The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1520409
JUNE/JULY 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 63 BY CLAYTON SAYFIE T he Cleveland Cavaliers were down eight points when former Michigan guard Caris LeVert entered Game 7 of the first-round series against the Or- lando Magic on May 5. The Cavs trailed by 18 points at one juncture late in the second quarter. They went on to win, 106-94, but not without a big-time bench spark from LeVert, who dropped 15 points and added 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 30 minutes. LeVert had totaled just 37 points in the first six matchups of the series, in- cluding a combined 4 in the previous two games. He was benched in a Game 6 loss just days earlier, not appearing in the second half. However, the eighth-year pro came up big when his team needed him most, and the franchise won its first playoff series without now-Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James since 1993. LeVert shot 5-of-9 from the field and made 5 free throws, also contributing a block and a steal. "We've got a belief in Caris," head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "We know that no matter the moment, no mat- ter the pressure, Caris has the ability to impact success and impact winning. He knew we needed it tonight, and he came off the bench and gave us a huge spark." The No. 4 seed Cavaliers will take on the top-seeded Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Four former Michigan players were on the opposing team — guards Caleb Houstan and Jett Howard, forward Franz Wagner and center Moritz Wagner. The Wagner brothers were the only two to play in Game 7 and wouldn't have had the opportunity to do so if it weren't for Franz's 26 points in a Game 6 victory to keep the season alive for the Magic. Both were a major reason why Orlando reached the postseason for the first time since 2020 and just the third time since 2011-12. Franz was second on the team with 19.7 points per game, while Moritz was a presence off the bench, producing 10.9 points per outing. LeVert is one of two former U-M standouts still alive in the postseason, joining guard Tim Hardaway Jr. of the Dallas Mavericks. The 11th-year veteran has dealt with an ankle injury, playing just 22 minutes in two games of a first- round series win over the Los Angeles Clippers. The fifth-seeded Mavericks ❱ MICHIGAN IN THE PROS Caris LeVert Is The 'Spark' Cleveland Needed LeVert came off the bench May 5 to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA playoff series-clinching win against the Orlando Magic, 106-94. He finished Game 7 with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 30 minutes played. PHOTO COURTESY NBA