Very early, but still: Isaiah Thomas has transformed Boston Celtics through first 4 games

Very early, but still: Isaiah Thomas has transformed Boston Celtics through first 4 games





Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) celebrates during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Friday, Feb. 27, 2015. The Celtics defeated the Hornets 106-98. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
mjking@masslive.com By Jay King | mjking@masslive.com

on February 28, 2015 at 5:30 PM, updated February 28, 2015 at 5:52 PM



BOSTON - After tossing in 18 points against the New York Knicks, one of the four best scoring outputs of his NBA career, Jae Crowder did not want much credit. Instead, he redirected compliments to new Boston Celtics teammate Isaiah Thomas.

Two nights later, Crowder exceeded double digits again, this time to help topple the Charlotte Hornets. Again, he wanted to deflect the praise.

"I thank him again," Crowder said, referring once more to Thomas.

One week into his Celtics tenure, Thomas deserves all types of credit. Watching him dart toward the basket slaps your face, dumps a bucket of water over your head and wakes you up to just how little playmaking creativity the Celtics have featured in recent times. For the first time since trading Paul Pierce, they boast someone who can consistently bend a defense to the benefit of himself or others. Rajon Rondo could not or did not want to score. Jeff Green operated best as a finisher. Marcus Smart's not ready yet. For long stretches, sometimes, Jared Sullinger - a power forward who has repelled all of his organization's calls to lose weight - has looked like the best shot-creator in Boston.

Yet here comes Thomas, strutting and glaring and demanding the ball in key moments. Thomas does not do shy. Those who know the 26-year-old point to the cliché "chip on his shoulder," the invisible motivator that makes some men feel the need to prove themselves at every turn. He did not arrive in Boston looking to blend in.

During Thomas' previous stop with the Phoenix Suns, some of his skills overlapped with other point guards on the roster. Yet in Boston, his paint-seeking, free throw-collecting, crafty-ball-handling ways make him a unique specimen. Through four games, in which the Celtics are 3-1, he has been a rim-attacking, opportunity-creating oasis.

The sample size is tiny still and includes contests against three bottom-12 defenses, the Suns, Lakers and Knicks. But Thomas has lowered a sonic boom. With him on the court, the Celtics have outscored opponents by 22.3 points per 100 possessions, according to NBA.com, while boasting the equivalent of the NBA's best offense and best defense. Regardless of the competition or sample size, the production has been outrageous.

Since joining the Celtics, Thomas is averaging 22.3 points and 6.0 assists in 27.8 minutes per game off the bench. He's second in the NBA in points per 36 minutes (pace adjusted) and tops in free throws drawn per 36 minutes (pace adjusted). Even at fourth in usage rate, he's scoring with great efficiency. This is a strong stretch, for sure, and maybe a bit of small-sample-size theater. But his play has been no fluke. Albeit with lower usage, he's provided similarly efficient scoring for years.

At times, head coach Brad Stevens has turned to the smallest of lineups, which features Jonas Jerebko at center and Jae Crowder at power forward. Those guys have spread the court, Thomas has taken advantage of the space, and the offense has rocketed into outer space. Twice since adding Thomas, Boston has matched its season high for points in a half. For three straight games now, the Celtics have surpassed their previous season high for made 3-pointers with 14.

"Obviously, one of the reasons why we've hit so many threes is because we're playing smaller and a little bit more skilled at the 4 and the 5," Stevens said. "Obviously, we started the season playing very skilled at the 4 and the 5 (with Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger). But I think the ability to get into the paint off of his creation, (and) then the next guy getting into the paint because of it is probably the key."

Stevens mentioned the following possession, a beauty from late in the fourth quarter of Friday night's win:




When Thomas rushes around the ball screen with a full head of steam, Al Jefferson has no chance of containing the penetration. Back-pedaling, the big man allows Thomas access to the painted area. Because the Hornets (rightfully) do not trust Jefferson to stop the most explosive scorer on the court, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist sinks in to provide help.

On the pass, MKG tries to hurry back to his man. Jerebko's not a creator by himself, but the rushed closeout allows him to take the baseline. He draws three guys, leaving Crowder wide open on the opposite side of the court.

