As the NBA season transitions into December, many players are on the cusp of a midseason return. Zach LaVine, Jabari Parker, and of course, Cleveland's own, Isaiah Thomas. With the report coming out in late November that Thomas could return as early as mid-December, I thought that it would be appropriate to give Cavalier fans an introduction to their new star.
Raised in Tacoma, Washington, Isaiah was the number two rated high school point guard in the nation when he committed to play at the University of Washington. After playing three years at Washington and averaging 16.4 points, Isaiah was selected with the 60th and final pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. Isaiah has been a great player since then, playing for the Kings, Suns, and eventually with the Celtics. Last season, Isaiah averaged 28.9 points per game, a career best for him by a significant margin. Isaiah was traded to the Cleveland along with teammates Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and a 2018 first round pick in exchange for Kyrie Irving.
Before the 2017 NBA playoffs, Isaiah learned of the passing of his younger sister. Isaiah never missed a game. After closing out the series against the Chicago Bulls, Isaiah flew to her funeral before returning to play the Wizards in the Eastern Conference semifinals. During the Eastern Conference Championship against Cleveland, Isaiah suffered a severe hip injury and was ruled out for the remainder of the postseason. The injury was severe enough for the Celtics and Cavs to have major concerns about his availability in the future, which was why the Cavs received so much stock during the Irving trade. Despite surgery being an option for Isaiah, he elected to not undergo surgery and instead to rehab his hip until he felt he was medically and physically prepared to return to play. That could come quicker than initially anticipated, which should act as a much-needed spark for the starting Cavaliers lineup.
Isaiah is an incredibly interesting player. Well below the average height of an average NBA player, Isaiah stands at 5'9". At such a uniquely small height, it gives Isaiah the opportunity to set some pretty incredible records, such as the shortest player to record a triple-double. Isaiah Thomas is looking to become another member of a distinct group of special players who are "pound for pound" or "inch for inch" some of the best players to ever play the game. The names Muggsy Bogues, Nate Robinson, and Allen Iverson come to mind.
Earlier this season, the Cavaliers struggled defensively. The Cavs underwent a streak of nearly 20 games where they gave up over 100 points and were giving up an average of roughly 117 points. That is very bad. However, at the time of this article, the Cavaliers are on a 9-game win streak and their defense has shored up significantly with some of their best defensive play coming from off the bench. This is great news for the impending return of Isaiah, given that defense has never been his strongest point. With the injury and uncertain future of Derrick Rose, Isaiah could give the Cavs starting five the extra fire that they are lacking at point guard. Isaiah is more than talented enough to give the Cavs the extra push that should put them solidly at the top of the Eastern Conference. The remainder of this season is looking very bright for the Cavaliers.
