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“Caris LeVert is the missing piece we need”: Darius Garland sends an ominous warning to the rest of the league as the Cavaliers establish a championship mindset in the post LeBron James era

Samir Mehdi
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“Caris LeVert is the missing piece we need”: Darius Garland sends an ominous warning to the rest of the league as the Cavaliers establish a championship mindset in the post LeBron James era

Caris LeVert is the missing piece the Cavaliers needed this whole time, according to Darius Garland as they win their 3rd straight game. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers, just like the Memphis Grizzlies are ahead of schedule in terms of Playoff contention as they’re being led by a young guard who’s made his first All-Star team this season. Being led by Darius Garland, the Cavs made a ‘win-now’ move to trade for Caris LeVert that sent an injured Ricky Rubio away. 

Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen are reunited on the Cavs once again as they were teammates on the Brooklyn Nets prior to James Harden’s arrival in BKN. It’s safe to say that having an on-ball creator on the wing who can more or less, hold his own on the perimeter in PnR defense won’t hurt the Cavs one bit.

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With LeBron James having been the Cavaliers’ identity for the past two decades, it’s incredible to see them finally come out of his Herculean shadow and be more than just competitive in the post-LeBron era. 

Darius Garland sings Caris LeVert’s praise. 

The Cavaliers boast a 34-21 record as their latest win was a dominant one over the San Antonio Spurs. Caris LeVert made his debut last night and dropped 11 points on 11 field attempts. Following the game, Darius Garland was asked about their newest acquisition. 

Garland kept it plain and simple and said that LeVert was the missing piece Cleveland needed. 

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Caris was very appreciative of the warm welcome Cavs fans gave him last night, saying, “It’s like the first day of school, you’re the new kid, a lot of nerves and jitters being back in Ohio. The fans showed a lot of love so I’m very appreciative of that.” 

Having been born in Columbus, Ohio and gone to high school at Pickerington Central, playing in Cleveland must be beyond special for the scoring wing. 

It’s clear that the Cleveland Cavaliers are trying to go for a deep postseason run and with multiple contending teams in the Eastern Conference in disarray, the Cavs have a shot at going 2 or even 3 rounds in the Playoffs. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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