Caris LeVert enjoyed a monster game for the Detroit Pistons, but they still weren’t able to get the job done in Game 4 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now, they are tied 2-2 heading back to Detroit, having dropped the last two games. Despite LeVert’s 24-point explosion off the bench, the Pistons only scored 103 points. That’s a problem.
The Pistons’ offense has been up and down this entire playoff run, and while they certainly are capable of winning games without a true No. 2 option behind Cade Cunningham, it’s a dangerous game for them to be playing. They need more offensive-minded players in the lineup, and more consistent ones, at that.
Only managing to score 103 (in a loss) during a game in which LeVert scores 24 is brutal. It’s just not good enough.
Caris LeVert just proved that the Pistons need more offense
LeVert gave the Pistons everything on Monday night in Game 4. He was huge for them, and in the first half, it looked like he was going to lead them to a victory, which would have seen them take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.
By halftime, LeVert had a game-high 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and 3-of-5 shooting from deep range. He had the Pistons up 56-52, in a decent position to close things out.
Then, the offense completely cratered in the second half. The Cavaliers – led by Donovan Mitchell’s 39-point second half – surged ahead, and the Pistons’ 47 second-half points weren’t nearly enough to get the job done.
LeVert went from scoring 17 points in the first half to just seven in the second half, shooting 3-of-4 from the floor and 0-of-1 from distance. And only Paul Reed (15 points, 7-of-9 shooting in the second half) stepped up with him.
The Pistons need more streams of consistent offense. Cunningham should be allowed to have a rough second half without worrying that nobody else on the team will be able to score.
Tobias Harris has been able to provide that a lot this postseason, but in the second half of Game 4, he scored just two points (off free throws), shooting 0-of-8 from the field and 0-of-2 from deep.
Outside of Reed, nobody scored in double figures in the second half. It was a brutal offensive showing.
Obviously, Mitchell’s explosion will take over the headlines, and people will say that Detroit’s defense wasn’t good enough, but only scoring 103 points – with nearly a quarter of them coming from LeVert – isn’t good enough.
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