Isaiah Thomas Won't Need Surgery to Repair Hip Injury

The hip injury that forced Boston Celtics star Isaiah Thomas to miss the final three games of the Eastern Conference Finals will not require surgery. 

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge announced Wednesday that surgery has been ruled out for Thomas.

"Isaiah is making good progress," Ainge said, per Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. "He's out on the court; he's shooting. He's full-speed ahead on the stationary bike and working in the swimming pool. He's progressing nicely."

Following Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Celtics announced Thomas would miss the rest of the postseason with a right femoral-acetabular impingement with labral tear. 

Thomas originally injured his hip during a March 15 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves that forced him to miss Boston's next two outings. 

Ainge told reporters on June 23 surgery hadn't been ruled out for Thomas, but that the guard would be expected back for training camp even if he had to undergo a procedure. 

With Thomas avoiding surgery, the Celtics' expectations continue to rise. They led the Eastern Conference with a 53-29 record last season and added Gordon Hayward in free agency. 

Thomas set career highs in scoring (28.9) and field-goal percentage (46.3), and tied his career high with a 37.9 three-point percentage for the Celtics in 2016-17.