While he won’t disregard that kind of production, the diminutive point guard was candid about his pregame expectations following the win.

“I didn’t think I’d play as well as I did,” he said postgame, according to WKYC’s Ben Axelrod.

Thomas shot 50 percent from the field, including 3-of-8 from 3-point range, and finished a plus-17 in 19 minutes. His confidence didn’t seem to wane during his time on the sidelines either, as he dropped an impressive no-look pass and picked up a technical foul during the outing.

Perhaps most memorably, however, was how the Cavaliers fans welcomed him back, serenading him with a standing ovation as he checked into the game with 4:33 left in the first quarter. While not even LeBron James knew what to expect from Thomas, the forward predicted a warm reception from the Quicken Loans Arena crowd was a near certainty.

“The only thing I knew was what was going to happen when he came in, that these fans would give him the ovation he had been waiting on and that he deserved,” James said.

Because of a restriction on playing back-to-backs, Thomas won’t suit up for Cleveland’s game Wednesday when they take on his former team, the Celtics.