Grin and share it: Cavs’ Gibson healthy & happy

After missing several weeks with an ankle injury, the guard is back to his old self.

Gatehouse News Service

INDEPENDENCE — Look for the smile on Daniel Gibson’s face.

If his smile is lighting up an arena, then it’s likely the Cavs guard is lighting up an opponent.

“That’s what I’ve been waiting to try to bring ... smile and get out there and push the ball and get some open looks and have fun,” Gibson said after Wednesday’s game when he helped Cleveland to an impressive comeback win over the Nets.

The Cavs routed the Nets, 104-83, outscoring them 51-16 during the final 18:44.

Gibson wore a smile throughout the second half, playing his best game since returning six games ago from a sprained left ankle. The smile remained long after Thursday’s practice, too, as he played one-on-one with 6-foot-10 teammate Anderson Varejao at Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Laughing, shooting — and smiling — the 6-2 Gibson is starting to feel comfortable again after the ankle injury cost him 18 games.

“[Wednesday] night was a lot of fun,” Gibson said Thursday. “Just being out there with the guys and feeling like I was capable of helping us the right way. Being able to play defense, get guys the ball, make plays ... just have fun. It was just a great night as a team.”

The Cavs entered the game having lost two straight, both at home. Gibson had not done much in either game. He shot 1-for-9 from the floor, missing all four 3-pointers. He also only had four assists in the 42 combined minutes.

It was part of a tough five-game stretch that saw Gibson trying to regain his game after the long layoff.

“This is the first time where I’ve had to sit out, and then coming back was such a struggle because you still feel it,” said Gibson, who broke his hand when he was younger. “After I hurt my hand, [the pain] was pretty much over once I came back.”

This pain lingered, and it showed in Gibson’s game. Prior to the injury, he was shooting 47.6 percent from 3-point range and averaging 11.5 points per game. In his first five games back, he scored 13 points total, shooting 2-for-13 from beyond the arc.

“It’s way different than I thought it would be,” Gibson said. “Normally when you sprain an ankle, once you get back out there on the floor and your adrenaline gets to pumping, it pretty much goes away. But in this situation, you still feel it. It doesn’t go away. A lot of different things you do, you still feel it.

“This is a matter of you working your way back ... as opposed to just coming back and automatically being that explosive again.”

That explosion started showing itself Wednesday. Gibson rediscovered his extra gear, helping him score 12 points to go with five rebounds and five assists. He ran down loose balls, pushed the tempo to get easy baskets and began driving the ball with abandon.

“It had a lot do with our defense,” Gibson said. “I think our defense was playing so well that off [New Jersey] misses, we had numbers in transition. ... I just got out and just tried to find guys.”