IT's Character Has Left a Lasting Impression on C's

http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/sidebar/shoot-052127-isaiah-thomas-character-has-left-lasting-impression-on-cs?sf80611388=1









IT's Character Has Left a Lasting Impression on C's



Posted: May 21, 2017



CLEVELAND – Isaiah Thomas has earned as much respect for his character as he has for his basketball skills this season.

That’s saying a lot.

The Boston Celtics announced Saturday evening that Thomas’ extraordinary season has come to an end due to a right hip injury. The team did not want to jeopardize his long-term health by allowing him to continue to play.

Yet, according to Brad Stevens, Thomas stood in the locker room Friday night pleading with doctors to allow him to continue to play, all as his team was in the middle of an unwinnable game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“I mean, he wants to play through any and all circumstances,” Stevens told reporters at this morning’s shootaround ahead of Game 3. “Supposedly, when we went back out on the court on Friday night, he was all over the doctors with eight minutes left in the third in a 40-point game to come back out.”

That level of determination, will power and overall strength has been on display throughout this postseason for the 5-foot-9, two-time All-Star. Thomas has been through so much over the past five weeks, beginning with the death of his sister, continuing on with a major dental injury, and now concluding with a hip injury that has been lingering since March 16, according to the team.

Thomas’ ability to not only battle through it all, but to also play at an incredibly high level, has widened the eyes of many around the country, especially those within his own locker room.

“When I came into the Celtics I respected him as a player, as a competitor,” said first-year Celtic Al Horford, “but after seeing him go through so much adversity this year and being able to overcome it and being able to deal with that, not a lot of people are able to do that. It shows the strength of his character and how special of a guy he is.”

Special is an understatement, as the Washington Wizards learned first-hand Monday night.

Stevens commented that he was “surprised [Thomas] played in Game 7” Monday night against Washington. The coach explained that Thomas had been in quite a bit of pain as of last Saturday morning and did not even participate in much of anything leading up to Game 7. Then, all Thomas did was go out and total 29 points and 12 assists Monday night to lead the Celtics past the Wizards and into the Conference Finals.

“The whole story is pretty remarkable,” said Stevens, “but the best part of it from all of our standpoint was how inspiring it was to have a guy that’s done all of this and accomplished all of this and is willing to go out and literally leave it all out there.”

Thomas did exactly that, playing until his body and Boston’s doctors would allow him to play no more. His on-court inspiration is no longer available to the C’s. Now Thomas must use technology to motivate his teammates.

“He’ll probably text, FaceTime and call more than anybody can imagine,” said Stevens.

To Thomas, that won’t be enough. He wants nothing more than to be out on the court, going to battle with his teammates while using his basketball skills to give the Celtics a chance against Cleveland.

He can’t do that anymore, but he should sleep soundly knowing that anyone and everyone who has watched his story unfold holds him and his character in the highest of regards.



bob
MY NOTE:  "Yet, according to Brad Stevens, Thomas stood in the locker room Friday night pleading with doctors to allow him to continue to play, all as his team was in the middle of an unwinnable game against the Cleveland Cavaliers."  Now, his teammates have to go out onto the floor tonight and prove they deserve him...


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OK. Add $10M to the $90M five year deal I was offering him.