Isaiah Thomas made his much-awaited debut for the Denver Nuggets after missing the first 56 games of the season due to hip surgery. Thomas played limited minutes in his first game back, scoring eight points on an efficient 3-of-6 from the floor and 2-of-5 from deep — providing the outside shooting the Nuggets have used to their advantage this season.
“I felt good… I felt 10 times better than I did in my first game last season,” said Thomas after missing 11 months after his surgery, according to Harrison Wind of BSN Denver.
Thomas played only 32 combined games between stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers following his trade from the Boston Celtics.
The change was a drastic one, coming from the best season of his NBA career after ranking third in scoring with 28.9 points per game in 2016-17, only to be traded twice in one season and forced to play off the bench after securing his spot as a starter in Beantown.
Denver represents a stepping stone for the 5-foot-9 dynamo, who didn't feel any pressure upon making his debut right before the All-Star break:
“Nah, I don’t get nervous,” he said. “The hoop is 10 foot. The ball is round. I’ve been doing this my whole life.”
Thomas could have a tough time finding minutes with the emergence of Malik Beasley and Monte Morris as key backcourt cogs, but he should surely help with the depth of this team as they spearhead a late-season charge for the top spot in the West.
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