The numbers came back Monday night — 24 points, six assists, four rebounds — but Nets coach Kenny Atkinson saw more than just that from Caris LeVert.
“From an athletic standpoint, No. 1, and then the confidence,” Atkinson said Tuesday. “Those two things going hand in hand, it was by far his best game. I think the game before he was pretty good, too, but man, if we can get him doing this, I really like our improvement elevation with him getting back to where he was at the beginning of the season. It would be huge.”
The timing couldn’t be better for LeVert, now 22 games back from missing three months with a dislocated foot, as the Nets try to squeeze into the playoffs with four games left — beginning Wednesday against the Raptors at Barclays Center, a potential playoff preview.
The Nets have played most of the season at less than full strength, but if LeVert can channel the breakout star he looked like in his first 14 games of the season, it could go a long way in securing a postseason berth and making any noise beyond that.
“Absolutely, absolutely. It’s no secret about it: We’re trying to make a playoff push,” LeVert said. “So everybody playing at their best is very important for us right now.”
LeVert’s 24 points in Monday’s loss to the Bucks were a post-injury high, and all four rebounds he brought down were offensive — a reminder for Atkinson of his athleticism. Over LeVert’s past four games, all off the bench, he is averaging 18.3 points, 4.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 48 percent from the field.
Atkinson called the timing of LeVert’s resurgence “ideal,” but was anxious to see how he responded Wednesday after playing 30:27 — the third-most minutes he’s had since the injury. His teammates, meanwhile, have seen the old LeVert for a couple of weeks, even if he didn’t always have the results to show for it.
“I think he’s been back, honestly,” D’Angelo Russell said. “He’s making shots and everybody is saying he’s back, but he was just missing the bunnies that he’s capable of making, so I think he’s fine.”
The Nets’ 23 turnovers against the Bucks matched their season high, tied for the most since Jan. 7. Atkinson had said afterward their transition defense needed work, but upon reviewing the film, he said much of it was “because our offense stunk.”
“It was self-inflicted, poor offense,” Atkinson said. “It was like once we turned it over, with Giannis [Antetokounmpo] leading the break, [Eric] Bledsoe leading they’re break, you’re at their mercy.”
Allen Crabbe will miss his ninth straight game with a sore right knee.