Isaiah Thomas has been a popular source of ire for Cleveland’s recent struggles, but part of the problem may be that he is still getting his legs back.
Speaking after a double-digit loss to the short-handed Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, the Cavs guard told reporters that he is only playing at “75, 80 percent” at the moment following a lengthy absence with a hip injury.
“I don’t have anything I used to have right now and I know I will at one point, but it’s just a process that I gotta really be patient with myself,” said Thomas, per Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. “Set small goals to reach, because, I mean, coming back I just want it all right now.
“It’s just not realistic for anybody that’s been out as long as I have, to have a leg injury like I have,” the former All-Star added. “So I just try to keep pushing and stay positive. … I’m ahead of schedule. I’m putting no pressure on myself at all to be that player that I used to be. But, it will come, and we’ll just wait.”
Thomas has managed 15.6 points and 4.0 assists per game on 38.6 percent from the field since debuting for the team on Jan. 2. The Cavs have gone just 5-8 over that span, and Thomas has had to respond to a fair share of criticisms as a result. But it is unrealistic to expect him to be at his previous All-NBA form less than a month into his return from such a significant injury, and it could be a very different story by the time the playoffs roll around in April.
