Ricky Rubio set to make his season debut after knee injury / News - Basketnews.com

After missing almost 13 months of action, including the 2022 EuroBasket with Spain, Ricky Rubio is expected to return in the Cavs' game vs. Portland on Thursday night.

Credit: AP-Scanpix Credit AP-Scanpix

Ricky Rubio is ready to resume his basketball career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, more than a year after tearing a knee ligament and undergoing surgery.

Ricard Rubio

Team:Cleveland CavaliersPosition:PGAge:32Height:193 cmWeight:86 kgBirth place:Barcelona, SpainProfileNewsStatistics

The Spanish guard is expected to make his season debut Thursday night when Cleveland visits the Portland Trail Blazers.

The 32-year-old player had a major impact in the Cavs' turnaround last season before tearing his left anterior cruciate (for the second time in his career) while driving to the basket at New Orleans on Dec. 28, 2021.

Rubio practiced Wednesday in Utah and, as long as he doesn't have any discomfort, he'll play against the Trail Blazers. The Cavs are currently listing him as questionable on the pregame injury report.

In his first season with Cleveland, he averaged 13.1 points, 6.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 34 games (eight starts) before the injury.

Rubio has averaged 11.1 points, 7.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 665 career games (601 starts) with the Minnesota Timberwolves (2011-17, 2020-21), Utah Jazz (2017-19), Phoenix Suns (2019-20) and Cavaliers.

Cleveland sits fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 26-16 record. Rubio will join a backcourt rotation now featuring Donovan Mitchell along with Darius Garland.

Rubio averaged 13.1 points and 6.6 assists in 34 games last season before getting hurt. Beyond his stats, he provided needed leadership for one of the NBA's youngest teams and his arrival also brought out the best in forward Kevin Love, a former teammate in Minnesota.

The Cavs traded Rubio at the deadline last year and then re-signed the popular guard as a free agent during the summer.

A core member of Spain's national team, Rubio has also played for Phoenix. He first injured his left ACL as a rookie when he banged knees with Kobe Bryant.

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