Critical Cleveland Cavaliers Defender Out vs. Boston Celtics

Dean Wade will not play for the Cleveland Cavaliers in their rematch against the Boston Celtics.

May 15, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (32) in the third quarter during game five of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers are preparing to go up against the Boston Celtics for the second time this season. However, the Wine and Gold will again be undermanned for this critical matchup between the two top teams in the Eastern Conference.

Dean Wade - Out

Dean Wade continues to rehab from an ankle sprain two weeks ago against the Charlotte Hornets, and he's already been ruled out for Sunday's matchup against the Celtics.

There reportedly was a possibility that Wade could return to the lineup against the Celtics. However, it appears something got in the way and prevented that from becoming a reality.

Wade has played 13 games this season, averaging 5.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 35 percent from behind the arc. He also has a defensive rating of 111.

Oct 25, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (32) celebrates after hitting a three point basket during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Improving on the defensive end has been a talking point for the Cavaliers over the last week, especially after their back-to-back losses to the Atlanta Hawks.

Obviously, the Cavaliers want Wade to be healthy for every game, but having him available against Boston would've provided a critical boost on defense.

Wade is one of Wine and Gold's best perimeter defenders and would've been tasked with matching up with either Jayson Tatum or Jalen Brown. However, now it will be Isaac Okoro and Evan Mobley's job to stop Boston's All-Star duo.

Emoni Bates, JT Thor, Luke Travers - Out

The two-way trio of Emoni Bates, JT Thor, and Luke Travers has also been ruled out against the Celtics. This group will be on a G-League assignment, making them unavailable for the game.