As most hoops fans know, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Isaiah Thomas is expected to be out of commission until sometime around January due to a hip injury he sustained in last season’s Playoffs. How the crafty ball-handler will perform with LeBron James and the Cavs in an actual game setting remains to be seen. He’s been forced to watch from the bench as his new teammates struggle through the early phases of this season, but Thomas, now 28 years of age, says he is confident that he will be able to adjust quickly when he’s cleared for action.
“It’s definitely going to be an adjustment period but me being older, me knowing the game a little bit more and being a student of the game, I’m going to be able to adjust quicker than somebody else could,” Thomas told Joe Vardon of cleveland.com.
Without placing the proverbial cart before the horse, there have been several reports indicating that Thomas is slightly ahead of schedule with regards to his recovery. However, Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue has previously insisted that he will not rush the two-time All Star’s rehabilitation process.
Isaiah Thomas has been seen hoisting shots with his teammates during pregame warmups, and he says he’s feeling good.
“I feel good man,” Thomas told Vardon. “Every week I’m getting better and better and I’m able to do more and more, and it’s getting there.”
In his 76 games played for the Celtics last season, Thomas finished as the No. 3 scorer in the NBA, averaging a career-high 28.9 points on 46 percent shooting (career-high), 5.9 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and just under one block (.9) per game.
LeBron James, now in his 15th season of NBA service and showing no signs of regression, says he and Thomas will have to figure out how to get the most out of one another.
Nick Wass/The Associated Press
“I think we’re both going to have to figure out how to get the most out of each other and be on the floor at the same time,” James said. “I haven’t played with the guy. I’ve never stepped out on the floor with Isaiah before. But I’ve played against him and I know what he’s capable of doing. So, we’ll have to see. I know it’s hard to, you can talk about that but you don’t know until you get on the floor.”
Without a doubt, Thomas will be looking to make an immediate impact when he is cleared for on-court action. And in fact, the Cavs could use his scoring and court vision. However, as the old saying goes, there is no need to rush it.