quarter – despite being saddled with four fouls to start the quarter – and scored the first 11 Cavs points of the final frame.

“I think he was a little frustrated with the foul situation and the minutes and all that,” Atkinson said of Mobley after the game. “We ran the first play for him. Then they went zone. We talked about it before the game, they go to that 3-2 zone. … We got him the ball at the foul line, and he just started playmaking. He’s so, so talented.”

Atkinson also had high praise for Caris LeVert, who chipped in 16 points off the bench.

“I just can’t say enough [about LeVert],” Atkinson told reporters. “We’re imploring him to be a more efficient player, to embrace the catch-and-shoot. He’s such a good ball handler, but man the way the league is now, we need his shooting too. … He’s doing it on both ends, I think defensively he’s been phenomenal.”

Donovan Mitchell had 24 points, while Jarrett Allen had 20 points and hauled in 17 big rebounds.

Atkinson, who coached Allen in Brooklyn, raved about The Fro as well, asserting that Allen is “dominating on both ends right now.”

Five games into the season, the Cavs lead the NBA in field-goal percentage (53.9%) and 3-point percentage (41.1%). The Cavaliers are second in points per game (125.6) and steals per game (12).

The next test comes Friday night, when Orlando comes to town.

January 28, 2024

Ranking the top 5 most satisfying Cavs wins of 2023-2024

Josh Cable / Blog blog, Caris LeVert, Cavs, Cleveland Cavaliers, Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, LA Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, more, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers / 0 Comments

After the Cavaliers exacted some revenge on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 26 – an utterly satisfying win for Cavs fans – I thought it would be fun to look back at the most satisfying wins of the 2023-2024 season so far. The way the Cavs are playing, this list should keep growing.

5. Cavs 118, Clippers 108

Jan. 29, 2024

Anytime you can beat presumptive Hall of Famers Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, James Harden and Russell Westbrook on the same night, that’s inherently satisfying. But the context made this win even sweeter.

As Bally Sports play-by-play man John Michael said prior to tipoff, “This ballgame is rich with storylines.” The Los Angeles Clippers headed into this matchup as the hottest team in the NBA, riding a five-game winning streak that included an absolute thrashing of Boston at TD Garden – only the second time this season that the Celtics have lost on their home floor. The Clippers were 16-4 since Dec. 16, the best mark in the NBA. The Cavs were 9-1 in their previous 10 games, and back at home after closing out a four-game roadtrip with a signature win in Milwaukee on Jan. 26.

Donovan Mitchell turned in a Donovan Mitchell-esque performance, leading the Cavs with 28 points and 12, count ’em, 12 assists. Jarrett Allen extended his fro-nomenal, franchise-best double-double streak to 15 games, with 20 points and 17 rebounds. Isaac Okoro fired up the home crowd with 17 points – all in the first half – connecting on three of four 3-point attempts.

But the richest storyline was Evan Mobley, who returned to the lineup after missing 22 games due to knee surgery. Mobley shook off a bit of rust to add 10 points and nine rebounds, including several high-flying dunks. With Mobley’s return, the Cavs seem to have an embarrassment of riches. And with the win over the red-hot Clippers, the Cavs served notice to the rest of the league that they mean business.

Satisfying? Heck yes.

4. Cavs 115, Warriors 104

Nov. 5, 2023

This one was about exorcising demons.

After a back-and-forth first quarter, the Cavs pulled ahead late in the second – on the shoulders of Mitchell (who finished with 31 points and seven assists) and Darius Garland (24 points and seven assists) – and never looked back. Evan Mobley hauled in 16 rebounds, while Strus chipped in 15 points.

With the win, the Cavaliers snapped a 16-game losing streak against the Warriors, which included 12 regular-season and four playoff losses. I know the Warriors aren’t the team they used to be, but this one was satisfying nonetheless.

The icing on the proverbial cake: A week later, the Cavs notched the season sweep with a 118-110 win in San Francisco.

3. Cavs 95, Knicks 89

Nov. 1, 2023

This was the second night of a home-and-home back-to-back against the Cavs’ archnemesis, at Madison Square Garden.

On the previous night, the Knicks cruised to an easy victory in Cleveland, taking full advantage of the fact that Garland, Allen and LeVert were out. LeVert, however, returned to action in this one, and made a big impact with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists off the bench.

But the real story of the game was the Cavs’ defense. The Cavs held the Knickerbockers to 34.8% shooting from the field and 16.7% from 3-point range. After the game, Bickerstaff told reporters: “We showed our true grit.”

2. Cavs 112, Bucks 100

Jan. 26, 2024

Facing Milwaukee for the second time in three nights at Fiserv Forum, the Cavaliers had their work cut out for them after Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated in a 126-116 Bucks win on Jan. 24, snapping the Cavs’ eight-game winning streak.

The Cavs responded with a much better gameplan in the second matchup, and played with the kind of hustle, energy and intensity that has sustained them since losing Garland and Mobley in mid-December. They played with poise and cool, calm confidence, while the Bucks expended a lot of energy whining about the officiating (which made the win that much more satisfying).

Bobby Portis Jr. repeatedly slamming a basketball into his forehead after missing a contested layup – priceless.

