Cavs' Rubio returns vs. Blazers following year-long absence

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio returned for Thursday's 119-113 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers after missing over a year with a torn ACL.

He checked into the game with 3:38 left in the opening frame for Donovan Mitchell and totaled over 10 minutes of action in his season debut. The Spaniard was expected to play 8-12 minutes, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

Rubio finished with nine points, three rebounds, and an assist.

The veteran suffered the injury on Dec. 28, 2021, in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Cleveland then traded him in February 2022 to the Indiana Pacers in a package for wing Caris LeVert.

Rubio signed a three-year, $18.4-million deal to return to the Cavaliers in the offseason.

He averaged 13.1 points and 6.6 assists in 34 contests for Cleveland last season before sustaining the injury. He projects to slot into a bench role behind All-Star guards Darius Garland and Mitchell.