Cavs: Dean Wade’s absence taking a toll on 1 key area

When Wade is on the floor, Cleveland only allows 105.9 points per 100 possessions to opponents. Compare that to when the Cavs give up 115.4 points per 100 possessions whenever Wade is on the bench or unavailable, creating a dramatic 9.6-point swing for Cleveland’s opposition.

In more general terms, when Wade is in the game, the Cavs are setting the standard on defense compared to the rest of the NBA, ahead of even the stingy Minnesota Timberwolves. Moreover, when Wade is on the bench or unavailable, Cleveland becomes a below-average defense, squeezed in between the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets for the 19th-best defense.

Now, this isn’t an argument for Wade being a dark horse contender for Defensive Player of the Year or anything despite being technically still eligible. That’s a ludicrous argument but the numbers don’t lie and it crystalizes how important Wade is for Cleveland on defense, especially in the last several games, where Wade has been sidelined for personal reasons.

With Wade unavailable for their last two games, the Cavs have struggled to slow down the opposition without him, continually driving home his importance for the team’s overall defensive success.

In a recent loss against the forward-heavy Phoenix Suns, who are headlined by Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant, Cleveland had a defensive rating of 126.5, which is a 20.6 point differential compared to when Wade is on the floor for the Cavs.

Meanwhile, in a more humbling loss to the Brooklyn Nets, where Cam Thomas and Mikal Bridges tore apart Cleveland, the Cavs had a defensive rating of 133.3, boasting an even more dramatic 27.4 point difference than when Wade is on the floor.

In both of those games, Wade was unavailable due to personal reasons. Moreover, Wade is still out for the same personal reasons when Cleveland faces the New Orleans Pelicans on the road. Like the Suns, the Pelicans are very forward-heavy behind Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, presenting a challenge for the Cavs.

So, although Donovan Mitchell might return to action for Cleveland, the lack of Wade might be a factor in spoiling Mitchell’s return. Wade is more than allowed to have much time as he needs to address whatever he’s dealing with off the court. But, when he does return for the Cavs, it might result in a bigger celebration and proverbial shot in the arm than Mitchell’s anticipated return.

That’s because even though players like Wade go seemingly unnoticed most nights, with a few explosions against the Boston Celtics sprinkled in between, what they bring to the table is beyond valuable. Sure, the numbers speak for themselves to quantify Wade’s impact. But, for a team that’s focused on defense first like the Cavs, Wade’s value is priceless.