Isaiah Thomas Continues Phenomenal Season with Historic Outburst in Game 2
Boston Celtics phenom Isaiah Thomas poured in 53 points and provided four assists, four rebounds and three steals over 44 minutes during Tuesday's 129-119 Game 2 overtime victory against the Washington Wizards at TD Garden. In doing so, he dropped the second-highest playoff point total by a Celtics player, coming up just one point shy of John Havlicek's 54-point outburst against the Atlanta Hawks in 1973, per Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN.com).
Havlicek, an eight-time NBA champion who was inducted into the Hall of Fame after 16 seasons with the Celtics, went on to average 23.8 points per game on 47.7 percent shooting across 12 playoff games during the 1973 playoffs.
Thomas has fought through adversity on the journey to his 53-point display, which took place on his sister Chyna's birthday. Chyna died in an automobile accident the day before the Celtics started the playoffs, and Tuesday would have marked her 23rd birthday. Thomas also spent around 10 hours having dental work done between Games 1 and 2 after having his tooth knocked out, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).
Despite the situations he's suffered through, Thomas is currently averaging a team-high 28.0 points throughout eight postseason contests while also dishing out 5.9 assists and hitting on 46.2 percent of his attempts from the field. He also ranks second on the squad in PER and is boasting a team-high 33.5 percent usage rate.
Thomas and the Celtics will attempt to grasp a 3-0 series lead on the Wizards when Game 3 tips off at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday.
