Caris LeVert walked out of Rocket Arena frustrated by the result but not shaken by the moment. After the Detroit Pistons lost 112-103 to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 on Monday night, LeVert made it clear the series still feels wide open despite Donovan Mitchell’s historic second-half explosion.
“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 with 39 second-half points, matching Eric “Sleepy” Floyd’s mark from 1987, and finished with 43 overall as Cleveland erased a four-point halftime deficit with a devastating 24-0 run.
LeVert believed Detroit’s defensive slippage allowed the Cavaliers star to completely change the game.
“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 pointed to offensive execution during Cleveland’s third-quarter avalanche, 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 the few steady offensive forces for Detroit 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 opening half after Cleveland jumped ahead early.
“Just being aggressive, trusting my shots,” LeVert said when asked 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 emotions of the game also showed during one 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 one of the biggest stories 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 admitted 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 struggled with the foul disparity. Cleveland attempted 34 free throws compared to Detroit’s 12, while Mitchell alone attempted 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 make officiating the central excuse 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 repeatedly emphasized the urgency 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 simple.
“Next game is the most important game,” LeVert said. “Protect home.”
