Isaiah Thomas showed flashes of what made him an All-Star in his long-awaited Cleveland debut as the Cavaliers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 127-110 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Thomas scored 17 points and played 19 minutes on Tuesday night, in his first game in seven months, an impressive return to action for the dynamic point guard.
Thomas added three 3-pointers and three assists before leaving with 8:10 left and the Cavs up by 12.
LeBron James scored 24 points, Kevin Love had 19 and Jae Crowder added 15 for the Cavs, who were coming off losses at Golden State, Sacramento and Utah.
Damian Lillard scored 25 for the Blazers after missing five games with a hamstring injury. Jusuf Nurkic added 23 and CJ McCollum had 19 for Portland.
The Cavs were unable to separate from the Blazers until Thomas and Dwyane Wade teamed up in the fourth quarter.
Thomas, who finished 6 of 12 from the field, knocked down a jumper and then fired a pass toward the baseline to a cutting Wade, who made a reverse layup.
In Cleveland's next possession, Thomas spotted up in the corner in front of Cleveland's bench and buried a 3-pointer to give the Cavs a 100-91 lead.
A few moments later, James was sent in for Thomas, who first got a hug from his teammate and another from coach Tyronn Lue as the crowd roared.
He hadn't played since May 19 because of a torn labrum in his hip that ended his 2017 postseason with Boston and threatened to derail his career.
But Thomas patiently stuck with his rehab.
Thomas forever endeared himself to Celtics fans last year when he carried Boston in the postseason following his sister's death in a car crash.
Elsewhere, Patty Mills' San Antonio Spurs enjoyed a handy 100-91 win over New York Knicks.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 29 points, Kawhi Leonard had a season-high 25 as coach Gregg Popovich took sole possession of fifth place on the NBA's coaching wins list.
Popovich has 1,176 victories, all with the Spurs. The five-time champion broke a tie with his friend George Karl.
Michael Beasley had 18 points for the Knicks.
Other winners were Phoenix over Atlanta 104-103; Charlotte 131-111 over Sacramento; and the LA Clippers 113-105 over Memphis.
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