Caris LeVert left Rocket Arena in a frustrated mood, but his confidence remained intact. Following the Detroit Pistons’ 112-103 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 on Monday night, LeVert made it clear the series is far from decided, even after Donovan Mitchell’s explosive second-half display.
“It’s 2-2,” LeVert said. “We took care of home. They took care of home. So we just got to continue with that trend.”
Mitchell tied an NBA playoff record by scoring 39 points in the second half, matching Eric “Sleepy” Floyd’s mark from 1987, and finished with 43 overall. The Cavaliers erased a four-point halftime deficit with a devastating 24-0 run.
LeVert felt Detroit’s defensive lapses allowed the Cavaliers star to completely change the momentum.
“Defensively we let Mitchell off the hook a little bit,” LeVert said. “Let him get to his right hand a little too much.”
The Pistons guard also cited offensive struggles during Cleveland’s third-quarter surge, especially against the Cavaliers’ pressure defense on Cade Cunningham.
“Offensively, we just got to move the ball a little bit better,” LeVert said. “Getting to our sets a little bit quicker. They did a good job of picking Deuce up full court, kind of slowing our offense down.”
LeVert was one of Detroit’s most consistent offensive weapons throughout the night. The veteran scored a season-high 24 points on 10-for-16 shooting and helped spark a 23-5 Pistons run in the first half after Cleveland jumped out early.
“Just being aggressive, trusting my shots,” LeVert said about his scoring rhythm. “Felt like I got into a flow early and allowed me to kind of just be aggressive throughout the game.”
The intensity of the game also showed during a defensive sequence involving Mitchell, when LeVert celebrated after forcing the Cavaliers guard out of bounds.
“It’s playoffs,” LeVert said with a smile.
Detroit’s defensive identity has been a major storyline of the postseason, and LeVert said the Pistons know they must regain that edge heading into Game 5.
“Just trying to make it tough on those guys,” LeVert said. “I know how good they are, especially when they’re comfortable. So for us it’s all about making it super difficult for them.”
He acknowledged that Cleveland looked far too comfortable during stretches of Game 4.
“Tonight they were too comfortable from the jump,” LeVert said. “So we just got to do a better job.”
The Pistons also faced a significant free-throw disparity. Cleveland attempted 34 free throws to Detroit’s 12, while Mitchell alone shot 15 foul shots.
“We feel like we’re aggressive offensively too,” LeVert said. “We feel like we drive to the paint as much as Mitchell probably was tonight. We didn’t get the call.”
Still, LeVert refused to blame the officials for the loss.
“We just got to play through it,” he said. “Especially on the road.”
Detroit now heads back home for Game 5 with the series tied 2-2, and Levert stressed the importance of the moment for a young Pistons group still learning deep playoff basketball.
“Every game is important,” LeVert said. “Sometimes you got to learn through losses too.”
His final message was straightforward.
“Next game is the most important game,” LeVert said. “Protect home.”
