Cleveland Cavaliers Roster, Injury News 2017: Cavs Targeting Early January Return for All-Star Guard Isaiah Thomas
It looks like Isaiah Thomas won't be playing in the Cleveland Cavaliers' highly anticipated marquee matchup against the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day.
The Cavaliers were initially targeting a mid-December return for the All-Star guard, but Shams Charania of The Vertical has reported that they're now looking to bring him back in the first week of January.
ESPN's Dave McMenamin has also reported that he's unlikely to make his season debut when the Cavaliers take on the Warriors since he won't have much time to prepare for the matchup.
Apparently, Thomas still hasn't practiced with the team in a full-court setting since they rarely hold practices. According to McMenamin, the Cavaliers do have a practice session schedule on Christmas Eve, but they are unlikely to play him in the game against the defending champions.
Fortunately, Thomas will get the chance to get up to speed after their game against the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 27
"Following the Warriors game, the Cavs play the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 27, and then they have a one-day retreat planned in Napa, California, after that contest, which one source close to Thomas described as a "nice environment" for the two-time All-Star to 'get ready' to play his first game. A Cavs source described the Napa excursion as a 'nice way to break up a long trip,'" McMenamin said.
Fans will not see Thomas play against the Warriors, but interestingly, the Cavaliers are scheduled to take on the Boston Celtics on Jan. 3. The two-time All-Star would love to suit up against his former team.
"In the months since he joined the Cavs, Thomas has repeatedly referenced his motivation to get vengeance against Boston," McMenamin noted.
Thomas has missed the entire season so far as he continues to recover from an injury to his right hip. He averaged 28.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists in 76 games with the Celtics last season.
