Cavaliers: Caris LeVert able to thrive when games get ragged

There's a reason the Cavaliers pulled off a major trade for swingman Caris LeVert on Feb. 6. They needed someone who could create his own shot. "That's why we made the initial deal to get Caris here," Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "The more important the games are and the longer your season is, you need guys who can play one-on-one basketball and create their own and get it going. "Caris has the ability to do that. In ugly games, you need guys who can beat their man. You need somebody who can create (offense) on their own. Caris can do that at a high level." The Indiana Pacers dealt LeVert and a second-round draft pick to the Cavs for Ricky Rubio, a lottery-protected first-round pick in 2022 and two second-round picks. Rubio resigned with Cleveland in the offseason but has yet to see action in a game after recovering from ACL surgery. The 6-foot-6, 205-pound LeVert moved into the starting lineup four games ago and has thrived. In that span, the 27-year-old is averaging 18.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting .403 from the field and .360 from the 3-point line. On the season, he's averaging 12.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists and shooting .408 from the field and a career-high .367 from distance. He was the Cavs' leading scorer Friday with 22 points in a 121-108 loss to the Denver Nuggets. The Cavs (25-15, 7-11 on the road) will continue their five-game road trip at Phoenix tonight. LeVert is also a willing defender who can take on the opposing team's top offensive threat. "It's easy to play defense when you're scoring a lot of points and the offense is flowing," he said. "We take pride in being the best defense. That should be what we take pride in no matter what happens on the other end of the floor." LeVert, a Columbus native, said he can bring energy to the floor every night, even during those rugged defensive battles. "We take pride in these kinds of games," he said. "We know in the playoffs, it's not going to be pretty. It's going to be a half-court game. It's not just going to be up and down. You'll have to get gritty stops. I think wins like that are good for us internally, knowing we can win that way." LeVert is getting more minutes as the season wears on. "It's fun for me," he said. "I love playing and being on the floor, especially in close games and big games. I've done it my whole career. I'm ready for those moments. When the minutes are available, I try to make the most of them." The University of Michigan product is earning $18.8 million and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Contact Bob Finnan at rfinnan30@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @BobCavsinsider.