Kenny Atkinson Makes Bold Meleek Thomas Prediction After Rookie's First Start

The opening tip Monday night went to Meleek Thomas, in the first start of his NBA career. The Cleveland Cavaliers rookie finished with a career-high 17 points in a 117-112 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Rocket Arena.

Thomas went 7-of-16 from the field and 3-of-9 from 3-point range in 26 minutes. He added 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. Donovan Mitchell also scored 17, and no Cavalier scored more.

Peyton Watson, listed with right hamstring tightness, and Jaylon Tyson, out for a second game in a row with a sprained right ankle, were both inactive.

No veteran gave Thomas advice when he found out he was starting. What he got instead was an expectation that he would be the firepower and the energy alongside them.

"It means everything to me," Thomas said. "You obviously dream of getting here, but then to be able to contribute to winning so early in the season, by starting the game, being able to help [the] guys out, it just means the world to me. I can't thank my teammates and team enough."

Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said the staff talked through whether to start Mario Hezonja or Thomas.

"Good. For a rookie, guys were really good. He's been really good," Atkinson said. "I just trust him enough to throw him in at the end of the game too. Guy's going to be a heck of a player. Wasn't perfect. Made some mistakes, which is normal for a rookie. Did some really good things."

Thomas checked back in for Jarrett Allen with 3:43 left and played the rest of the way. He missed a reverse layup with 1:37 remaining and Cleveland trailing 110-109.

Earlier, in the third quarter, Thomas scored 8 points. He made consecutive 3-pointers 31 seconds apart, and the second cut Oklahoma City's lead to 74-70. He also drew a technical foul with 8:04 left in the game, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's free throw tied it at 94.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 43 points, a season high. Thomas spent part of the night on him and had not watched the film yet, but said he felt he held his own.

"With a guy that's so gifted at scoring, you just try to contain him to the best ability that you can," Thomas explained. "So we got our coverages and schemes for it. But if he is kind of getting into that, then it's just mano y mano, just try your best out there. So be physical. And force tough shots."

His debut came Oct. 26 against Minnesota, when he scored 16 points off the bench and made 4 of 5 3-point attempts in a 127-125 overtime win. Thomas explained that debut afterward.

He scored 10 against Washington two nights later. He then missed the Oct. 29 loss in Atlanta with right foot inflammation and had 13 points in Saturday's 136-111 win in Milwaukee.

Through four games, Thomas has 56 points, an average of 14.0. He is 10-of-21 from 3-point range.

Four games in, the game is slowing down for Thomas, and he is anticipating more on both ends.

"I would say I've grown a lot," Thomas said. "Those are very ball-dominant guys. So you've got to work your way to know how they play and what's best off of them and what works best off of them. So just me finding the windows, finding the right space to be in, knowing their tendencies and also knowing mine and how they can mesh at the same time."

"So I feel like I'm doing a very good job, but always room for improvement," Thomas continued. "So I will get better as the season goes on."

Thomas brings questions after film sessions to whoever is coaching him at the time, whether that is a personal coach or a teammate, Evan Mobley said at Monday's shootaround.

"He's always really trying to learn," Mobley said. "The small little details that you're not necessarily getting taught, he's still worried about and trying to figure out. I think that's a great quality for a rookie coming in."

Tyrese Proctor and Thomas talk through positioning on the court and during games, with the topics running from defense to offense to recovery.

"He asks a lot of questions in a good way, in a good way," Proctor said. "We talk a lot, whether it's positioning and stuff on the court. We talk a lot during the game as well. I would just say little bits and pieces, defensive, offensively, recovery stuff. He asks a whole bunch. He's a really good basketball player, but got a really good mind as well."

Cleveland traded the 29th pick to Sacramento for the 34th pick and a 2032 second-rounder, then took Thomas at 34 on June 24. He averaged 15.6 points in his one season at Arkansas and led the Las Vegas Summer League at 27.3 points per game.

Thomas and the Cavaliers visit Paycom Center on Wednesday for an 8 p.m. ET tip-off.