The Cleveland Cavaliers have won 18 of their last 20, hitting their stride after a rough start to the season to emerge as the contender everyone expected them to be.
The best news for the Cavs about their recent run is that they’ve done so despite being without some key pieces. Tristan Thompson has battled a calf injury that’s held him out of the lineup for much of the streak, and Derrick Rose (whose absence very probably has been a positive) has also been out for the entirety of this stretch.
Thompson is back and soon, the Cavs will be getting major point guard help for the first time all season when Isaiah Thomas makes his season debut. There’s still not an exact date planned, but many have pointed to the Jan. 3 game against the Celtics, his first chance at revenge, as the logical starting point. As he ramps up his work, the Cavs have taken the next step in getting him back on the court by assigning him to their G-League affiliate, the Canton Charge.
ASSIGNMENT: we have assigned guard Isaiah Thomas and center Ante Zizic to the @CantonCharge today.
Thomas is on assignment in order to officially participate in the Charge full-team practice.
MORE: https://t.co/W24Ue14AsH
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) December 21, 2017
This news isn’t a surprise, as the plan has been reported that after this Cleveland road trip he would join the Charge to get some 5-on-5 work in, because the Cavs hardly ever have an actual practice. So, Thomas will be able to put in some work with the Charge and play some competitive basketball in a scrimmage situation for a bit prior to returning to the Cavs in full.
This is yet another positive step for the All-Star point guard, and while it will likely take some growing pains integrating him into the lineup and getting everyone comfortable, his addition is a significant boost for the Cavs’ long term goals this season of getting back to the Finals.
