Prior to Saturday night’s matchup, the last time the Brooklyn Nets played the Charlotte Hornets, Devonte’ Graham had himself quite the performance. Back on December 11, The Charlotte guard shot over 50% from within and beyond the arc, and he logged the first 40-point game of his NBA career.
And all Caris LeVert could do that night was watch.
But on Saturday, LeVert was given the chance to go toe-to-toe with Graham. The Hornets guard scored less than 10 points for only the eighth time all season, finishing 1-for-10 from the floor in his six-point performance (4-for-4 at the free-throw line).
LeVert’s always been a strong defender, but his display on Saturday is yet another sign of how he has continued to develop as an all-round talent.
“I think he’s growing there,” Kenny Atkinson said of LeVert to reporters in Charlotte. “We’re a lot of times saying, ‘Hey, put Caris on Devin Booker. Put Caris on Devonte’ Graham.’ I think he’s really improved defensively. He always plays hard. He always has great activity.”
Most importantly, Atkinson expressed LeVert is “learning the nuances of what it takes to be a good defender in the league.”
The young wing’s further development on both ends of the floor is something worth monitoring throughout the rest of 2019-20.