Cleveland Cavaliers find an early spark from sharpshooting wing

Dean Wade, the Cleveland Cavaliers forward who was inserted into the team's starting lineup to begin the season, has been shooting "lights out" from beyond the arc, playing tough defense and repeatedly creating opportunities for his teammates This shouldn't surprise Cavs fans, but because he wasn't used efficiently in the past, some fans might want to catch up to speed and start paying attention to Wade and his importance to this Cleveland squad.

I've probably been the biggest fan of Wade from our contributors here at King James Gospel over the past several seasons as I've had a chance to follow his game dating back to when he was a high school player in little St. John, Kansas during my time in the same town.

Wade has always been a student of the game with a high basketball IQ. His instincts on the court have led to him to being an outstanding defender and an important contributor to the offense. Now with a new Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson in house, Wade has been given the "green light" to play more freely offensively and he's shown that in these first couple of games this season.

In the recent home opener win against the Detroit Pistons, Wade was knocking down killer three-pointers, especially in that fourth quarter to help push the Cavs lead back up to double digits and helping to secure the victory. The win came against his former coach J. B. Bickerstaff, who now is coaching the Pistons. Wade has seen improved opportunities under the new coach, best exemplified by his impact in the home opener.

The Cavaliers are trusting their bench more

Cleveland's new head coach Kenny Atkinson understands how to use the depth of the Cavs' lineup and especially a player like Wade. When given longer stretches of playing time on the court, Wade is usually much more productive. Bickerstaff never got that memo, and while the Cavs teams of the past were often criticized by fans for not having a good bench, it was due in large part to Bickerstaff's rotational flaws rather than the bench talent.

Bickerstaff is gone and players like Wade, Ty Jerome, Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert are all likely going to have much more productive seasons offensively.

Wade shot five-for-seven from beyond the three-point arc in the win against the Pistons and scored 19 points. While his offense production has started off hot, he continues to do all the little things, rebounding, tipping passes, and chasing down loose balls to give the Cavs an edge.

While the core four of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have been been the focus of the Cavaliers, the fifth starter's impact has been more crucial in the first three games than many expected or realize. The Cleveland Cavaliers have the potential and talent to compete for the Finals this year, which will rely on Atkinson's ability to continue finding value from the bench players such as sharpshooting extraordinaire Dean Wade.