Isaiah Thomas said Saturday he did ask Kevin Love why he didn't come back to support his teammates after leaving with an injury during the Cavaliers' loss to the Thunder last Saturday, but he vehemently denied calling out his teammate.
"Whoever reported that it was, and we was bashing Kevin Love, there was nothing to bash him about," Thomas told reporters after practice Saturday, via ESPN. "We just wanted to know where he was and why he didn't play."
Thomas has been the focus of controversy this week as there were reports he led the charge against Love in a heated team meeting Monday. Then it came out a couple of days later that teammates were frustrated with their point guard.
Players apparently had grown tired of Thomas harping on the team's defense and not practicing enough. They pointed out he wasn't allowed to practice on back-to-back days or play on back-to-backs, according to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
Despite those facts, Thomas once again complained about the team's defense and deflected blame from himself Saturday.
"We've been a lowest five [rated] defensive team in the NBA the whole time [this season]," Thomas told reporters. "So when I come back, it's my fault now. Which, life isn't fair, but that's not fair, bro. At all."
It's a fact the Cavaliers have been one of the worse defenses in the league all season. Cleveland is allowing 109.6 points through 47 games this season which is 25th in the NBA. However, since Thomas has been back, Cleveland is allowing 117 points per game. Thomas has actually missed two of those outings. In the nine games Thomas has been on the court the Cavaliers are allowing 121.8 points per game.
It's not fair to blame Thomas for the team's failures on defense, but it is certainly logical to ask if the team's regression on defense has something to do with his return.
Thomas, though, insists there is no rift in the locker room, the team didn't call out Love, and it will simply take time for the team to get to where they need to be.
"I just laugh at those things because I know in this circle and this team, everybody believes in each other and everybody's in here for it to work and for us to be playing in June," he said. "That's the ultimate goal."
