She was 22 years old.
This week: Isaiah Thomas. Isaiah Thomas scored 29 of his 53 points in the fourth quarter and overtime in Boston's Game 2 win, which ties for the most in a postseason game in the past 20 years. In his final season in Sacramento, Thomas averaged 20.3 points and 6.3 assists per game over 72 games. He was their leader. “He was incredible,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said after the game. Dan Woike asked NBA players to tell us about the best game in their basketball career.
And she's watching over me, so that's all her. But when I'm in this arena, I can lock in, and I know everything I do is for her. He’s a little guy playing with the big boys. On what would have been his sister's 23rd birthday, Isaiah Thomas scored 53 points to lead the Celtics past the Wizards in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
I wanted to win for her. “This is hard,” former teammate Immediately following Boston’s Game 6 win over the Bulls on Friday that sealed the series, Thomas flew across the country for his sister’s funeral and then he returned just in time for Sunday’s Game 1 against the Wizards. I wanted to play well for her.
"Against the Wizards, Thomas shot 18-of-33 from the floor, including 5-for-12 from beyond the arc. "He was not feeling good and was having a tough day," Stevens said after the game. A crowd on edge for much of the night roared in delight as Thomas would not let this game get away.Thomas finished with the second-highest postseason point total in franchise history, one point shy of John Havlicek's record from 1973.Thomas' teammates marveled not only at the way he played through another highly emotional day, but his scoring output, too.Isaiah Thomas scored 29 of his 53 points in the fourth quarter and overtime in Boston's Game 2 win, which ties for the most in a postseason game in the past 20 years.During an on-court interview with TNT, Thomas fought his emotions while trying to detail where he found the energy to perform as he did.
The only thing about it is, once I leave this gym, I hit reality and she's not here. Then even today I had to go back four or five hours today. Thomas was the leader of a Celtics team that had visions of a deep playoff run.
Kyle Hightower | The Associated Press .
"Chyna Thomas was killed in a single-vehicle accident on April 15, a day before the Celtics' playoff opener. He said he realized that "quitting isn't an option. She was 22 years old. Thomas scored 33 points in Boston's Game 1 victory.But what he did Tuesday might have been even more remarkable.Equipped with a custom mouthguard to keep his surgically repaired teeth in place, Thomas spent much of the game touching his mouth worried that a few hard spills to the ground might have dislodged his repaired teeth.Boston rallied from double-digit deficits in both halves, but it was Thomas who carried the Celtics offensively over the final 17 minutes of play.His 50th point of the night came on a fadeaway jumper in which he got fouled and knocked to the ground in a three-point game. BOSTON -- On what would have been his late sister Chyna's 23rd birthday, Thomas poured in 53 points -- 29 of which came in the fourth quarter and overtime -- as Boston posted a "Today's my sister's birthday. Apr 17, 2017 3:24 PM ET. She would have been 23 today. Isaiah Jamar Thomas (born February 7, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). “He’s an amazing player, amazing person. A hip injury forced him to miss the playoffs during the 2016-17 season and Boston traded him to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a deal for Kyrie Irving. The Los Angeles Clippers waived him Feb. 9, 2020.On April 15, 2017, Isaiah Thomas’ sister, Chyna, was killed in a one-car accident in her home state of Washington. "I thought he was really going to have to gut this one out.
He played the first three years of his nine-year NBA career with the Kings.
Thomas was notified of her death after the Boston Celtics’ practice, according to Like a true warrior, an emotional Thomas played in the game and finished with 33 points, six assists, and five rebounds in Boston’s 106-102 loss to the Bulls.
And I told [coach Brad Stevens] I could. "Happy birthday. But once I got around the guys, got to the arena, I felt like I could go. He also grabbed four rebounds and had four assists.The point guard is the only Celtics player to have a 50-point game in both the regular season and the playoffs during the same season. In Game 2 against the Wizards, Thomas put up 53 points in an overtime win which just so happened to be on Chyna’s birthday. As a result, he earned several awards nominations some of which are First Team All- Pac ten, Second-team All-Pac ten and the Associated Press honourable mention All-American. He not only guts it out, he ends up with 50. The 5-foot-9 point guard out of Washington was selected with the final pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings.Despite his lack of size and lack of respect by being the final selection in the draft, Thomas won the uphill battle in the NBA. “It’s my sister. She would have been 23 today," Thomas said as his emotions swelled at his postgame news conference. And days won’t get any easier for him, but he somehow plays like that.” Thomas had the support and the respect of his teammates for playing the game 24 hours after the death of his sister. Happy birthday. On Saturday, Thomas utilized a small break in the playoff schedule to fly home to Tacoma, Washington, to attend her funeral.As part of Thomas' eulogy that day, he noted how he "wanted to give up and quit" after learning of his sister's death. "Thomas arrived back in Boston at 4 a.m. Sunday morning and was at the arena by 10 a.m. for the Celtics' pregame walk-through. She would’ve been 23 today. May 2, 2017: Boston 129, Washington 119. "Asked where he finds the strength, Thomas told TNT: "My family, my friends -- they just tell me to keep going.