Cleveland Cavaliers

Should the Cleveland Cavaliers decide to reflect on a 2023-24 season built through underdog victories, unsung heroes, and spirited efforts amidst injuries, few battles across their 82-game regular season will evoke memories rivaling that of the night of March 5, 2024. Studying a scoreboard that confirmed a 22-point deficit, Cleveland appeared to be nine minutes away from enduring a fate similar to most of the NBA: a loss at the hands of the league-leading Boston Celtics. Instead, what arrived next would be the greatest game of Dean Wade’s career to date. Describing the rim to be “swimming pool”-like, the sharpshooting forward outscored the league’s No. 1-ranked offense by himself in the final period, raining in 20 fourth-quarter points (on a perfect seven-of-seven), helping the Cavaliers run off a 34-11 run the rest of the way. The upset triumph took on an additional tier of excellence with Cleveland’s leading scorer and five-time All-Star on the mend, joining the charged-up audience in support from the sidelines. Wade’s excellence fueled win No. 40, guiding their continued charge towards home court advantage in the soon-to-arrive 2024 NBA Playoffs.