Eager to quickly make amends for a humbling, series-opening loss that both tested his team’s offensive depth and forced them to question their approach, Caris LeVert’s response in Game Two evoked an unsaid, yet understood message: two can play at that game. Forcing the Boston Celtics’ defense into a “guessing game” of their own through a pick-and-roll, LeVert sends a pass over to his teammate, feigning the idea of a dribble handoff just deceptively enough to trick Sam Hauser into easing his intensity. With the bait officially set, the talented two-guard races to the rim with a lightning-quick cut, corralling a perfectly-placed bounce pass on the way to a powerful two-handed flush. Akin to his cut down the middle, LeVert’s rebound performance couldn’t have been more perfectly timed, as his contributions helped the Cleveland Cavaliers cruise to a convincing, series-tying victory on May 9, 2024. Nearly outscoring Boston’s second unit by his lonesome, LeVert tallied up 21 points, six rebounds, three assists, and a +14 plus-minus in 27 minutes of play. · May 9, 2024