Rookie Meleek Thomas Leads Cavaliers to Victory Against Timberwolves

Meleek Thomas was confident his time would come after not playing in the Cleveland Cavaliers' first two games.

The rookie guard proved Monday night that his wait for an NBA debut was worth it.

Thomas scored 16 points in 19 minutes as the Cavaliers earned a 127-125 overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

"I told myself to put my best foot forward, have a great outing, stand out, and make sure people leaving the arena know my name," said Thomas, the 34th pick in June's NBA Draft.

Thomas averaged 15.6 points and shot 41.6% from 3-point range for Arkansas last season.

Thomas in a Key Role

It was the second-highest scoring output by a Cavs rookie in his debut off the bench. Brevin Knight scored 18 points on Oct. 31, 1997, against Houston after being drafted 16th overall out of Stanford.

The 20-year-old Thomas checked in for Peyton Watson with 5:53 remaining in the first quarter. He missed his first shot, a 3-pointer from the right side, before connecting on a layup with 3:39 in the opening period.

Thomas played 10 minutes in the first half and was Cleveland's leading scorer with 10 points.

"It’s very rare for a rookie to carry the team at halftime," said All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, who led Cleveland with 25 points. "For him to be the spark in his first game of the year, that’s not normal. He made some mistakes, but they were aggressive ones. He was fearless and tried to impact the game."

Coach's Decision

Coach Kenny Atkinson explained that he had not played Thomas against Philadelphia and Brooklyn due to tactical issues, but decided to give Thomas a chance as the Cavaliers needed a third ball-handler on the floor to take some pressure off Mitchell and James Harden.

Thomas was compared to CJ McCollum before the draft, as both were 6-foot-3 (1.90m) guards and McCollum excelled from beyond the arc. He finished the game 6-for-10 from the field, including 4-for-5 from 3-point range, to go along with two rebounds and a steal.

"It was an incredible feeling. It was everything I expected. I knew I had to stay ready and my moment would come. You can’t hide a star in the closet," Thomas said.

Mitchell: "His Attention to Detail Surprised Me"

Thomas’ confidence was bolstered by spending time with Harden and Mitchell during the preseason. Mitchell liked what he saw from Thomas early because of his work ethic.

"His attention to detail defensively surprised me," Mitchell said. "Offensively, he’s shooting it. He puts in the work and is willing to learn. We definitely got lucky with him, but he set high expectations for himself.”

Cleveland trailed by 15 points in the first half before rallying in the third quarter and eventually winning the game in overtime. While Thomas was not on the court for the final 9:35 of the game, Mitchell credited the rookie with the win.

"In this league, you have to show it over and over again. From the day we drafted him, we’ve believed in him," Atkinson said.