The Cleveland Cavaliers are slated to host the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night. They will be another man short for the matchup, with Dean Wade being the latest addition to the team’s injury report.
It’s unclear exactly why the forward will sit out the contest, as the reason stated for his absence is a need to tend to personal matters.
Cleveland is already missing stars Donovan Mitchell, who is dealing with a bone bruise in his left knee and will be out for a sixth consecutive game, and Evan Mobley, who is set to stay off the court for an extended period due to a sprained left ankle.
Also listed as out on the injury report are Max Strus (strained right knee), Ty Jerome (recovering from surgery on his right ankle) and Tristan Thompson (suspension).
The Cavs have had an uneven stretch in the past week and a half, alternating wins and losses. On a positive note, they defeated two of the league’s top teams during that period.
Against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, Wade had one of the finest performances of his career. After Cleveland trailed 87-71 heading into the fourth quarter, the fifth-year pro took over for his squad, outscoring the Celtics 20-17 in the final period, which included five 3-pointers.
He finished the contest with a career-high 23 points and capped off his masterpiece with the game-winning putback dunk.
DEAN WADE GAME WINNING PUTBACK DUNK 🤯 pic.twitter.com/tj1gyksPQY
— Ahn Fire Digital (@AhnFireDigital) March 6, 2024
Three days later, the Cavs took on the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves. There were no heroics from Wade that time, as Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen provided the team with the needed scoring punch to overcome the Wolves in overtime. They combined for 67 points, with Garland adding eight assists and Allen hauling in a game-high 18 rebounds.
Hopefully, the point guard-center duo can continue its strong showing versus the Nets in order to notch a needed win. Cleveland is currently battling for the No. 2 seed, with the third-seeded Milwaukee Bucks just 0.5 games behind in the Eastern Conference standings. So, every game matters for the Cavs if they plan to lock up second place in the East.
In addition, only eight of their final 19 games in the regular season will be played at home. As such, they will have to treat their bout with Brooklyn seriously.
