IT returns
AFTER seven months rehabbing his injured hip, All-Star Isaiah Thomas has returned to competitive basketball. The diminutive point guard’s comeback could not have come at a better time as his new team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, are in a slump, losing 5 of their last 7 games including a recent 102-88 loss to Conference rival Boston Celtics.
Thomas debuted in a game versus Portland and showed no rust at all as he scored 17 points in a limited 19 minutes and displayed the explosiveness he is known for. He didn’t play against his former team since the Cavs are not playing him in back-to-back games. This is just right given that hip injuries are tricky and the Cavs need to bring him back slowly to ensure that he is fully recovered, especially since the Cavs are gunning for a 4th straight Finals appearance.
With Thomas back in harness, the Cavaliers suddenly have second scorer who can lift some of the burden from LeBron James who just turned 33 and is now on his 15th NBA season. Last season, Thomas was one of the league’s leading scorers (28.9 points per game) and contributed nearly 6 assists and 3 rebounds per game to go with his 38% shooting from deep. Currently, the Cavs are one of the league leaders in offense and once they integrate Thomas fully into their starting line-up, they will certainly have one of the league’s potent offenses. Thomas, however, doesn’t contribute much on defense due to his size and his lack of effort.
The return of Thomas is very crucial since it may answer a lot of questions moving forward. As we all know, LeBron James can opt out of his contract after this year and look for greener pastures as he chases more championships. If Thomas plays well and wins a championship together with James, the latter may just decide to play out his final years in Cleveland. This is also a contract year for Thomas and any team, including Cleveland, may be hard-pressed to invest heavily in a 29-year old player who is prone to injuries because of his slashing style of play. Thomas needs to prove in the next few months that he is worth the big bucks.
Until Kevin Love returns from an ankle injury, the Cavs will feature a strong competitive unit, which includes Thomas, James, Jae Crowder, J.R. Smith, and Tristan Thompson. With Thomas, the Cavs can afford to put in more “defensive-minded” players so they can begin shutting down their opponents instead of simply outscoring them. Currently, the Cavs are a lowly 21st in team defense.
This also bolsters the Cavs bench since the minutes Thomas plays means fresher legs. The Cavs bench is composed of good players who are all way past their prime. Dwyane Wade, Jose Calderon, Jeff Green, and Kyle Korver are no longer spring chickens and need to be fresh during the playoffs.
The Golden State Warriors are still the heavy favorites to a win another championship but as LeBron James has shown, time and again, give him a little help and he can do the impossible. That “little” help is Isaiah Thomas.