The Bucks led 57-54 at halftime, and extended their lead to 63-57 with 10:51 left in the third. Then the Cavs went on a 17-2 run, punctuated by back-to-back 3-pointers from Dean Wade. Mitchell led all scorers with 32 points, and Allen was brilliant, posting his 14th straight double-double.

The Cavs flipped the script by out-hustling and out-muscling the Bucks, who were clearly fatigued in the second half. After Giannis gave the Cavs a thorough rogering two nights prior, this was an eminently satisfying win.

1. Cavs 122, Sixers 119 (OT)

Nov. 22, 2023

Let’s set the stage for this one.

Donovan Mitchell, Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert were out. Philly was 10-3 heading into the game; the Cavs were above .500 for the first time since opening night. Due to the in-season tournament, the court at Wells Fargo Center was unsightly. Just awful to look at.

Darius Garland (32 points, eight assists) was sensational, slicing through Philly’s defense like a warm knife through butter. Jarrett Allen (26 points, 13 rebounds) was sublime. Max Strus logged a team-high 44 minutes and posted a 20/5/6 stat line.

Craig Porter Jr. – with 12 points and nine assists off the bench – was nothing short of a revelation.

The Cavs were up 65-53 at halftime, but you just knew that lead wasn’t gonna stick. The Sixers fought back as expected, leading to a wild final three minutes of regulation play – and overtime. The rest is history, because we know the Cavs are money in overtime.

Delicious Moments

A plethora of alley-oops from Garland to Mobley and Allen
With the shot clock expiring, Garland’s desperation heave and 3-point bank shot to put the Cavs up 106-104 with 1:41 left in regulation
Craig Porter Jr. driving into the chest of foul-riddled Joel Embiid with 54 seconds left in OT, hanging in midair and scoring to put the Cavs up 118-116

January 12, 2024

Paris Trip Solidifies Cavs’ Camaraderie in City of Fro-mance

Josh Cable / News blog, Brooklyn Nets, Caris LeVert, Cavs, Cleveland Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell, highlights, Jarrett Allen / 0 Comments

The French word for camaraderie is easy to remember.

It’s camaraderie.

That’s kind of a misleading statement, because camaraderie comes from the French word “camarade,” according to Merriam-Webster. So it might be more accurate to say that the English word for camaraderie is camaraderie.

Regardless of whether you call them French fries or freedom fries, strong camaraderie in the NBA is a universal language, and it travels well. And the Cavs’ relatively effortless win over the Brooklyn Nets in Paris was a contrast between one team that has camaraderie and chemistry and one team that’s still trying to build it.

During the pre-game show on Bally Sports Ohio, Serena Winters reported that a number of Cavs players said their favorite part of the whirlwind Paris trip was the plane ride, which gave the guys an opportunity to spend some quality time together and talk about stuff other than basketball. Bonding time, if you will.

It’s easy to see why this group of guys is meshing on and off the court. The 2023-2024 Cavs are about as likeable a group as I’ve seen since the Mark Price-Brad Daugherty era – the kind of guys you can’t help but root for.

On the other side of the ledger, you have the Brooklyn Nets.

Just prior to the start of the third quarter – with the Cavs up by 20 – Cavaliers assistant coach Dan Geriot told Winters that the Nets are “a very individually talented team,” and the Cavs were having success “pinching the basketball” on defense and forcing the hapless Nets to play as a team – which didn’t happen.

Geriot’s left-handed compliment was pretty much on point in characterizing a Nets team that had lost six of their previous seven contests coming into the game. In the aftermath of the Kevin Durant/Kyrie Irving experiment, the Nets are struggling to find an identity – or any continuity whatsoever.

That’s not the case for the Cavaliers, who are 9-3 since losing starters Darius Garland and Evan Mobley to injuries. Of course, it helps that the Cavs hit a soft patch in their schedule.

It also helps when you have a Donovan Mitchell.

Germany Has David Hasselhoff, Paris Has …

With the rest of the Cavs looking jet-lagged, Mitchell set the tone early, scoring 10 of their first 12 points.

He was just getting started.

Austin Carr correctly observed that the Cavs played true to their newfound identity in the first half – playing tight defense and moving without the ball – but slipped into a “ball-dominant” mode in the second half, which let the Nets back into the game. Fortunately, Mitchell was able to douse a furious rally (well, “furious” is a strong word) in the fourth quarter with some crafty drives and big shots that prompted a smattering of “MVP” chants from inside Accor Arena.

Mitchell’s final stat line was ridiculous: 45 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four steals.

For MVP of the game, he gets all my votes.

Meanwhile, Caris LeVert continued to make a strong case for Sixth Man of the Year. The gluten-free Michigan product chipped in 21 points in 34 minutes off the bench.

And in the Paris, the City of Light – and the City of Fro-mance – I’d be remiss without mentioning Jarrett Allen’s eighth consecutive double-double. Allen, like a lot of the Cavs, looked a bit out of sorts playing the franchise’s first-ever game in Europe, but he still finished with 12 points, 12 boards and four blocks.

Parting Shots

Regardless of whether the Cavs are playing in Paris, Cleveland, Toronto, Timbuktu or Mars (c’mon NBA, make it happen), you can count on J.B. Bickerstaff riding the officials like a rented mule.