Isaiah Thomas Looking Healthy

When the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Isaiah Thomas from the Boston Celtics, you had to wonder if, when, and how he would play after suffering a serious injury in the playoffs last spring.

If? Yes. When? Tuesday night. How? Pretty well, all things considered.

New team, new teammates, new role. And there will still be limits.

Thomas scored 17 points in 19 minutes as the Cavs beat the Portland Trail Blazers 127-110 to help Cleveland snap a three-game losing streak.

He hit 6 of 12 shots from the field and had an assist the first time he touched the ball.

“On a couple shots I felt like myself for the most part, but still a little rusty and it’s still going to take some time to get back, but my teammates put me in position to make plays and have the floor space and they wanted me to attack so I tried to do the best I could in the minutes I got,” Thomas said. “I didn’t think I would play that well.”

The Cavs are in Boston on Wednesday night and Thomas won’t play in that game. There will be no matchup against Kyrie Irving, who so desperately wanted out from under LeBron James’ shadow. Thomas will be eased back into the rotation, obviously with an eye toward the playoffs but he said he will soon want “the restrictions” off.

Good. Good for him. Good for the game.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman