3 big questions for Cavs team fresh off a great road trip

#3: Why does the Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff not play Dean Wade?

It simply doesn’t make sense to anyone with a high basketball IQ that the Cavs forward Dean Wade isn’t seeing the court much these days. It’s a crime and Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is guilty as charged.

We’re not here to say Wade should be in the starting lineup, though he has started 16 games for the team, but to have him keeping the bench warm is ridiculous. Wade doesn’t score in bunches. He’s only averaging five points and three rebounds, but his defense has been key in getting this team to where they are now.

After getting good minutes off the bench, usually the first player off the bench or starting 16 previous games, Wade has been delegated to giving high fives when the players come off the court and that’s just not right. He’s probably the team’s best defender. The team is scoring without him and that’s fine now, but that desire to ignore the importance of defense by Bickerstaff will likely bite him in the rear in the near future.

When the Cavs were down 18 points to the Thunder, I couldn’t help but know that that wouldn’t have been the case if Wade was on the floor. A player like Lauri Markkanen is a good offensive threat because he’s a 7-foot post player that can bring down a thunderous dunk to beat the San Antonio Spurs the other night or hit a big three-pointer to close out the Thunder. However, when he’s not saving the day, his defense especially on guarding the perimeter is so bad that that’s a reason why the team gets down by 18 points, to begin with.

Subbing Wade in for Markkanen makes too much sense for Bickerstaff to comprehend. Maybe, I’m the only sportswriter in town that can see this, but I’m here to provide clarity.

Giving Wade 15-20 minutes in a bench role would only help solidify this team’s chances as they move forward. If the Cavaliers want to go farther in the postseason, then Bickerstaff needs to recognize Wade’s benefit to the team.