Playoff IT

Eddie Jurak · Apr 19, 2016

The wrist injury and the lack of support on the roster don't help.

Blacken · Apr 19, 2016

I like Thomas, but I've been having the same concerns. Being the #1, #1.5, and #2 options on offense is difficult, and so it's way too easy to shovel dirt on his coffin, but I worry that he's just too small and light and can be effectively put on an island. Way too early to do something rash, but this is not feeling super awesome right now.

HomeRunBaker · Apr 19, 2016

5'9 players struggle getting the same looks versus playoff level defense as they do against regular season defense. It isn't only Isaiah.....all the "effort" players are struggling now that the more talented players they are going up against have picked up their intensity and matched ours.

Isaiah doesn't have another gear.....the regular season was when he out worked and put forth more effort than his counterpart to succeed. In this series Teague has taken his game to the next level where Isaiah can't physically match him.

BigSoxFan · Apr 19, 2016

He's being asked to be a Batman when he should be a Robin. Clearly, a team with Isaiah Thomas as its best player isn't going to be long for the playoffs. Ainge is going to have to get lucky this summer or it'll be more of the same next year.

Cellar-Door · Apr 22, 2016

The spacing with Jerebko was better, also his own 3 dropping helped a lot.
Of course there's a decent chance he's suspended next game, so....

dabombdig · Apr 22, 2016

Anyone else nervous that IT could be suspended for game 4? I thought the hit could be interpreted as inadvertent, but the smoke is picking up on this one. Not gonna lie I'm nervous.

Cellar-Door · Apr 23, 2016

dabombdig said:
Anyone else nervous that IT could be suspended for game 4? I thought the hit could be interpreted as inadvertent, but the smoke is picking up on this one. Not gonna lie I'm nervous.

yeah I don't think it was accidental, the only question is whether it's a suspension or just a retroactive flagrant and a fine.
If I had to guess I'd say he's suspended. Can't remember the last time someone hit another player with a closed hand not in a play and didn't get suspended.

RedOctober3829 · Apr 23, 2016

dabombdig said:
Anyone else nervous that IT could be suspended for game 4? I thought the hit could be interpreted as inadvertent, but the smoke is picking up on this one. Not gonna lie I'm nervous.

Windhorst says it's likely. Can't believe it.

Eddie Jurak · Apr 23, 2016

Well, that will be a kick in the ass if it happens. Probably a loss, and ultimately, the series.

dabombdig · Apr 23, 2016

They will be lucky to score 75 points without him. Still not sure it was intentional, but the NBA has a quick trigger finger when it comes to hits to the head.

Light-Tower-Power · Apr 23, 2016

I don't know, looking at it on a loop it definitely looked intentional but I'm not sure it's suspension-worthy. I don't think he got him very hard at all. Schroeder snapped his own head back as if he just took a Mike Tyson uppercut afterwards in an obvious flop so how bad could it have really been?

Ed Hillel · Apr 23, 2016

Looks like he more shoved him with his wrist, and there was very little momentum behind it, but given what constitues flagrants now, he's probably suspended. I think that is the kind of act that should be a flagrant one, not accidentally hitting somone's head playing defense in a tight NBA playoff game.

I'd rather they suspend Marcus Smart for his absurd flopping than Thomas for that.

Eddie Jurak · Apr 23, 2016

How does this one compare:

http://www.businessinsider.com/dwyane-wade-cheap-shot-game-3-2013-5

Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat · Apr 23, 2016

I don't think the NBA wants to suspend the most exciting player in their Sunday evening game. I think they'll find a way to fine but not suspend him.

PC Drunken Friar · Apr 23, 2016

Damn, watching it... It looks bad. He should be suspended. What a dumb, dumb move. That pisses me off

BigSoxFan · Apr 23, 2016

Have to hear by today, right?

RedOctober3829 · Apr 23, 2016

BigSoxFan said:
Have to hear by today, right?

Bobby Marks says nba will review the video, talk to both parties, and have a decision this afternoon.

Jed Zeppelin · Apr 23, 2016

Next time just try to rip his arm out of its socket.

Ale Xander · Apr 23, 2016

1st player since Hondo in 73 to score 40+ against Hawks in the playoffs. Guess Bird never did that. Too busy passing?

RedOctober3829 · Apr 23, 2016

@Murf56: NBA has decided not to suspend Isaiah Thomas, per league source.

Ed Hillel · Apr 23, 2016

Excellent. I am awaiting the "it was more his wrist than fist" language.

Oh, and Smart got fined for flopping. Also excellent.

