Cavs win as Thomas takes step
Once Isaiah Thomas slipped on his jersey and headband those familiar, warm feelings washed over him. His agonizing wait is almost over.
LeBron James scored 34 points, Kevin Love added 27 and the Cavaliers won their 12th straight home game, 115-112 over Chicago on Thursday night as the injured guard moved closer to his return.
The Bulls rallied from a 10point deficit early in the fourth quarter and were four down when James, who has been clutch in the fourth period all season, sank a fadeaway baseline jumper. With Cleveland’s Jae Crowder guarding him closely, Chicago’s Denzel Valentine was short with a tying three-point try in the final second.
The Cavs got their 19th victory in 21 games, ending Chicago’s seven-game winning streak.
Though Thomas took part only in the pregame layup lane, it was the first time he had dressed for a game since coming to Cleveland in a trade. He had scrimmaged with the Cavs’ G League affiliate before coming to Quicken Loans Arena.
“I felt like a basketball player again,” he said.
Thomas will miss the Christmas matchup with the Warriors but could return soon after.
“It just felt like I was a rookie again, like my first game,” Thomas said.
Cleveland head coach Tyronn Lue missed the game with an undisclosed illness. Assistant Larry Drew subbed for him. Raptors 114, 76ers 109: DeMar DeRozan scored a career-high 45 points and Toronto overcame a 22-point deficit to beat Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia. DeRozan also set a career high with six three-pointers. His jumper with 4:13 left put the visiting Raptors ahead to stay after they trailed 76-54 early in the third quarter. Kyle Lowry added 23 points to help the Raptors win their fifth straight and 11th in 12 games. Ben Simmons scored 20 points for Philadelphia. Embiid has missed two games with back tightness after logging a career-high 49 minutes in a tripleovertime loss to Oklahoma City last Friday. Knicks Beasley 32 points 102, scored in the Celtics second 28 of 93: his half, season-high Michael and helping New York win despite a dismal return from injury by Kristaps Porzingis. Beasley went back to the bench with Porzingis back from a knee injury, but he was on the floor in the fourth quarter to help the Knicks take control while Porzingis watched from the sideline at Madison Square Garden. Porzingis was 0-for-11 from the field and finished with one point after missing two games with a sore left knee. The “MVP! MVP!” chants he has heard this season instead went to Beasley, who also had 12 rebounds. Kyrie Irving scored 32 for Boston. Jazz 100, Spurs 89: Rodney Hood scored 29 points as host Utah fended off multiple San Antonio rallies. The Jazz led most of the way, but the Spurs cut it to 82-81 midway through the fourth quarter before a Utah 13-2 run, including nine straight points from Hood. Bryn Forbes led the Spurs with 12 points. Suns 97, Grizzlies 95: Former Memphis guard Troy Daniels hit a threepointer to give Phoenix the lead with 17 seconds to play and the Suns won at home for the first time since Nov. 19. T.J. Warren led the Suns with 27 points, and Daniels — acquired from the Grizzlies in September — added 14 off the bench. Marc Gasol had 13 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots for the Grizzlies, who have lost eight of nine games and nine straight on the road.