Dwyane Wade: Back to Riley (#CavsLifer)

[Cavatt]

Same. I vote for option B and let he and Wade just crucify most second teams. But JR is so bad now that I think everything is on the table.

I like option B of getting IT more time with the bench too. He makes TT work in that unit and makes Wade better. Another shooter helps green and Korver too. Makes too much sense. IT can use a screen from Tristan more effectively than anyone on the roster.

Let LeBron rest and kill teams in the 4th. No one can stop a rested LeBron.

 

[Jordan]

Hey all, I just wrote a basketball blog post about Wade's defense. I posted the intro, but if you want to see some video clips, give the article a click!

https://sportsbystats.com/2018/01/05/dwyane-wade-the-cleveland-cavaliers-best-defender/

The Cleveland Cavaliers are an awful defensive team. Since November 3, 2017 (where they played the Washington Wizard, ended a losing streak, and began playing good basketball), the Cavs have the seventh worst defense in the NBA. But, in a surprising turn of events, Dwyane Wade has become a lockdown defender this season, and because of it, is an unsung hero for Cleveland.

Analytically, these numbers are clear. Steve Shea – a progressive force in basketball analytics – has created a new metric that examines how a player works to prevent a higher expected shot value. I.E., a good player forces his opponent into taking shots delivering a lower expected value. By this metric, Wade is the 24th best defender in the NBA.

ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus – which uses a regression-based model to estimate the overall value of a player compared to the league average – ranks Wade as the 9th best two-guard defender in the association.

Meanwhile, J.R. Smith ranks as the worst defender in the NBA by Shea’s metric, and per ESPN’s metric he is the 29th worst shooting guard defender in the NBA. This provides for an interesting analysis.

Switching J.R. Smith and Dwyane Wade in Cavalier lineup data is illuminating. Per NBA Wowy, with J.R. on the court and Wade off, the Cavs give up 1.16 points per possession, equal to the worst defense in the NBA. When Wade plays and Smith does not, however, Cleveland surrenders 1.06 points per possession, good enough for fifteenth best in the NBA.

Overall, Wade turns the Cavs from one of the worst defensive teams in the league when he sits, into a middle-of-the-pack team while playing. Synergy’s playtype data can explain why.

First, and most importantly, 66% of Wade’s defensive shots contended have been on spot-ups and pick-and-rolls. On these plays, with Wade as the primary defender, opponents are averaging .763 points per possession. Comparatively, on average, players are scoring .925 points per possession on these two plays. Thus, Wade is defending spot-ups and pick-and-rolls significantly better than the average NBA player.

But what is causing Wade to defend this well?

 

[Heej]

Hey all, I just wrote a basketball blog post about Wade's defense. I posted the intro, but if you want to see some video clips, give the article a click!

https://sportsbystats.com/2018/01/05/dwyane-wade-the-cleveland-cavaliers-best-defender/

This is a great article. The one thing that stands out Is his strength as you said. I think Wade is the best "big wing" defender on the team due to his strength and low center of gravity while Lebron is coincidentally the best at smaller guys due to his length and positioning. Wade should be starting alongside IT late in playoff series'

Also is it just me or is Wade less afraid of the Warriors than everyone, including LeBron LMAO. My dude is so Alpha lol

 

[Jordan]

This is a great article. The one thing that stands out Is his strength as you said. I think Wade is the best "big wing" defender on the team due to his strength and low center of gravity while Lebron is coincidentally the best at smaller guys due to his length and positioning. Wade should be starting alongside IT late in playoff series'

Also is it just me or is Wade less afraid of the Warriors than everyone, including LeBron LMAO. My dude is so Alpha lol

Thanks!

Yeah, I agree with that. Also, given Wade's positional knowledge, I would have no fear of him guarding Steph or Klay. The other interesting option is to put Wade on Draymond (big wing, as you said). In any scenario, though, Wade will play significant minutes against the Warriors.

Wade is a winning player. That's the best part. He is a perfect piece for a title team.

 

[amurderofcrows]

I'm just spitballing.
IT/Wade and Rose/JR back courts?
Feel free to sub Jose for Rose.............

 

[JMoneyYourHoney]

I'm just spitballing.
IT/Wade and Rose/JR back courts?

I still think you roll with Calderon as the de facto backup PG and use Rose judiciously.

 

[Heej]

I feel bad for Rose cuz he badly wants to make it work he just doesn't have the basketball IQ to do it tho unless he shows something unfortunately you just gotta put the guy on mothballs

 

[amurderofcrows]

I still think you roll with Calderon as the de facto backup PG and use Rose judiciously.

I agree. (It took me about a minute to realize that) lol

 

[buzzdog]

This guy is such a breath of fresh air. A true professional who just knows how to play the game inside and out. He gives me hope as someone who can put a check on Lebron's oversized ego just disrupting the flow of the offense at the end of games.

 

[czvo]

View: https://twitter.com/ConradKaz/status/949853897211854848

 

[shoes22]

Dwyane Wade is the fucking x-factor for this team. If we pull off a miracle and somehow beat the Warriors this year, Wade will be a huge reason why.

I’ve said it a million times before and I’ll say it again, the man is a professional winner.

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

Dwyane Wade is the fucking x-factor for this team. If we pull off a miracle and somehow beat the Warriors this year, Wade will be a huge reason why.

I’ve said it a million times before and I’ll say it again, the man is a professional winner.

I agree 100%. But I still need Wade to stop taking 18 footers with a hand in his face in the 4th quarter and especially in close games. He KILLED us during the stretch when the Warriors took the game over with his long twos. He has to cut that shit out of his game. Flat out. I love what he can bring but if he's going to have stretches like he did with the long bricks it negates a lot of the positive he does bring. A floater, a slash and kick...ANYTHING BUT ANOTHER 18 FOOTER WITH A HAND IN YOUR FACE DWAYNE

 

[The Red Viper]

I agree 100%. But I still need Wade to stop taking 18 footers with a hand in his face in the 4th quarter and especially in close games. He KILLED us during the stretch when the Warriors took the game over with his long twos. He has to cut that shit out of his game. Flat out. I love what he can bring but if he's going to have stretches like he did with the long bricks it negates a lot of the positive he does bring. A floater, a slash and kick...ANYTHING BUT ANOTHER 18 FOOTER WITH A HAND IN YOUR FACE DWAYNE

DWade would take a couple of those irrespective because that has been the shot he used to make, but he had to take them more tonight because the paint was clogged with TT being there.

There was no real spacing for DWade to attack the paint and do something.

 

[benchplayer]

Its time to start wade or cedi over J.Rs corpse.

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

DWade would take a couple of those irrespective because that has been the shot he used to make, but he had to take them more tonight because the paint was clogged with TT being there.

There was no real spacing for DWade to attack the paint and do something.

Dude, he took 3 of them with a hand in his face with over 10 seconds left on the shot clock in the 4th when the game was within 5 points. There is simply no excuse for a single one of those shots to go up. He HAS to FULLY embrace his role here for us to win. Not 75%. Not 85%. Not even 90%. 100% when it comes to the Warriors.

And I'm not even trashing Wade...he was awesome for the vast majority of the game...but he cant take 18 footers with a hand in his face in close games with real time left on the shot clock.