RedOctober3829 · Apr 23, 2016

JCizzle · Apr 23, 2016

Great news! It was obviously dumb and unnecessary, but it was such weak contact that this is the right decision in my opinion.

crystalline · Apr 23, 2016

Last night's game was fun to watch.
The Celtics are playing hard, and giving as much as they get physically.

IT was successful at penetrating and kicking, it seemed. He also drained a few clutch 3 pointers.
If the threes keep falling I think he can keep putting the team on his back.

HomeRunBaker · Apr 23, 2016

I can't believe that Isaiah is not suspended for Game 4......like incredibly shocked. Obviously I'm thrilled about it however Isaiah was clearly in violation of the rule. Even Stu Jackson, the former head of handing down discipline for the NBA in cases such as this, said last night that Isaiah should be suspended for his act.

I don't know what was different between Isaiah's punch/shove and Zach's a couple years ago which landed him a Game 7 suspension vs. OKC......but it works for me.
http://www.nba.com/video/channels/originals/2014/05/02/randolph-video.nba/

Marbleheader · Apr 24, 2016

That 3 to seal it was amazing. Scrolling through the Twittersphere, IT is a national phenomenon (along with his kids)

BigSoxFan · Apr 24, 2016

Marbleheader said:
That 3 to seal it was amazing. Scrolling through the Twittersphere, IT is a national phenomenon (along with his kids)

Yup. A corner three fading to the right is a very difficult shot for a lefty and he buried it with the season on the line. Just an incredibly entertaining player to watch.

CreightonGubanich · Apr 25, 2016

I think it's safe to say he has another gear. Atlanta bottled up Thomas in the first two games, not because Thomas is 5'9", but because he's the only shot creator on the team and the team around him couldn't space the floor. Thomas would get into the paint, only to be immediately surrounded by four Hawk jerseys who weren't the least bit afraid to leave their man. Patch together some floor spacing with a hot Marcus Smart and Jonas Freaking Jerebko, and the game opens up for him.

Eddie Jurak · Apr 25, 2016

CreightonGubanich said:
I think it's safe to say he has another gear. Atlanta bottled up Thomas in the first two games, not because Thomas is 5'9", but because he's the only shot creator on the team and the team around him couldn't space the floor. Thomas would get into the paint, only to be immediately surrounded by four Hawk jerseys who weren't the least bit afraid to leave their man. Patch together some floor spacing with a hot Marcus Smart and Jonas Freaking Jerebko, and the game opens up for him.

Yep. Shifting him off the ball helped, too.

teddykgb · Apr 25, 2016

Shifting him off the ball and playing at home. He is a good player and was never going to continue to put up playoff stinkers. He's also not likely to become a guy who gets 25-40 every night while drawing all the attention he's currently receiving. I'm super happy for him that he's come into his own the last two games. It's about to get a lot tougher, though. Going back to Atlanta and dealing with surely more ref adversity is going to be a new challenge. In a lot of ways, it's not on IT but his teammates, who will need to continue to make shots in a hostile environment, but IT needs to drain shots as well.

CreightonGubanich · Apr 25, 2016

Eddie Jurak said:
Yep. Shifting him off the ball helped, too.

It did, and it definitely opened the floor up for everyone else. IT playing off the ball does wonders for a pick-and-roll initiated by Evan Turner or Marcus Smart. But Thomas had the ball in his hands a lot even over the past two games, and his dribble penetration is really the engine of the Celtics' offense. For a guy who I don't think is a great natural passer, he has really become adept at making the right kickout pass. Atlanta's defense is aggressive and designed to collapse around dribble penetration, leaving weakside shooters open. Thomas was making the right read most of time, which sends the defense scrambling.

Cellar-Door · Apr 27, 2016

ifmanis5 said:
I don't want to pick on him since tonight was a total team meltdown of epic proportions but 3-12 FG, 0-4 3FG, 7 pts, -33 in a big Game 5 on the road is as bad as it gets. Hope he turns it around in Game 6.

He struggled badly, they just ran 2 guys at him at all times, sometimes 3. They (correctly) decided to not cover Sullinger and Turner at all. He's struggled on defense all series, but in this game he couldn't get free on offense. Brad will have to make some adjustments to free him up, but the problem remains that we just don't have anyone else who can score with Bradley out and Olynyk looking like he's playing at 50% or less.

Strike4 · Apr 27, 2016

I'd like to see them go back to using some of the sets that opened Game 3 - get Crowder and Jerebko some looks on 3's. If they drop, the threat might give IT a bit more room to work.

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