Isaiah Thomas and Dennis Schroder Assessed Double Technical for Exchanged Shots

Isaiah Thomas and Dennis Schroder may or may not be the best of friends.

If they are, then the Boston Celtics point guard prefers giving fist bumps to the head, and the Atlanta Hawks sixth man enjoys one-sided hit-and-run hugs.

If they aren't, the vastly more probable scenario, then the frustrations of playoff basketball have created a chippy atmosphere between the Eastern Conference's fourth and fifth seeds—particularly on behalf of the C's, who returned to TD Garden down 2-0 in the series. 

Both players were assessed technical fouls for their exchanged blows in what proved to be a high-tension 111-103 Boston victory.

And with yet another virtual must-win situation awaiting the Celtics in Game 4, it's unlikely the passion will be tempered by any degree.

Translation? Friend or foe, Thomas and Schroder should be seeing much more of each other. 

[Twitter]