Will the Cavs’ Dean Wade return during the second round of the playoffs vs. the Celtics?

BOSTON — Cavs forward Dean Wade is getting closer to a return.

Wade, the hero of Cleveland’s lone win versus the Boston Celtics during the regular season, has been sidelined since early March. First, because of a personal matter and then due to a sprained right knee.

Already ruled out for Tuesday’s Game 1 at famed TD Garden, sources tell cleveland.com there’s hope that, barring any kind of setback, Wade can return at some point during the best-of-seven series, perhaps even this weekend when the Eastern Conference semifinals shift to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4.

Sources say Wade is doing everything possible to make it back. He conducted an individual on-court workout Monday before the team left for Boston and he followed that up with some light shooting and conditioning at Tuesday’s morning shootaround. During the open portion available to media, Wade was hoisted some shots with the team and then ran from sideline to sideline while being timed by a member of the team’s training staff — all positive steps in this lengthy recovery process.

But his playing status will be determined based on how his troublesome knee responds to the workouts and increased activity.

The 6-foot-10 Wade — who provides shooting, floor spacing, depth and versatility at the power forward spot, a thin position currently given the continued struggles of Georges Niang — last played on March 8. After returning from his weeklong personal leave, Wade practiced with the team in Houston on March 15, looking eager to rejoin the lineup.

That day at Rice University, Wade participated fully in practice, going through the team’s usual 5-on-5 session and then holding a post-practice 4-on-4 workout designed to get him and Tristan Thompson extra conditioning reps. The next morning, Wade felt soreness and popped up on the injury report, eventually getting ruled out for the matchup against the Rockets.

That lingering issue, initially characterized as “soreness,” was later termed a “knee sprain” following more tests and scans.

This weekend will be close to the two-month mark.

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Considered one of the team’s best defenders, ranking in the 96th percentile in defensive estimated plus-minus, Wade boasts some of the best impact metrics of anyone on the roster. With him on the court, the Cavs have a plus-8.3 net rating compared to just 0.2 without him. It’s the second-largest differential behind just Mitchell — a number that helps showcase Wade’s importance and his fit within Cleveland’s system.

At various points this season, Wade helped fill in admirably for starting forward Evan Mobley, who missed 32 games overall due to injuries to his knee and ankle. Wade’s on-court impact had him headed for a significant role in the team’s playoff rotation. But it’s fair to wonder how healthy and effective he will be when he eventually comes back — and whether Bickerstaff would be willing to put him back into the rotation after such a long layoff.

The conference semifinals begin Tuesday night at 7 p.m.