Isaiah Thomas

Once Again, The Fourth Quarter Belongs To Isaiah Thomas

... final frame, including a trio of 3-pointers, while playing all 12 minutes. After Detroit rallied from 11 points down to surge ahead midway through the quarter, Thomas responded with 9 points in 100 seconds. Boston never trailed again. "We look for him in the fourth quarter," Brown said. "He’s that type of player. He likes that pressure, he likes those type of moments.". It's getting hard to keep up with all the ridiculous numbers that Thomas is putting up late in games. He is now nearly a full point ahead of Russell Westbrook in leading the league with an average of 10.3 points in fourth quarters. If that holds, it would be the highest average in the 20 years that the NBA has tracked by-quarter scoring. Thomas has also scored 20 points or more in 32 straight games. That's the second-longest streak in team history. Thomas is chasing John Havlicek's record of 40 straight, having recently zoomed ...

The Historic Nature Of Isaiah Thomas, The 'king In The 4th

... a small point guard. When switched onto such players or bullied in post-up situations, opposing teams can have a field day. It’s why the Celtics’ defense allows a painful 12.8 more points per 100 possessions when Thomas is on the floor and why he ranks dead last (441 st) among all players in Defensive Real/Plus Minus. Seeing as most players near one another in the standings are typically separated by tiny margins such as 0.1 or 0.2, the drastic 1.05 difference between second-last Marcus Thornton (-3.39) and Thomas (-4.44) is staggering. Again, when you look into the numbers, not everything is peachy. His fourth quarter scoring rose again in January to an average of 12.6 points with 49.5 percent shooting (46.7 from three). Incredible. It’s also telling that during these January fourth quarters the Celtics ...

No Rest, No Problem For Isaiah Thomas

... he's averaging 39.1 points per game, which included a 52-point outburst against the Miami Heat in late December. Thomas set a franchise record by producing a 29-point fourth quarter that night. That Miami game came at the end of an absolutely brutal December schedule that saw Boston fly halfway around the world as part of 15 flights in a road-heavy slate. The Celtics had a more agreeable January in terms of road games but this month's schedule featured four sets of back-to-backs, including one instance of the much-feared stretch of four games in five nights. Boston went 3-1 during that stretch, which culminated with an overtime victory in Milwaukee on Saturday. Thomas scored 37 points while carrying the Celtics early in that Milwaukee game. Despite all his fourth-quarter heroics this season - he leads the NBA by averaging 10 points per game in the fourth quarter - even Thomas looked 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 ...

The Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas Got Better Because He Got Faster

... little guys, how quickly they get it off is more important than how high they shoot it. That’s something you see with [Stephen] Curry, you see it with [Damian] Lillard, you see it with Isaiah and others. Some of the better shooters at smaller sizes just get that thing off quick.”. Thomas’s rise to NBA stardom started last season, his first full campaign in Boston. Thomas was one of only six players in the league to average at least 22 points, six assists and three rebounds  per game. Four of the others — Le Bron James, Curry, Russell Westbrook and Lillard — made one of the three All-NBA teams that year. The fifth, James Harden, was the 2015 MVP runner-up and one of the favorites for this year’s award. This season, Thomas is attempting more field goals per game within two seconds of getting the ball and more shots off the catch-and-shoot, further boosting his numbers. He is second in scoring (29 points per game) with career-highs in ...

Isaiah Thomas Vs. Lebron James

... than the volume-driven scoring binges fellow diminutive dynamo Allen Iverson enjoyed in his prime. As for comparing Thomas' opus campaign to James this season, I conclude it comes down to statistical need, as they are accomplishing elite production in quite different ways. James averages 66 percent more rebounds and 2.2 more assists, and he has nearly twice the steal rate of Thomas. Then again, Thomas nets twice as many made 3-pointers per game and offers unique differentiation in free throw production and efficiency, hitting 91.9 percent of his attempts from the stripe compared to James' sub-70 percent rate. In a vacuum I'll take James, as I admire statistical balance over efficiency - his rare triple-double skill set supports a greater variety of statistical categories. That said, if I'm in need of 3-pointers and improved free throw production, Thomas wins the deal. It's entirely impressive this is even a valid value discussion, with Thomas ...

Isaiah Thomas’ 41 Points Lead Celtics Past Pistons

... Boston down the stretch, making nine free throws in the fourth quarter while going 15 for 15 from the line. Mavericks 104, Cavaliers 97: Harrison Barnes scored 24 points and the last-place Dallas Mavericks knocked off a title contender for the second straight night, beating Le Bron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-97 on Monday. Wesley Matthews had 21, and rookie point guard Yogi Ferrell scored a career-high 19 in the second game of a 10-day contract, a night after hitting two key free throws in the final seconds of a win at Southwest Division-leading San Antonio. James had 23 points and Kyrie Irving scored 18 – but just one between them in the fourth quarter – for the defending champs, who were without fellow All-Star Kevin Love because of recurring back spasms. The Cavs dropped to 7-8 in January. The loss also trimmed Cleveland’s lead for the top spot in the Eastern Conference to 2 1/2 games over Boston. Heat 104, Nets 96: Goran Dragic scored 20 points, Dion Waiters added 19 and the Heat pushed the NBA’s longest current winning streak to eight games. James Johnson had 17, Rodney Mc Gruder scored 13 and Hassan Whiteside added 12 ...

