CLEVELAND, Ohio — Caris LeVert will make his Cleveland Cavaliers debut on Wednesday night when the Spurs come to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Tipoff is at 7 pm Eastern.
WATCH LIVE: DirecTV Stream, NBA League Pass.
The Cavaliers rallied in the fourth quarter with the help of a 19-0 run to defeat the Pacers, 98-85, on Sunday. San Antonio is coming off of a 131-106 blowout win vs. the Rockets on Friday.
quien: San Antonio Spurs (20-34) at Cleveland Cavaliers (33-21).
when: Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022.
Time: 7 p.m. Eastern.
where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland (19,432).
TV: Bally Sports Ohio.
Cable channel finder: AT&T U-Verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, Cox, DIRECTV, Dish, Verizon Fios, WOW.
Live streams: DirecTV Stream, NBA League Pass and Bally Sports (TV provider sign-in required).
latest line: Cavs -5.5.
Announcers: John Michael, Austin Carr and Serena Winters.
ALSO: How to stream Cleveland Cavaliers games this season if you don’t have cable
Read some of what Chris Fedor of cleveland.com wrote about LeVert’s reaction to being traded from the Pacers to the Cavaliers.
Caris LeVert exited the Indiana Pacers team bus, walked into Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and took a detour toward coach Rick Carlisle’s office.
Then his life changed again.
Carlisle informed LeVert about a trade nearing the finish line, one that would send him from Indiana to the Cleveland Cavaliers — the team down the hall he thought he would be playing that night.
LeVert had known about Cleveland’s interest. Players hear things. The NBA teaches everyone to be prepared for anything. But that didn’t alter the bizarre circumstances surrounding the deal.
Sunday was the latest in what’s been a yearlong, whirlwind basketball voyage.
“Just a couple days ago my situation was a lot different,” LeVert said during an introductory Zoom call Tuesday afternoon. “When you’re in that situation, you don’t know exactly what you’re playing for as a team rebuilding. There’s a lot of different emotions there in Indiana, but here we’re playing for a championship and that’s kind of been the sentiment with the team, the coaching staff and everyone here. I’m very blessed to be here in a great situation, with a great team and coaching staff.
“I can’t wait to get started.”
It’s the second time in a little more than a year LeVert’s been traded. Last January, the Columbus native who played his prep ball at Pickerington Central High School and was on his way to Ohio University before ending up at Michigan, was part of the Brooklyn Nets’ multi-team blockbuster. James Harden went to Brooklyn. Jarrett Allen joined the Cavs. LeVert eventually ended up in Indiana.
During LeVert’s required physical examination, doctors found a cancerous mass on his left kidney — a life-saving discovery. He underwent successful surgery, got healthy and was playing the best basketball of his life.
Then came Sunday.
Following about a year in Indiana, the disappointing 19-36 Pacers, who entered the season with playoff aspirations, were ready to look toward the future. The 27-year-old shooting guard was dealt to Cleveland in exchange for Ricky Rubio (an expiring contract that creates financial flexibility), a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick and multiple second-rounders.
LeVert — who has been staying in a hotel since Sunday night, where he watched Cavs-Pacers — hasn’t even gotten to pack.
No matter how strange, everything that’s happened over the last 14 months has led LeVert here, with the Cavaliers — a chance to get back to the postseason.
“I’ve been through a lot and I’ve grown a lot through it. I have amazing people in my life who have helped me through it. I’m in a place where I feel like I’m supposed to be. It’s an amazing opportunity,” said LeVert, who has played in nine playoff games. “Everything happens for a reason.”
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www.cleveland.com
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism