Isaiah Thomas

No Rest, No Problem For Isaiah Thomas

... mortal while going scoreless over the final 9:33 of Saturday's game. That his teammates were able to pick him up was an encouraging sign for Boston. The Celtics play six more back-to-backs this season. Maybe coach Brad Stevens needs to start running Thomas through simulated games on offdays to ensure he's at peak performance on game nights. Thomas' splits by the amount of rest are uncanny. He plays more minutes, scores more points, and shoots more efficiently from the field with the least amount of rest. It's likely a reflection of his teammates being tired as well but Thomas has routinely stepped up in those situations. Isaiah Thomas Based on Days Rest. Via __link__/stats. The Celtics play their 14 th and final game of January on Monday night when they host the Detroit Pistons. Thomas is averaging 32.3 points per game this month and has an ...

Morning Tip Q&a

... but to make winning plays. I embrace that moment and I always have. It’s just something that I’m pretty good at, I guess. Me: Does it surprise you that the fourth quarter isn’t for everyone. IT: No. It’s for the best players. Not just saying I’m one of the best players, but you’ve seen it, if you’re a fan of the game of basketball. Whether it be Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, [the] fourth quarter is where they really lock in and take over games, and I always wanted to be one of those players. "I’m just trying to stay in attack mode and trying to take what the defense gives me. And they’ve been giving me a lot.". Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas, on his 4 th quarter scoring prowess. Me: In terms of how you get looks in the fourth, is it different than at other points in the game. IT: I think so. I’m looking to score even more in the ...

Thomas Scores 37 To Lead Celtics Past Bucks In Ot

... the ball during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Jerome Miron, Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports. Dec. 2, 2016: Sacramento Kings center De Marcus Cousins (15) reacts to a foul called against him during the second half of the Boston Celtics 97-92 win over the Sacramento Kings at TD Garden. Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports. Dec. 1, 2016: Cleveland Cavaliers forward Le Bron James (23) dunks in the second quarter against the LA Clippers at Quicken Loans Arena. David Richard-USA TODAY Sports. Nov. 30, 2016: Boston Celtics point guard Terry Rozier (12) makes a fade away shot while guarded by Detroit Pistons shooting guard Darrun Hilliard (6) during the fourth quarter at TD Garden. The Detroit Pistons won 121-114. Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports. Nov 29, 2016: Clippers head coach Doc Rivers is restrained by center De Andre Jordan as he argues with referee Ken Mauer after receiving a technical foul during the first ...

Marcus Keene Has Taken College Basketball By Storm

... Keene’s instant offense helps his team the most. “It just so happens that I’m a good scorer and our team needs me to score,” Keene said. Most of America only knows him for his 50-game outburst against Miami (OH), but is clear that he is much more than that. Keene knows this better than anyone. “I feel like I’m still under the radar,” he said. Keene’s efficiency numbers are strong, though not other-worldly. His effective field goal percentage is.556 and he is connecting on 39 percent of this three-point attempts — numbers made even better by how consistent he has been. He’s shot more than almost any other college basketball player and other teams still have not found a way to contain him. In fact, he has scored 30 points in 11 games this season and scored half of his team’s points 13 times. This all goes back to his confidence and that Isiah Thomas/worker bee combination that seems to be common among guys under six feet. “We’ve been small all our lives and every level we get to, we always try ...

Isaiah Thomas Continues Awesome Streak, Brad Stevens Unveils Intriguing New Lineup

... the Pacers? Maybe. While trailing 31-22 after the first quarter, head coach Brad Stevens called on a unit that had never spent any time together. Over the next five minutes, Marcus Smart manned the point guard position next to four similarly-sized forwards, most of whom know how to shoot with accuracy from behind the 3-point arc. The resulting 15-0 run suplexed the Pacers and turned the game in Boston's direction. An examination of the tape from that stretch showed a miserable run for the Indiana offense. The Pacers were content to fire long, contested shots early in the shot clock, and did not show much interest in achieving more high-percentage looks. When they did work for something better, they didn't always convert. With 9:45 left in the second quarter, La Voy Allen grabbed an offensive rebound in this advantageous position. Screen shot from __link__. Instead of seizing the day, Allen landed on teammate Myles Turner's head and tumbled with a thud to the floor. Sometimes it's bad luck that hurts, but the Boston defense inflicted some pain too. In Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jae Crowder, Jonas Jerebko and Kelly Olynyk, Stevens found a long, rangy group with ...

