The Philadelphia 76ers kicked off their NBA Cup run on Friday with a hard-fought 98-93 win over the New York Knicks, but trust me, the box score for Dean Wade did not tell the whole story.
Forget the Stat Sheet, Dean Wade Was Everywhere
Wade started against the Knicks because Jaylen Brown was out, and if you just looked at the numbers, you’d think he barely played. He went scoreless, didn’t even *take* a shot, and finished with only two rebounds, one assist, and three steals in 26 minutes. Sounds kinda… pedestrian, right? But Tyrese Maxey was already saying Wade was “everywhere,” and he wasn’t kidding. “He’s great, man. He’s been great, though,” Maxey added, praising Wade’s versatility to start or not, guard Jalen Brunson or Karl-Anthony Towns. “I love Dean Wade.”
This dude was a defensive chameleon, guarding Knicks star Jalen Brunson, then switching to Karl-Anthony Towns, then locking up OG Anunoby. Wade was flying all over that court. He even passed up some open threes on offense, choosing to make the right play for his teammates instead. This is the definition of a glue guy, the kind every championship contender needs. He does all the little things that don’t show up in a box score but are impactful.
“A Perfect Player for Every Team”
Even LeBron James, one of the greatest ever, had to shout out Wade after the win. “Yeah, Dean, I mean, stat sheet don’t always determine what winning plays and the things that he was doing tonight defensively, and the things that he was doing offensively, getting us extra shots and things of that nature,” James said. He praised Wade for “just being in the right place at the right time.” James even reflected on earlier comments, saying, “Dean is a perfect player for every team. He can play for any team. He’s always going to make winning plays.’” That’s high praise, man.
Forget the box score when it comes to Dean Wade. Maxey knows it, James knows it. As the Sixers move forward into the rest of this 2026-27 season, Wade is going to play a huge role in the team’s success. The Sixers are back on the court Saturday for a back-to-back against the Charlotte Hornets, and if Friday night proved anything, it’s that Wade’s going to be a massive part of their success. Keep an eye on the little things he does, because that’s where the real impact is.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply