Dean Wade sends stern warning to rest of NBA if Darius Garland isn’t named to All-Star Game

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade wants the NBA world to know that if Darius Garland gets snubbed from the 2023 All-Star Game, the point guard is going to be extra motivated and locked in for the remainder of the season.

Last season, Garland was named to his first All-Star Game. The youngster carried the Cavs all season long and was definitely deserving of the All-Star nod.

This season, he’s had more help thanks to the addition of Donovan Mitchell. But Mitchell has been in and out of the lineup recently, and Garland has answered the call.

Although Garland’s first couple of months this season were up and down, he has flipped a switch lately. Since Dec. 26 (when he dropped 46 points against the Brooklyn Nets), he has averaged 24.3 points, 8.9 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game on ridiculous efficiency. He has shot 48.4 percent from the field and 44.0 percent from deep since that date.

Overall this season, the former lottery pick is averaging 21.9 points, 8.2 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from beyond the arc. His per-game averages and efficiency are very similar to those of his 2021-22 campaign.

If he was an All-Star last season, it certainly seems like he has a strong case to be one this season.

Whether Garland ends up getting the nod or not, fans can be sure that he’ll do everything in his power to lead Cleveland on a deep playoff run this season.

The Cavs are 31-21 so far in the 2022-23 campaign. While that’s a solid place to be, the truth is that the team hasn’t exactly lived up to expectations yet. Garland’s stellar play of late hasn’t always translated to wins, as the team is just 9-9 since that aforementioned Dec. 26 date.

Moreover, the team is just 23-20 since it put together an eight-game winning streak to start the season 8-1. There are surely teams that would love to be in Cleveland’s position, but the Cavs have big goals this season, and they’re going to need to start building some momentum if they want to accomplish them.

Garland’s recent play is a positive sign, and the Cavs will look to take advantage of it.