Meleek Thomas missed his first four shots Friday, then found his rhythm fast enough to carry the Cleveland Cavaliers past the Chicago Bulls 100-91 in their Summer League finale. He finished with 24 points, the kind of scoring burst that turned a tight game into a closing statement for Cleveland.
The performance mattered because it came at the end of the Cavaliers’ trip to Vegas, where they finished with three straight wins and a 3-2 record overall. Thomas kept pressing until the rim opened for him, going 5-5 in the restricted area and converting 10 of his final 16 attempts after that rocky start.
That is the part that makes him interesting right now. Summer League often rewards players who can create their own shot in a hurry, and Thomas did that here, but his game still points to a bigger adjustment ahead. Cleveland wants him to work on setting up teammates, and he is expected to begin his NBA career in a more off-ball role, which means scoring outbursts like this one are only part of the job.
The Cavaliers got useful production around him. Riley Minix scored 12 points on 5-9 shooting, Malaki Branham finished with 13 points and five assists, and Tre’Von Spillers added 12 points and nine rebounds off the bench. On the other side, the Bulls rested the fourth overall pick, and Donovan Atwell led them with 22 points.
For Cleveland, the finish in Vegas gave the summer a clean ending. The next time someone will be on the court in the wine & gold will be when the preseason tips off in early October, and Thomas will go there with a clear question attached to his scoring: can he turn a strong shooting night into a role that helps everyone else around him?
