Brooklyn Nets: Making sense of Caris LeVert’s hot start

Offense

First off, let’s appreciate what LeVert has actually done to this point: 24.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, 65 percent efficiency from the field, and 40 percent efficiency from downtown. The playmaking stands to improve, but LeVert’s takeover scoring chops are no joke.

Sprinkle in advanced metrics, such as his .214 win shares per 48 minutes and Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 26.9, and even the underlying numbers don’t demean him. LeVert has legitimately been a good first option for a team in desperate need of one.

To truly examine the sustainability though, it takes more than numbers. LeVert has a knack for quietly getting his buckets, merely doing it through the flow of the offense. That might sound like a critique, but it is quite the opposite; having a guy who can get his without disturbing the ecosystem is incredibly valuable.

LeVert picks his spots. He doesn’t force things as much as Russell or Dinwiddie, and that works in everyone’s favor. LeVert’s on and off-ball versatility gives those two some valuable “me time” as well. That matters, especially when they are both fighting for their next contracts.

When picking his spots methodically, LeVert also has an aggressiveness unmatched by anyone else. If he sees a hole to drive through, he floors it, often drawing fouls in the process. His 7.0 free throw attempts per game might seem small for a first option, but he more than doubles the next highest attacker on the team (Jarrett Allen, 3.3 attempts per game).

Speaking of Allen, LeVert ain’t no slouch in the pick-and-roll either. LeVert has scored or assisted in 1.21 points per pick-and-roll possession (in 9.2 possessions per game) this season, the biggest chunk of which are going to Allen. LeVert’s scoring chops are opening up his playmaking, which can only improve as the season goes on.

As for what LeVert does outside the confines of the offense, that’s no joke either. Coach Kenny Atkinson has given him the keys in crunch time. On opening night, LeVert got swallowed at the rim by three different Detroit Pistons on the last play of the game. He did not make the same mistake two nights later, as he sunk a game-winner over Tim Hardaway Jr. and the New York Knicks:

This is the definition of improvement. LeVert created space against the worse New York team, which he failed to do in Detroit. If he can adapt on the fly like that, there’s no telling where he may go.