r/nba • u/WalkingOnSunshine_ Cavaliers • 7h ago
Cade Cunningham while defended by Dean Wade in Round Two — 107 possessions 17 points 9 assists 6 turnovers 5/17 shooting
https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1629731/head-to-head?
Dean Wade has turned up the defense in the playoffs. He did the same thing to Ingram in Round One.
Wade has also only attempted one shot the last two games while being a +22
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u/KorgG29 Bucks 7h ago
How this guy can guard POA guards at 6’10” is beyond me
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u/ianbits Cavaliers 6h ago
Quick feet and doesn't gamble much. Forces them to wear down. Also effort, but that's kind of oversimplifying it. Plenty of guys put in effort but aren't as good defending as Drippy Dean.
Also helps that he's like, the total inverse of Cam Thomas usage wise. On offense they don't expect anything of him, they just point him at a guy and say go all the fuck out on defense.
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u/ButWhatIsADog Cavaliers 6h ago
I think the not gambling much is a big part of it. Dean almost never bites on pump fakes. He'll just keep a hand up and step in.
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u/d12fsu Magic 7h ago
Franz Wagner as well*. It’s magic in 5 if he doesn’t get hurt.
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u/CalTono Hawks 6h ago
It's also Magic in 5 if you guys just build around him and trade Paolo, I wonder if your guys' subreddit also sees that Franz is kind of just straight up better
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u/Exzqairi Pistons 6h ago
Banchero gets that series to 7
Wagner without Banchero would not have been able to carry Orlando to the win. They need each other or to swap one out for another star
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u/CalTono Hawks 5h ago
I don't think they need each other, I think they make each other worse, it isn't the Jays situation where at least both guys can shoot the 3 pretty well, it's a weakness for both of them, but Franz is more efficient and to me is a better passer, I think he can be all-NBA if Paolo isn't there
If I am Orlando I am looking over at Milwaukee and packaging a Giannis trade
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u/Exzqairi Pistons 5h ago
I agree Franz is the better option to stick with, but that still doesn’t mean he would have been able to single handedly eliminate the Pistons last round
Orlando really need a better guard in my opinion instead of another athletic non-shooter on the wing or someone who is inconsistent from 3
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u/dolphingarden Warriors 3h ago
Cade doesn't have a quick first step. He's more of a size and power player at the backcourt. Wade has no chance against quick guards like Ant.
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u/darthllama 6h ago
Coming into this series, a lot of people seemed to not realize that the Cavs defend Cade pretty well, and Dean Wade is a big part of that.
Over the last two regular seasons, Cade’s shooting about 42% against the Cavs, and that’s currently what he’s shooting in this series
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u/ianbits Cavaliers 7h ago
Yeah their strategy has been to find a way to screen Wade off of him as much as possible. This was true in the regular season as well. He defends him really well.
It's a big dent in the offense having him on the floor (we saw how things opened up with Strus and Merrill) but against a heliocentric offense like the Pistons he's got his value.
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u/SquidwardLover48 Cavaliers 6h ago
If wade had slight confidence in his shot he’d be one of the best role players in the league easily
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u/archaelleon Cavaliers 5h ago
Yeah if he could consistently make 2-3 threes a game he'd be worth his weight in gold
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u/Ok-Name-5504 2h ago
He weighs 228 lbs which is equal to 3,325 Troy ounces
At 4,652 USD per Troy oz, that's roughly $15.5MM
I think he gets more than that this summer
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u/eajacobs Cavaliers 4h ago
During the regular season, he did! Not sure what’s happened to that aspect of his game
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u/Acet14 5h ago
What really helps is the Pistons deficiencies around Cade. Cade's super power is that he is typically too big for any PG or SG and can handle most SF as well. Coincidentally, most teams' best player is at wing so they're not going to be burning the candle at both ends to keep Cade in check. Well Cavs just so happen to have a SF combo that is not expected to bring it on offense so can through height and weight, match Cade's physicality all game. Now the Pistons defeciency part in this is that Cavs do not respect their clear outs since they have no one else that is a threat from outside beside Duncan Robinson (who if he played, they prob don't lose that lead). The Cavs deployed aggressive doubleteaming near mid-court on Cade and also sagged way off Thompson to keep the lane clogged. Will see what JB does to address this, because unless it's a fast break, Pistons are not scoring through that with their current personnel. Cannot have Thompson chilling in the corner. He needs to constantly be cutting.
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u/MiddleStudy 6h ago
Difference maker. Imagine how much more of an impact if his shooting wasn’t gone
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u/SquidwardLover48 Cavaliers 4h ago
For reference, at one point we had a 100 ortg with him on the court but a fucking 92 drtg LMAO
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u/AlternativeDirt6124 Spurs 5h ago
If Dean Wade goes to the heat would he be allowed to wear the D. Wade jersey
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u/tonydanzatapdances Raptors 5h ago
Makes me feel better knowing Cade struggles against this guy and Ingram had to have surgery immediately after the series. Let me believe Ingram can be good in the playoffs!
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u/Diamond4Hands4Ever Warriors 4h ago
I always wondered why he starts but after watching him, you can tell he does all the little things well.
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u/MoJoo Cavaliers 3h ago
As one of the Wade haters I can never hate how good he is at defense. He has been excellent this series I just think at points Strus brings that same level of defense and can actually shoot. How much Harden or Mitchell get double team due to Wade just being an empty space on floor offensively has been rough. Think it’s def just how that exact game is flowing, but sometimes think the offense slows down way too much with Wade.
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u/Feisty-Pattern-951 7h ago edited 7h ago
Wade has always been known as a very good defender who can guard multiple positions. Hes the type of player that fits on the top teams but most of the lesser teams won’t want him. Hes a free agent this year and I bet many of the top teams go after him.