Isaiah Thomas. Enough said. #NBAVote https://t.co/XknxstRrjY
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 14, 2017
The notion that the Boston Celtics need to trade for a star player has been somewhat amusing, because, as even LeBron James pointed out, they already have a star. Isaiah Thomas has been a certified, bona fide clutch-as-hell stud for the third-place Celtics, as he’s currently fourth in league scoring and first in the hearts of Beantown’s ultra-loyal hoops fans. And fan loyalty is something that means a lot to Thomas, whose latest game-winning shot came against Atlanta on Friday, after Hawks fans booed their old star and Thomas’s current teammate, Al Horford.
“A guy like that, with that type of character, you can’t boo,” Thomas told reporters after the game. “That’s disrespectful.”
Granted, the Celtics should have never needed Thomas to hit a game-winning shot, as they were up 20 at one point in the third quarter. The Hawks, who are nipping at Boston’s heels in the Eastern Conference standings, rallied to tie the game at 101, and Celtics coach Brad Stevens tried to call a timeout. Thomas said no and instead took matters into his own hands, and his plan revolved around embarrassing Kent Bazemore, because he had the nerve to slap the floor, “essentially as a show of force,” according to the Boston Globe.
“So he wanted to get a bucket on him,” Jae Crowder said. “So let him do what he do.” Thomas whirled into the lane and lofted a difficult 19-foot, step-back jumper from the right side. The ball splashed through the net with 2.4 seconds left. He had done it again.
“It was something I wanted to try to take advantage of,” Thomas said. “Bazemore had that look in his face like he was going to get a stop, and I had other plans.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7HWBqanUGg
The Hawks honored Horford with a tribute video at the end of the first quarter, and his old fans cheered for him. But at all other points, they booed him. Pregame warmups? Boo. Introductions? Boo. When he got the ball? Boo. Blinked? Breathed? Existed in this dimension? Boo. Boo. Boo.
Cs starters all booed until Al Horford drew a mixed bag of cheers and boos. Weak ass reception for one of the best players in Hawks history.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) January 14, 2017
Definitely more boos than cheers for Horford.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) January 14, 2017
Al Horford Tribute going on right now, He finally gets a few cheers and then a good amount of boos
— Shake4ndbake (@ItsShake4ndbake) January 14, 2017
One reason the Horford boos not THAT loud…empty Atl seats, a tradition. pic.twitter.com/IT3KyZJsbx
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) January 14, 2017
But little did Hawks fans know, that was just making Thomas angrier.
“You don’t boo a guy like that,” Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas said after scoring 28 points. “You’re not turning down money like that. None of them people that are booing are turning down that money, so he went to a situation he thought may be a little better.”
“He helps me out because he puts me in position,” Thomas said. “He sets really good screens for me to get me open and he also is a hell of a passer, so when he gets the ball in situations where I’m on the opposite side, he usually finds me. I think that’s what making me have a pretty good year as well.”
Thomas said the Celtics accomplished their goal Friday – to get a win for Big Al.
“That’s all we wanted,” Thomas said. (Via NBA.com)
Ever the humble veteran, Horford downplayed Thomas’s effort and said he simply appreciated the effort and “everything they did.” We like to think that means intentionally drawing the Hawks back into the game by blowing a massive lead, just so they could tear the hearts out of idiot Hawks fans with the clutchest of clutch shots. Isaiah Thomas is downright diabolical.
