The Cleveland Cavaliers have lost three-straight games for the first time all season. That losing could continue over the next few weeks.
In the positive column, Evan Mobley has returned from his calf injury and is no longer listed on the team's injury report. That means that the core four stars are all healthy and on the court, and with Max Strus able to step back in as the starting small forward the Cavaliers have a full five-man starting unit they trust to go to battle with.
The problem is now what lays behind them. With yet another rotation player going down to injury, the Cavaliers have some serious depth issues -- especially since it's Dean Wade now leaving the lineup.
Dean Wade will miss weeks with a knee injury
On Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, Dean Wade appeared to suffer a knee injury when he banged knees with an opposing player. He left that game and was quickly ruled out, not just for that game but also for the next night against the Houston Rockets. The Cavaliers lost both games.
The Cavaliers' injury report now lists Wade as out for their Monday game against the Detroit Pistons, and Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com is now reporting that Wade is expected to miss a few weeks. Fedor said that while Cleveland feels like Wade dodged a bullet on a more serious injury, the absence will be longer than just a few games, and could take Wade through the All-Star Break.
Wade is a crucial role player for the team, able to defend multiple positions while also shooting consistently from outside. Teams across the league want a player like Wade, who can match up on opposing wings but also play minutes as a smallball 5. Most of the team's best lineups are unlocked by Wade at either the 3 or the 4, and when he misses time the Cavaliers often struggle to win games.
Unfortunately, he is also a player who suffers injuries at an above-average clip, so it's hardly surprising that he will miss some time. That's baked into any expectations for a season with Dean Wade. Now the Cavaliers will be approaching this injury with patience, holding Wade out until he is 100 percent ready to go.
That seems like a fine strategy long-term, but it's likely to hurt the team in the short-term, in large part because the Cavaliers are dealing with multiple injuries at the same position.
The Cavaliers have an injury problem
If it were only Dean Wade sidelined, the Cavaliers have proven all season long that they have the depth to absorb a single injury. That's been something of the beauty of this team, where everyone in the lineup has a player behind them ready to step up.
The problem is that the Cavaliers now have three players sidelined all at the same basic position, and it's going to put the entire team at a disadvantage defensively that could lead to more losses during the middle of this otherwise triumphant season.
Isaac Okoro has now missed five-straight games with a shoulder injury that appears to be more serious than first thought. He didn't even travel with the team on its recent road trip, and he was ruled out well ahead of Monday's game.
Between Okoro and Wade you have the team's two best perimeter defenders, one best deployed at the point of attack and the other on larger forwards and in help defense. It's no wonder that the Cavaliers' defense has fallen off in January, especially with Evan Mobley also missing multiple games.
To add to the pile, super-sub Caris LeVert has seemingly suffered a setback in his recovery from a wrist sprain. He appeared to be close to a return, a late scratch after being questionable heading into two-straight games. Then his injury designation changed from "wrist soreness" back to "wrist sprain" (credit Chris Fedor with catching that) and he was ruled out the day before the Pistons game. That doesn't bode well for LeVert suddenly springing back into action.
The first half of the season Cleveland put up a 35-6 record, best in the NBA. The second half of the season has begun with three-straight losses, including two in a row where the Cavaliers had no answers defensively for the 76ers and the Rockets. With Wade, Okoro and LeVert all out, this team will continue to struggle to match up with opponents.
The Cavaliers have staked themselves enough of a lead that they can survive a midseason wobble. The goal is to have everyone healthy when the playoffs roll around. The core four stars can will them to a number of victories.
To be the team that they were to start the year, however, they need these injured wings back. Without them, the magical season may start to turn into a disappointing finish, and the questions that the Cavaliers tucked so neatly away with their hot start could come back out.
Having versatile perimeter players unlocks the ceiling of this team. With those players injured, the Cavaliers have to find a new way to win.