Cavs' Dean Wade to miss rest of season after knee surgery

The Cavs have seen a season that started brightly now mired in difficulty after the news broke of yet another key player sidelined by injury

Cavs' Dean Wade out for the season

According to reports the Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade is now set to miss the rest of the season following knee surgery. Wade is of course the latest absentee for the Cavs having seen their roster depleted by injuries to central figures over the last few months. The operation was performed in an effort to repair the torn meniscus in his right knee according to the team. Wade had been out since March 12th when he sustained the injury in a game against the Chicago Bulls.

The loss of Wade is without doubt a blow to Cleveland's ambitions, as they approach the final run into the playoffs. At present the Cavs are sitting in 7th spot in the Eastern Conference, with a play-in position in hand and seven games left. Wade for his part has been an integral part of their campaign, averaging 5.3 points in 19.2 minutes off the bench.

The Cavs have struggled

This latest dent in Cleveland's hopes is of course not the only one, as they still remain without All-Star center Jarrett Allen, who is facing his 11th straight game on the sideline with a broken finger, as the Cavs prepare to take on the Orlando Magic on Monday night. While Allen has been able to do partifcipate in more on-court activities lately, he remains unavailable and more over has been given no clear timeline for a return. How bad have things been in Allen's absence? Even before mentioning his average of 16.1 points and 10.8 rebounds, it would be safe to say that the Cavs have struggled both on defense and offense. Indeed, Cleveland is now 4-6 without Allen in their last 10 games.

The Cavs have other injury worries

Unfortunately for the Cavs, their injury concerns don't end there. Guard Rajon Rondo will miss his eighth straight game on Monday night as well, having been sidelined by a sprained ankle. Then there is the matter of leading scorer Collin Sexton and veteran point guard Ricky Rubio, both of whom have been lost to season-ending injuries. To say head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has had a challenge on his hands would be quite the understatement, which in turn only serves to highlight how impressive it is that the Cavs have still managed to win 41 games this season. One can only wonder what kind of position Cleveland would be if they had a healthy roster to call on.