Cavs: 3 reasons to keep Dean Wade in the bench rotation

#2: Wade’s defense is solid

Defense is the name of the game and it wins games. I believe that wholeheartedly and I believe Wade believes that too. Wade grew up in Kansas in the small town of of St. John, a place I’m familiar with as well as I lived in Kansas for 26 years.

Playing hoops and learning the fundamentals, especially the importance of defense was pressed upon him a lot as a kid. It’s got a lot to do with why he’s playing in the NBA now. Not many kids that get to the NBA early in their careers can maintain their time in the NBA because they don’t improve or try and get better especially on the defensive side of the ball.

With more time on the court last season he improved in most defensive categories. He had 35 steals in the 63 games he played in. He also recorded 21 blocks, and finished with 177 rebounds.

It was also the eye test and when Wade was out there on the defensive side of the ball he typically wasn’t getting burned or having his opponent get by him out on the perimeter, down along the baseline or in the lane. Some of those things don’t get posted in the box score but those intangibles are a huge part of why the Cavs played better with him on the floor.