Prior to his return to a reserve role Friday against the Houston Rockets, Tristan Thompson enjoyed a nearly three-week stretch as the Cleveland Cavaliers' starting center. The results were encouraging, which is why the Cavaliers' 91-77 win over the Rockets shouldn't prevent the 24-year-old from making his way back into the starting five.
During the time the 6'9" Thompson was a starter, Cleveland was an impressive 8-1. Its lone loss came on the road against the San Antonio Spurs, who are currently playing like the best team in basketball.
Thompson's impact was also felt on both ends of the floor, as he took over for what's been a watered-down version of Timofey Mozgov.
Even though he doesn't have the shot-blocking ability or size (7'1") of his Russian teammate, make no mistake: Thompson deserves the starting job.
What Thompson Brings
When asked how he had to adjust his game to play alongside Thompson instead of Mozgov, Kevin Love said with a smirk, "I try to pick up as many rebounds as I can."
"(Thompson's) another guy that I feed off of," Love said. "It's his fifth year in the lea ...
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Article written by Greg Swartz
Tristan Thompson Is the Spark That Cleveland Cavaliers’ Starting Lineup Needs
January 16th, 2016 by Greg Swartz Leave a reply »
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