Brad Stevens Would Be Fine If Isaiah Thomas Skips Game 1 After Sister's Funeral

Tyler ConwayApr 28, 2017

Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens told reporters following Friday's series-clinching win over the Chicago Bulls that he would be OK with point guard Isaiah Thomas missing Game 1 of the conference semifinals to attend his sister's funeral.

“Tomorrow is a lot more important than Sunday,” Stevens said. “It’s difficult (turnaround), but it’s a basketball game. He’ll be ready to play. And if he decides when he gets there it’s too much, that’s OK. That’s fine. This (being with his family) is a lot more important.”

Thomas, the Celtics' leading scorer, will leave the team to attend the funeral of his sister on Saturday. Chyna Thomas died in a single-car accident in Washington on April 15.

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Isaiah Thomas continued to play throughout the Celtics' first-round series against the Bulls despite the tragedy, averaging 23.0 points and 5.7 rebounds in the six-game win. Thomas was visibly emotional at various points throughout the series and admitted his sister's loss was weighing on him mentally.

"[My teammates] give me a lot of confidence. I can't do it without those guys. They believe in me," Thomas told reporters after Game 4. "Being here is what makes me, I guess, sane. It makes me feel somewhat normal through these tough times."

The Celtics host the Washington Wizards for Game 1 on Sunday. From a basketball standpoint, it's arguably a matchup of the Eastern Conference's two best point guards. Thomas and John Wall were both All-Stars and are contenders for All-NBA selections.

Game 1 tips off at 1 p.m. ET, but Celtics forward Jae Crowder told reporters Thomas currently plans to make it back regardless.

"He's gonna have a busy 24 hours," Crowder told reporters. "He's shown he can overcome a lot. We're his family, he's going to be with his family, so I think he'll be able to bounce back. But we know he's going through a lot, and he wants us to prepare, and that's what we're gonna do. We're gonna prepare, and when he gets back he said he'll be ready to go."