Isaiah Thomas Named All-star Reserve

... guard and two-time reigning All-Star MVP is averaging 31 points, 10.6 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game, so his selection was likely an easy one. ‘There’s no question in my mind that he should be starting,’ Thunder coach Billy Donovan said Thursday night. ‘However, I understand that there’s certain things that have to do with who does start. I’m not taking anything away from anybody who is starting, but … Russell, in my opinion, should be starting.’. Being picked reunites Westbrook in the Western Conference locker room with Durant, his former Thunder teammate who is now part of a record-tying feat for Golden State. The Warriors tied the league mark with four selections, with reserves Draymond Green and Klay Thompson joining two teammates announced as starters last week — Durant and Stephen Curry. ‘It’s a blessing,’ a thankful Westbrook said in a televised interview after scoring 45 points in Oklahoma City’s win over Dallas. ‘I never take it for granted. I’m honored, obviously, to play in the All-Star Game.’. Other West reserves include Sacramento’s De Marcus Cousins, Memphis’ Marc Gasol and first-time selections Hayward of Utah and Jordan of the Los ...

With Floyd Mayweather In The House, Isaiah Thomas Delivers Knockout Punch

... Thomas and the Celtics put on in the fourth quarter. Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports. "I wanted that jewelry," Thomas said of Mayweather's glitzy chains and wristwear. "I didn't want the jacket. That's too small for me. I wanted that jewelry.". Thomas made 7 of 12 shot attempts in the fourth quarter, including three 3-pointers. TD Garden serenaded him with now-familiar "MVP" chants as he attempted free throws with 72 seconds to play. After hitting a pull-up 3-pointer in transition in a one-point game with about seven minutes to go, Thomas pointed at his wrist while walking back up the court, whipping the Garden into a lather by suggesting the fourth quarter is his time. "They know what time it is," Thomas said. "Yeah, I thought about [that celebration].". With his 20-point, fourth-quarter output, Thomas overtook Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook as the NBA's leading fourth-quarter scorer this season. Thomas is now averaging 9.8 points per game in the fourth quarter compared with Westbrook's 9.6. No other player is averaging more than 7.8 points per game in the fourth this season. WEDNESDAY SPOTLIGHT. Russell Westbrook put up 24 points, 13 rebounds and ...

Isaiah Thomas Named A Reserve To His Second Straight All-star Game

... the wake of Wednesday night's 38-point performance against Houston, Thomas is seconbd in the NBA in scoring with an average of 29.1 points per game, behind only league leader Russell Westbrook (30.1), who will be a reserve on the Western Conference team. Thomas has now scored 20 or more points in 29 straight games, and in the wake of Wednesday night's performance, has now had 15 games of 30 or more points, three of 40 or more and one of 52 points. Thomas' greatness this season was epitomized by that 52-point performance on Dec. 30 against Miami. Thomas became only the fifth Celtic to break the 50-point barrier, joining a group of three Hall of Famers (Larry Bird, Kevin Mc Hale, Sam Jones) and another (Paul Pierce) who will hear from Springfield once he retires. His 29-point fourth quarter was not only two shy ...

Celtics' Isaiah Thomas Is A Fourth-quarter Killer, But Which Team Is He Killing

... the 4 th quarter, everyone's defense falls off a cliff with Thomas on, and their offense doesn't really improve considerably. The Celtics are still lights out offensively without him. There's a lot of evidence here that Thomas is the isolated problem. Except that Thomas' man only accounts for 106 of the 1,184 points Boston has surrendered in the 4 th quarter as of last Friday. One more note on these numbers: using per-100-possession data accounts for pace and gives you a more accurate view of what's going on. But it also means that you're not accounting for small changes in flow. By that I mean that while the Celtics are a minus-1.27 per 100 possessions in net points with Thomas on the floor in the 4 th, they're a raw plus-12 over 356 minutes and 42 games in the 4 th with Thomas on the floor. That's not a wide margin of victory per game, but they have outscored their opponent - and that's the point, isn't it. Why are the two numbers different? Offense-defense substitutions. Thomas is on the floor for more offensive possessions than defensive ones. Which could mean that if he were on the ...