Said Stevens, "Those multiple paint touches don't happen if you don't have a guy that can break it down from the get-go."

The Celtics did not have any facsimile of that before Thomas arrived, but he has given this team a desperately needed jolt of creativity. The guard got ejected from his first game; made headlines by decimating his former team (and later staring down the Phoenix bench) in his second; matched Boston's single-game season high with 11 free throws attempted in his third; and, in his fourth, ho hum, scored 14 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter to spark a comeback against Charlotte.

For now, Stevens has simplified the offense for his new scorer, who went through his first real practice Saturday. Despite Thomas adding extra layers to the offensive attack, Stevens anticipates changing little about the team's approach.

"We play off of a ton of pick-and-rolls anyway," he said. "The irony in our offense is that most of our pick-and-rolls are to play through our bigs because they set it, and then the space is created for them. So a lot of times we end up doing that. But he'll have - and when we put a lot of them in, Rondo was here - whenever you have a guard that can make plays off of that, there's the big read plus their own read. He knows how to play. The biggest thing is getting the calls down, figuring out where everybody else is going to be, figuring out who does what. That's a huge key. But he'll find the space to be to his liking. I feel comfortable with that."

Thomas has certainly made elite use of the space so far, saying the offense provides "freedom for everybody" and reminds him of the system in Phoenix. One key difference there was the Suns roster, which made him more excess than necessity.

In Boston, the situation is very different.

"No doubt," Thomas said. "I've got the ball in my hands a lot more. Coach just wants me to make plays and the guys want me to make plays. They're out there on the court like, 'We're going to follow you. Just make a play. We know you're going to make the right play.'"

Quickly, Thomas has been embraced. He's playing like a superstar for now and should remain a major help even if he cannot sustain the incredible production.



bob
MY NOTE:  THIS is QUITE impressive, "With him on the court, the Celtics have outscored opponents by 22.3 points per 100 possessions, according to NBA.com, while boasting the equivalent of the NBA's best offense and best defense. Regardless of the competition or sample size, the production has been outrageous."  I don't know what "the equivalent of the NBA's best offense and best defense is", it seems to me it either is the best or it isn't, but even if you see some weasel-wording there it is still pretty frippin' amazing that we can even use words like "best" in regards to this barely-congealed roster.  Also, credit to newbie Jonas Jerebko for keeping his head up and knowing where Crowder was and making the good, sure pass to him when the defense converged on him.



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There are probably a lot of reasons why he is what he is. Chip on the shoulder from being traded twice? Self-expressed desire to be "the hero?" But, regardless of the number and type of influences, it can't be denied that this guy is as close to a guaranteed catalyst as it gets.

He's the slasher and finisher I hoped Even Turner would be and wish Marcus Smart would become. He's the outside shooter who's more successful with a hand in his face. He's the jitterbug who keeps the defense back on its heels. He's the inside-out threat that brought Allen Iverson more assists than he really deserved. He's even sneaky effective on defense, possibly cruising under the vision of opponents.

A psychiatric conference could probably have a field day if they tried to figure out what makes him tick. How does he balance the motivations of me-ball and an enabling mentality? To what extent may his smile mask a hidden personality trait as it did with his namesake? Is he a frontrunner, whose contributions can plummet in a hurry if things stop going so well? Is he a limited catalyst, or could he be a mainstay of a championship team? So many questions, and so few answers.

But, whatever he is, he strikes me as the kind of guy whose performances encourage us to live in the moment. What he is is what we see on any given game day. We should be grateful for what he gives this team in every game, and—pending what happens personnel-wise over time—we should hope it continues indefinitely.

Because what has been happening during the past few games is special—particularly in light of how suddenly it has transpired. Our friend, Rosalie, is attending tonight's game, and the timing couldn't be better. The team may still be in the trial and error stage, but now all the effort is paying off. There could be no more Green-blooded person than Rosalie, and I hope she will be rewarded by becoming infused with the energy and confidence that have risen to a different level since Isaiah joined this team.

Go Rosalie, and go Celtics!

Sam