CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Dwyane Wade joked the other day about fans and reporters finally getting to see other aspects of his game now that he doesn't have to carry as much of the scoring load with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Well, he sent a reminder about his defense, swatting 7-footer Joel Embiid late in the fourth quarter, the exclamation point on a brilliant performance Monday night. The Cavs extended their winning streak to eight games with a 113-91 win.
Earlier this season, Wade blocked Giannis Antetokounmpo's shot attempt. But that's nothing new. As Wade explained Sunday afternoon, he's been blocking bigger players his entire career.
"I've always been a good shot blocker," he said. "Being a good shot blocker doesn't mean you gotta have a 40-inch vertical. Even when I did have one I still blocked shots in other ways. Just trying to do what I can on this team."
Wade ranks second on the Cavs in blocks, trailing just LeBron James.