The All-Star guard dropped a career-high 42 points in a 111-103 win on Friday to keep his team from falling into an insurmountable 3-0 hole, but was involved in an incident with Atlanta’s Dennis Schroder that put his availability for next game in jeopardy.
At the end of the first quarter, Thomas hit Schroder’s face with his left hand and following a retaliation foul by the Hawks’ backup guard on the next possession and an exchange of words, they were each hit with a technical foul. The NBA didn’t suspend Thomas for Game 4, but instead assessed him a flagrant-1 foul.
“It was the right call,” Thomas said of the league’s ruling. “I’m really focused on Game 4, but I’m glad I wasn’t suspended.
“I knew what I did. On the replay, in a slower version it’s going to look like I looked at him and tried to hit him. If I tried to hit somebody, I would have hit them.
“I know the cameras are watching. I didn’t do it on purpose, but I’m just glad I wasn’t suspended and I can help my team.”
Schroder, who was incensed that Thomas wasn’t whistled for anything during the game, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after the loss: “I’m not going to let nobody slap me in my face. I told him that. If you want to play like that, we’ll play like that. I was mad.”
Boston needed every bit of Thomas’ strong outing to stave off the Hawks as their star shot 12-of-24 from the field, 5-of-12 from long range and 13-of-15 from the free throw line.
Thomas’ outburst nearly matched his scoring total from Game 1 and 2 combined (43), and the five-foot-nine dynamo revealed he was helped by text messages from two former explosives guards in their own right.
“Allen Iverson just said, ‘Keep fighting. They did what they were supposed to do in Atlanta, now it’s time for you guys to take advantage of being at home,’” Thomas said. “Then Isiah Thomas just gave me a few tips that I can’t tell you guys about. He told me what he’d seen and he helped me out a lot.”
.@Isaiah_Thomas & @Patriots' @LG_Blount post-game last night. #CelticsWin pic.twitter.com/WyIZGG0zIu
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 23, 2016
As well as Thomas’ monster game, the Celtics benefitted from a lineup tweak.
Coach Brad Stevens inserted versatile forward Jonas Jerebko in place of Jared Sullinger, opening up the floor on offence and allowing for more switching on defence.
The change resulted in Boston scoring 37 points in the first quarter after they scored just seven in the opening period of Game 3 – the lowest-scoring first quarter in playoff history in the shot clock era.
In the 12 minutes the starting five of Jerebko, Thomas, Jae Crowder, Amir Johnson and Even Turner was on the floor in Game 3, the Celtics had an offensive rating of 119.6 points per 100 possessions and a defensive rating of 109.0 points allowed per 100 possessions, resulting in a favourable plus-10.5 net.
Boston will hope to replicate its offensive success in Game 4 at home to tie the series before returning to Atlanta.
