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Spend Christmas With Us

December 25th, 2017 at 11:10am CST by Arthur Hill

One of the many great things about Christmas is a full slate of NBA games that begins at 11am Central and stretches throughout the day. We at Hoops Rumors welcome our readers to use this post to comment on all of today’s action.

The games tip off with a showcase of some of the league’s brightest young stars as the Knicks host the Sixers. Philadelphia center Joel Embiid has been medically cleared to play, joining teammate Ben Simmons and New York’s Kristaps Porzingis and Frank Ntilikina in a look at the NBA’s future.

The spotlight game of the day comes next as the Warriors host the Cavaliers in a rematch of the past three NBA Finals. Both teams come into the contest near the top of their conferences and a fourth straight Finals clash seems likely, if not inevitable. Even though Stephen Curry will be sidelined and Isaiah Thomas isn’t quite ready to return, Cleveland-Golden State games are always special.

The Wizards and Celtics are next in a rematch of their thrilling series in last year’s Eastern Conference semifinals. It’s a battle of two of the league’s best point guards as John Wall faces Kyrie Irving in Boston’s first home Christmas Day game in 69 years.

Following that, last year’s top two vote-getters in the MVP race will be on display as Russell Westbrook and the Thunder host James Harden and the Rockets. The addition of Chris Paul has helped Houston post the league’s best record at 25-6. The additions of Paul George and Carmelo Anthony were supposed to do the same for Oklahoma City, which may be coming together with four straight wins after a slow start.

The night will end at Staples Center as the Lakers host the Northwest Division-leading Timberwolves. Lonzo Ball will miss the game with a sprained left shoulder, but Rookie of the Year candidate Kyle Kuzma is still worth watching as L.A. faces Jimmy Butler and the new-look Wolves.

The staff of Hoops Rumors extends Merry Christmas wishes to all our readers. Thank you for your loyalty throughout the year and please consider spending part of your holiday with us.

Isaiah Thomas Could Play This Week

December 25th, 2017 at 9:49am CST by Arthur Hill

Cavaliers fans who have been waiting for Isaiah Thomas won’t get their wish granted at Christmas, but it could happen soon, according to Dave McMenamin’s ESPN Now post.

Coach Tyronn Lue reported that Thomas felt “a little sore, but nothing serious” after participating in a full-court scrimmage Thursday with Cleveland’s G League affiliate, the Canton Charge. Thomas practiced with the Cavaliers Saturday, which Lue said involved “a lot of shooting drills live, full court,” then ran through plays with the coaching staff Sunday in a half-court setting with no defenders.

Thomas definitely won’t play in today’s showcase game with the Warriors, but he could be activated for Wednesday’s contest in Sacramento. Lue responded, “I’m not sure. Just got to see,” when asked about that possibility. Cleveland is starting a three-game road trip that concludes Saturday in Utah, and it appears likely that Thomas will play at some point.

Thomas’ wife posted a video on her Instagram account of him dunking at Sunday’s practice. He bounced the ball high off the floor before slamming it in.

One of the key pieces in the August trade that sent Kyrie Irving to Boston, Thomas will miss his 34th game today while recovering from a hip injury that he suffered last season and aggravated during the Eastern Conference finals. He is coming off a career-best year with the Celtics in which he averaged 28.9 points per game and finished fifth in the MVP voting.

LeBron Speaks Fondly Of Playing Christmas Day Games In L.A.

December 24th, 2017 at 9:02pm CST by Austin Kent

The Cavaliers will tip off against the Warriors on Christmas Day but don’t get it twisted, LeBron James‘ favorite place to play after Santa Claus comes is a bit further south at the Staples Center, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. Queue another onslaught of LeBron-to-L.A. hype.

Zizic Recalled

December 23rd, 2017 at 11:09pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Cavaliers have recalled center Ante Zizic from the G League’s Canton Charge one day after assignment, per an official press release from the team. Zizic scored 23 points on 10-17 (.588) shooting and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds for the Charge in last night’s game against the South Bay Lakers.

Cavs Assign Ante Zizic To Canton

December 22nd, 2017 at 9:04pm CST by Austin Kent

The Cavaliers assigned Ante Zizic to their affiliate, the Canton Charge announced in a press release. In four games with the minor league squad, Zizic has posted 15.8 points and 8.5 rebound sin just 23.5 minutes per contest.

Cavs Send Thomas and Zizic To Canton For Practice

December 21st, 2017 at 10:33pm CST by Austin Kent

The Cavaliers assigned guard Isaiah Thomas and big man Ante Zizic to the club’s affiliate in Canton. We wrote about Thomas’ brief rehabilitation stint earlier today. Later in the day, ahead of Cleveland’s Thursday night tilt against the Bulls, the Cavs announced on Twitter that they had recalled both Thomas and Zizic.

