It was another rough night inside Madison Square Garden for former Wildcats star Dean Wade and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now down 2-0, something has to change with the series headed back to Cleveland.
How Dean Wade can impact Cavs entering game three
Game 2 wasn't just difficult for Cleveland. It looked especially frustrating for Wade. Back in the starting lineup, the former Kansas State standout never quite got rolling. In other words, he was locked down from the opening tip.
In 21 minutes, Wade scored just three points, knocking down only one shot all night. He finished shooting just over 33% from the floor, adding three rebounds and three assists. He exited the game the final time with two turnvoers.
The Stars are out for Cavs-Knicks 🤩 pic.twitter.com/odjpuix6FR
— ESPN (@espn) May 22, 2026
On paper, it's the kind of stat line that draws criticism and makes fans wonder why he's there in the first place. Still, he's hanging in the balance.
Where the Knicks took over
Game 1 featured a 22-point comeback led by Jalen Brunson and the Knicks for an overtime victory. Last night, however, wasn't the case. Brunson ended the game with 19 points, tied with Mikal Bridges for the second-highest scoring total behind Josh Hart's 26 points.
Right out of halftime, the Knicks outscored Cleveland 32-21 in the third quarter, a hole that they just never came out of. And Brunson's assist total: a series-high 14.
Dean Wade can still swing momentum for Cleveland
The Cavs don't need wade to become a 20-point scorer overnight. Though it would certainly help his case, it's not 100% likely against a lockdown defense like the Knicks'. What they need is simple: energy. The first two games have lacked the physicality, and ability to disrupt New York's momentum. That's exactly where Wade's role comes into play.
Even on rough nights, the former K-State great does the little things right. He's able to defend, has the stamina, and controls the tempo. Not exactly something that shows up on highlight reels, but nonetheless important.
Against a team that thrives on second-chance points, those also need to come down. It was a glaring issue in Game 1, and didn't appear any different in Game 2. If Wade's level of consistency can shine through in front of the home crowd, all hope might not be lost for the Cavs. But if that's going to happen, it'll take more than just his ability to create looks.
Bookmark Jug of Snyder and follow us on X with the username @JugofSnyder and Facebook @ksujugofsnyder.
Add us as a preferred source on Google