Donovan Mitchell summed it up after the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 127-125 overtime win over the Minnesota Timberwolves: it’s not often a rookie steps in and swings a game like that.
Maleek Thomas did exactly that on Monday night.
After drawing buzz at summer league in July, Thomas entered the season facing the usual question for a rookie on a deep roster: where does he fit? He didn’t crack the rotation in Cleveland’s first two games, but when the Cavaliers needed a lift against Minnesota, head coach Kenny Atkinson went to him in the first half and got immediate production.
Thomas gave Cleveland juice when its offense was dragging and the energy felt flat. He hit six of 10 shots overall, including two of his three attempts from deep, and led the team with 10 points at halftime. He finished with 16 points, adding two more three-pointers after the break.
Afterward, Thomas offered a simple explanation for the moment.
"[My] moment would come, cause you can't really keep a star in the closet for too long," he said.
That kind of showing may have changed the conversation around his place in the lineup. Even Atkinson sounded like a coach reconsidering things in real time when asked why Thomas hadn’t played in the first two games.
"I've been thinking about it since Summer League," he said. "That's a good question, why didn't you play him game one?
That's very fair, you can say that, you can write that ... after watching the Brooklyn game, it was just kind of a gut feel. I just felt like we need this guy in the lineup.
Atkinson also pointed to Cleveland’s depth and title-level expectations as part of the challenge. Minutes are tight on a team with a lot of options, but Thomas’ performance may have forced the issue.
"We need that third ball-handler to support Mitchell and James [Harden]," Atkinson said. "So can we have another guy out there that can do it.
That was part of it too. Heck of a performance for a rookie."
For one night, at least, Thomas didn’t just look like he belonged. He looked like the spark Cleveland had been waiting for.
In Other News...
Peyton Watson Is Giving The Cavs Something They May Really Need
Amid the early-season chaos around the league, Peyton Watson has given Cleveland a different kind of lift in a recent overtime win, the sort that tends to matter more when games tighten and possessions get ugly. The Cavaliers have plenty of scorers they can lean on, but Watsons value showed up in the areas that dont always make the highlight reel, with his activity helping swing momentum on both ends while the team keeps sorting out its rotation.
The offense still has a bit of a project attached to it, though, and that is the piece Cleveland will keep watching as the sample grows. Watsons size and defensive energy are already giving the Cavaliers something they can build on, but the next question is whether his shot becomes reliable enough to make him more than a situational weapon as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Win Still Exposed A Frustrating Problem Mobley And Allen Haven't Fixed
The Cavaliers got the overtime win they needed against Minnesota, but the box score still pointed to a nagging problem that has followed them at times this season. Even with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen anchoring the front line, Cleveland was hurt on the defensive glass, and the Wolves extra chances kept possessions alive in a way that made the game far harder than it should have been.
For a team built to defend at a high level, the issue goes beyond two big men doing their job. Rebounding on the defensive end has to be a full-team task, with guards and wings helping close possessions before they turn into second opportunities, and this one offered another reminder that the Cavaliers still have work to do there if they want to make wins look cleaner. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Win Just Sparked An Officiating Debate Fans Will Be Talking About
The Cavaliers overtime win over the Timberwolves is already the kind of result that gets replayed, but the NBAs Last Two Minute Report added another layer to the discussion. The league identified two officiating mistakes that worked in Clevelands favor, while also backing several other calls from the final stretch, including the non-flagrant ruling on Donovan Mitchell and a foul on Jaden McDaniels.
What stood out most was how thin the margins were late, when every whistle can reshape a games finish. The report said a key call should have gone the other way on the final possession of regulation, and it also marked an overtime foul involving Mitchell and LaMelo Ball as incorrect because the contact was deemed incidental, leaving plenty for fans to debate even after the result is in the books. [Read more 🡒]