Cavaliers Assign Isaiah Thomas To G League

December 21st, 2017 at 9:35am CST by Luke Adams

As expected, the Cavaliers have assigned Isaiah Thomas to their G League affiliate as part of his rehab process, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter). The club confirmed the move in a press release, noting that Ante Zizic has been assigned to the Canton Charge as well. Thomas is expected to scrimmage with the Charge before rejoining the Cavs, as we heard earlier this week.

While Thomas’ specific return date from his hip injury remains unclear, he’s getting close to making his Cleveland debut, suggesting on Wednesday that it could happen as early next week, writes Tom Withers of The Associated Press.

“I’m just trying to get as close as 100% as possible and to be out there to be special,” Thomas said. “Not just to be out there and be another body. However long that takes — it might be next week, it might be a week after that. We don’t know and we’re really not trying to put a date on it because it just depends on how my recovery is. I’m ramping up my workouts, but at the same time it’s how I feel the next day, and it’s getting lighter and lighter, which is a good sign.”

Thomas’ reference to next week or the week after lines up with what we’ve heard from various outlets lately. One recent report from Charania indicated that the injured Cavs point guard is eyeing a Cleveland homestand during the first week of January, while a separate report suggested that Thomas may be able to play before the end of the Cavs’ road trip at the end of December.

With Thomas close to getting back on the court, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com examined yesterday how the Cavs’ lineup and rotation will be affected.

How Will Isaiah Thomas' Return Impact Cavs?

December 20th, 2017 at 2:09pm CST by Luke Adams

With Isaiah Thomas‘ 2017/18 debut getting close, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com takes a look at how inserting Thomas into the lineup will impact the Cavaliers going forward, and how Thomas will have to adjust to his new team.

Cavaliers ‘Sniffing Around’ DeAndre Jordan

December 20th, 2017 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers are keeping a close eye on the DeAndre Jordan situation in Los Angeles, and have “quietly explored” the possibility of a deal, league sources tell Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net. Amico cautions that the Cavs haven’t aggressively pursued Jordan, with one source suggesting that the club is simply “sniffing around” the idea.

This is the second time this week that a report has linked the Cavaliers to Jordan. On Tuesday, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders wrote that the veteran center’s future in Los Angeles is “anything but clear,” adding that the Cavs may be willing to offer Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, and a first-round pick.

Sources informed Kyler that the Cavs were only open to discussing their own first-round pick in trade talks, rather than the Nets’ 2018 first-rounder, which is consistent with what we’ve heard elsewhere. Sean Deveney of The Sporting News reported last week that the Cavs aren’t believed to have put that Brooklyn pick on the table at all so far.

The Clippers, who lost Chris Paul in the summer and have been hit hard by injuries this season, currently have an 11-18 record and have been slowly slipping out of playoff contention in the Western Conference. There’s still time for the club to turn things around, but if the losses continue to pile up, there’s an expectation that the front office will at least consider trading Jordan, who can opt out of his contract at season’s end.

It’s worth noting that after operating without an agent for a couple years, Jordan recently hired Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management. Jordan may have simply made the move with an eye toward his upcoming free agency, but an agent can get involved in trade discussions as well, acting as a facilitator if a potential suitor wants to assess its chances of locking up a trade target long-term.

In addition to the Cavs, the Bucks have also been linked to Jordan.

Latest On Isaiah Thomas

December 20th, 2017 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

Isaiah Thomas is expected to participate in full-court, five-on-five practices in the coming days for the first time since he joined the Cavaliers in the summer, reports Dave McMenamin of ESPN. According to McMenamin, the Cavs are hoping to have Thomas scrimmage with their G League affiliate, the Canton Charge.

As McMenamin details, the Cavaliers currently have practices scheduled on Saturday and Sunday, in advance of their Christmas Day matchup against the Warriors on Monday. It sounds like Thomas will participate in those practices, but even before then, the team wants to have him scrimmage with the Charge. It’s not clear whether Thomas will head to Canton, or whether some G League players will come to the Cavs’ practice facility, McMenamin notes.

Regardless of the specifics, Thomas is clearly getting close to making his debut for the Cavs after rehabbing his hip injury for several months. A recent report indicated that the veteran point guard is eyeing an early-January return, while Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net hears that the club has been targeting a three-game road trip later this month, which ends in Utah on December 30.

The Cavs haven’t confirmed an official timetable for Thomas, but it certainly seems like he has a good chance of getting back on the court within the next couple weeks. A team source tells McMenamin that that the final determination for Thomas’ return date will be a joint decision, with Thomas, the front office, and the medical staff all involved.

When Thomas does get on the court, he figures to be eased into action, and it will be interesting to see how his return affects other Cavs players. Jose Calderon looks like the most likely candidate to have his role reduced, but the club has played terrific ball with Calderon in the starting lineup. Getting a playmaker like Thomas in their lineup may ultimately allow the Cavs to dial back LeBron James‘ workload to some extent — James is currently averaging 37.3 MPG, second-most in the NBA.