James, Thomas guide Cavs to win
Los Angeles, Jan. 3: Isaiah Thomas had one last wait.
Sitting on the scorer’s table, Thomas could see the end of his seventhmonth odyssey in front of him. And when the buzzer finally sounded and the Cleveland crowd erupted for a player it barely knows, Thomas took the last few steps onto the court and completed a trip he hopes to never take again.
He was all the way back. Thomas showed flashes of what made him an AllStar in his long- awaited debut for the Cavaliers, who snapped a three- game losing streak by beating the Portland Trail Blazers 127- 110 on Tuesday night.
“It’s been a long journey for me,” Thomas said. “I couldn’t really see the light at the end of the tunnel. For that day to come the first couple days of 2018, it’s going to be a special year.”
It was a special night for Thomas, who scored 17 points and played 19 minutes in his first game in seven months, an impressive return to action for the dynamic point guard traded to Cleveland last summer. He added three 3pointers and three assists before leaving with 8: 10 remaining and the Cavs up by 12.
Before leaving the floor, Thomas got a hug from LeBron James and one from Cavs coach Tyronn Lue, who pulled him close and offered two perfect words.
James scored 24 points, Kevin Love had 19 and Jae Crowder added 15 for the Cavs, who were coming off losses at Golden State, Sacramento and Utah.
Damian Lillard scored 25 for the Blazers after missing five games with a hamstring injury. Jusuf Nurkic added 23 and CJ McCollum had 19 for Portland.
Thomas hadn’t played since May 19 because of a torn labrum in his hip that ended his 2017 postseason with Boston and threatened to derail his career. But the 5- foot- 9 playmaker, who inspired the Celtics and an entire city last year by playing in the immediate aftermath of his sister’s death, patiently stuck with his rehab.
And with 4: 33 left in the first quarter, Thomas checked in to a loud ovation as fans cheered for a player they believe can help the Cavs win another title.
“It was a special moment,” he said. “I haven’t played in a game and you would think I was here for a few years and playing and battling in the Finals with this team. But it was special for my family to be here, my wife and kids to see that, that’s genuine love right there.”
This was the first chance for James and the rest of the Cavs to play with Thomas, who will sit out Wednesday’s homecoming in Boston. He’s not an enemy, but family.
“What I like most about him is he has a chip on his shoulder for life,” James said.
“That’s just who he is. When a guy’s got a chip on his shoulder, he’s never going to not work hard. Not going to never give it his all. Not going to never disappoint you.” — AP