Cleveland Cavaliers DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (knee) has officially been ruled out for Game 1 of their series against the Orlando Magic. The 27-year-old has been an important bench piece for the Cavs throughout the season, but he hasn't appeared in a game since March 8 due to a right knee sprain. Unless others were out as well, he wasn't much of a DFS option. In this case, with Wade on the sidelines, Georges Niang and Marcus Morris Sr. will likely see increases in opportunities while Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen play big minutes as the starting frontcourt.

Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Sam Merrill (neck) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice as he continues to work his way back from injury. A neck problem kept him out for the final three regular-season games, but Merrill looks to be on track to return to the lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs against Orlando on Saturday. The 27-year-old averaged a career-high 8.0 points in 17.5 minutes during the regular season, shooting 40.4 percent from downtown. Merrill's shooting ability makes him a good option to have on the bench, but the rotations get tighter during the postseason, and he likely won't see a lot of time on the court.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (knee) isn't expected to play in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs against Orlando on Saturday. He missed the end of the regular season, making his last appearance on March 8, and Wade wasn't in Wednesday's practice. Wade's absence means more minutes to Georges Niang and Marcus Morris Sr. off the Cavaliers bench. However, neither player doesn't carry any significant fantasy value as long as Evan Mobley stays healthy.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (knee) stated he's "100 percent" heading toward the postseason. The multi-time All-Star has battled a knee injury, limiting him to 10 games since March 1. Fortunately, Mitchell reported he received platelet-rich plasma injections while being closely monitored by the team's medical staff, so he'll be ready to go. The Cavs begin the postseason series with the Magic on Saturday. While DFS managers will continue to be apprehensive about Mitchell's health, it appears the knee issue is behind him, at least for now.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Max Strus had a memorable outing in Sunday's regular-season finale against Charlotte, picking up his first career triple-double in a 120-110 loss. With Donovan Mitchell (knee) and Darius Garland (back) rested for the contest, Strus got to play the role of a playmaker and totaled a career-high 11 assists while scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. He finished with 5-for-12 shooting, doing most of the damage with a 4-for-6 effort from three-point range. Strus has enjoyed deep playoff runs in recent years with Miami and will hope to do the same with the Cavaliers in 2024. The 28-year-old will enter the postseason after averaging 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists with 2.4 makes from deep during his first regular-season campaign in Cleveland.