Isaiah Thomas, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant Named Nba Players Of The Month

... Aaron Gordon dunks against the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter at Amway Center. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports. Jan. 21: San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) hangs on the rim after slam dunking over Cleveland Cavaliers forward Le Bron James (23) during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena. Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports. Jan 20: Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler is fouled by Atlanta Hawks guard Mike Dunleavy at Philips Arena. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports. Jan 19: Cleveland Cavaliers forward Le Bron James (23) makes an offensive foul against Phoenix Suns forward P. J. Tucker (17) during the first half at Quicken Loans Arena. Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports. Jan 18: Philadelphia 76 ers forward Dario Saric (9) reacts after hitting a three pointer against the Toronto Raptors. Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports. Jan. 17: Spurs guard Tony Parker fools Timberwolves forward Gorgui Dieng and center Karl-Anthony Towns, who both bit on a fake during the ...

Another Big 4th Quarter From Isaiah Thomas Gives Celtics Win

... Porzingis had 19 points and 12 rebounds, and joined a group of mostly substitutes who led a big fourth-quarter turnaround that carried the New York Knicks to a 95-90 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night. Carmelo Anthony had 15 points for the Knicks, but he was on the bench for the entire fourth quarter after shooting 6 for 22 from the field. Instead, the Knicks rallied behind Willy Hernangomez, who had 16 points and 16 rebounds, and Sasha Vujacic, who made team history by converting a pair of four-point plays in the game. The only other starter on the floor for the comeback was Brandon Jennings - and he was only starting because point guard Derrick Rose remained out with a sprained ankle. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson scored 16 for the Nets, who lost their seventh straight and fell to 0-9 against Atlantic Division opponents this season (see full recap). BOX SCORE. SAN ANTONIO - Brett Brown returned to his old stomping grounds with his team going in a new direction, but ended up with the ...

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

... shown on the Garden's Jumbo Tron during one fourth-quarter timeout, and he playfully held up the Celtics' cap of a companion as the crowd roared. Immediately after the final buzzer, Mayweather asked Thomas for his game-worn jersey and Thomas obliged, hoping for a gift in return. Floyd Mayweather was enjoying the show that Isaiah 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 ...

Isaiah Thomas Was Furious Over Claims He Talked Trash About Dennis Schroder’s Mother

... first time Friday since that contentious playoff series, and according to the Hawks point guard, Thomas crossed the line. Schroder told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Thomas talked trash about his mother and family. “I’m playing basketball. If he think that he got to curse at my mom or say some dumb stuff about my family, that has nothing to do with basketball. That’s his choice. I’ve got too much class for that. Next one, we are going to get it.”. Once Thomas saw the quote, he tweeted directly at AJC Hawks beat writer Chris Vivlamore and denied the claims. @CVivlamore AJC not sure what the quote is referring to but one thing is certain I would never disrespect/talk trash about anyones family/mom. — Isaiah Thomas (@Isaiah_Thomas) January 14, 2017. Come Sunday, Thomas was still furious about Schroder’s accusations. He denied again that he ...

Isaiah Thomas Is Quickly Becoming The Nba's Next Great Clutch Performer

... period, including seven in the final 80 seconds. Yet the real story here is how those numbers are becoming normal for Thomas. In fact, his fourth-quarter scoring average is the best in at least 20 years. Isaiah Thomas is averaging 9.9 points per game in the 4 th quarter, the most for any player since '96. Unbelievable! (per @nbastats ) #NBAVOTE __link__/2 Hf Ytlp DBz. — Kevin O'Connor (@Kevin OConnor NBA) January 14, 2017. When the Celtics need a fourth-quarter bucket, Thomas is the guy. He’s scored 24 in one fourth quarter and overtime , put up a franchise record 29 points in the fourth quarter a little more than a week later, and done much more damage over the course of the season. He’s the biggest reason why the Celtics hold the No. 3 spot in the East standings (just 1 1/2 back of the No. 2 Toronto Raptors) despite out-scoring opponents by only 2.3 points per game. [Follow Ball Don’t Lie on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tumblr ]. It’s enough to make Thomas a legitimate MVP candidate, if not yet a favorite. The questions over Thomas’s value won’t stop completely — it’s ...

Isaiah Thomas Eager For Celtics Uniform Updates

... of the season, but the Celtics were wearing what are known as their Pride uniforms — the gray/green, sleeved design that generally seems the least popular entry on the Celtics runway. “I mean, we wore gray with sleeves yesterday. So I don’t know,” said Stevens. “It seems like they change every week. I can’t keep up with them.”. One thing about that Pride uniform, though. According to Shawn Sullivan, the Celtics’ chief marketing officer, the Pride jersey is especially popular among kids, and thus an item that’s not likely to fall out of circulation anytime soon. Said popularity may have something to do with the NBA 2 K video games and their monumental popularity with youth across the globe. “You have the option of changing up the uniforms on 2 K,” said Sullivan. “I think that accounts for some of it with kids.”. Sullivan’s favorite uniform is a collector’s item, dating back to when the Celtics toured Italy prior to the 2007-08 season. Those uniforms had “Boston” spelled out across the front of the jersey in the colors ...