2023-01-12T10:58:59+00:00
2023-01-12T10:58:59+00:00
2023-01-12T11:00:50+00:00.
12/Jan/23 10:58
Eurohoops.net
Giannis Askounis
By Johnny Askounis/ [email protected]
The Cleveland Cavaliers have upgraded Ricky Rubio as questionable to play against the Portland Trail Blazers Thursday.
Rubio, 32, has been working towards a return and was recently projected to play early in 2023. Following the team on the road, he is expected to suit up against the Blazers but under minutes restriction easing the transition. Concluding the five-game road trip is a meeting with his longtime team Minnesota Timberwolves on the next edition of NBA Saturdays.
The Spanish point guard tore his left ACL on December 28, 2021. He was subsequently ruled out of the remainder of the 2021-22 NBA Regular Season. In February, the Cavs traded him to the Indiana Pacers but succeeded in a reunion by picking him up from the offseason free-agent pool with a three-year, $18 million contract.
Prior to the latest injury setback impacting his career, he emerged as a key player in a 20-13 start to the Regular Season. In the 2022-23 season, the Cavaliers are up to 26-16, comfortably sitting in the spots of the Eastern Conference standings leading directly to the 2023 NBA Playoffs. But even fully cleared, Rubio is likely to play behind Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, leading players for the team coached by JB Bickerstaff.
Besides sitting out the bottom end of his 11th NBA campaign and the delay in finally launching his 12th season in the league, Rubio was forced to miss the 2022 EuroBasket. Despite being deprived of his services, the new-look squad guided by experienced tactician Sergio Scariolo went all the way to capture the gold medals in Berlin last September.
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