CLEVELAND, Ohio — If the Cavs are going to match the franchise’s best start to a season, they will need to do it without two of their top six rotational players.
Sources tell cleveland.com that starting small forward Dean Wade (illness) and sixth man Caris LeVert (knee soreness) will not play Monday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. Cleveland is 7-0 to open the 2024-25 season. The best mark in franchise history is 8-0, set in 1976-77.
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With Wade unavailable, sources say defensive-minded reserve Isaac Okoro will make his first start.
After waking up with what sources described as flu-like symptoms, Wade did not attend shootaround, asked to stay home in hopes that his fever would subside. He was not planning to be in the arena Monday night and his availability for Wednesday’s game in New Orleans is uncertain.
The early-season fill-in starter for injured sharpshooter Max Strus, Wade has been integral to the team’s fast start. He is averaging a career-best 6.9 points on 41.5% from the field and 33.3% from 3-point range to go with 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 23.9 minutes. He is also one of the team’s best perimeter defenders, allowing new coach Kenny Atkinson to deploy a frontcourt that features size, strength, skill and versatility.
LeVert did not participate in Monday’s shootaround either. Following the team session, he went through a light individual shooting workout alongside a few assistants and members of the training staff while wearing a sleeve on his achy right knee. Monday will be LeVert’s second consecutive absence.
One of the anchors of Cleveland’s revamped second unit, LeVert is among the league leaders in bench scoring, averaging 12.0 points on a hyper efficient 61.4% from the field and 52.4% from beyond the arc. With LeVert on the floor, the Cavs are outscoring opponents by 89 points in the first six games he has played.
Milwaukee will be undermanned as well, with star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo ruled out because of a right adductor strain.
Antetokounmpo tallied 34 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists in the previous meeting between the two teams — a 114-113 Cleveland win Saturday night in Milwaukee.