Isaiah Thomas scored 52 points and set a franchise record with 29 in the fourth quarter. In the Celtics third game in four nights which included a tough loss to the Cavs last night, IT provided a much needed lift in what was mostly a sluggish performance from the rest of the team.
The Game Flow
The Celtics played without much spirit in the first half. Isaiah Thomas was the primary exception, scoring 19 points with 3 of 3 shooting from three point range. James Johnson played well in 10 first half minutes, scoring seven points with four assists and three rebounds. The Heat stayed in the game despite missing Goran Dragic.
Both teams were playing on the second night of a back-to-back, and neither side seemed interested in playing defense. During his halftime interview, assistant coach Micah Shrewsberry joked about creating motivations for this game, talking about how “it’s the last game of 2016” and how this is a “rivalry game.” He even introduced the world to the Abby Chin – Kyle Draper rivalry.
The game continued to slog along through the third quarter. The Celtics had trouble containing Tyler Johnson and Hassan Whiteside. Crowder scored six and Horford added 10. A Jerebko three at the end of the quarter ignited some energy in the crowd and the Celtics had a 82-78 lead going into the final frame.
Brad Stevens opened the fourth quarter with the little-used Isaiah-Rozier-Brown-Olynyk-Jerebko lineup, only to squander the lead, as Josh Richardson steal-and-dunk gave the head a 89-84 lead amidst an 11-2 run. Soon enough, Isaiah Thomas remembered it was the fourth quarter, drilling four 3’s over a three minute span and giving the Celtics a 98-92 lead with 6:00 remaining. He splashed another 3 with Tyler Johnson closely guarding him to give him 40 for the game.
Every time it looked like the Celtics would take control, the Heat scrapped along to keep the game close. After an impressive sequence where Rozier got a steal and set up Jaylen Brown for a big dunk, Richardson came right back with a crowd silencing three. The bench Johnson duo (James and Tyler) also hit big threes to keep the lead close.
A Wayne Ellington transition layup tied the game at 104 with two minutes to play. But Isaiah again got into the paint for a layup, giving him a career high with 47. Then with 37 seconds remaining and the shot clock expiring, he hit an amazing 30 foot contested jumper to give him 50. His 29 in the fourth period set a Celtic record for points in a quarter. Mike and Tommy could barely contain themselves. He finished with 52 and received countless “MVP” chants throughout the night. It was the most points for a Celtic player since Larry Bird in 1985.
The effort in general should be a cause for concern. Yes, their schedule has been rough, but Boston could have ended the game earlier. Miami was also playing on the second night of a back-to-back and were missing Goran Dragic, a traditional Celtic-killer. The Heat shot 53% from the field and 39% from three. The Heat bench scored 63 points, while the Celtics bench could only generate 19.
No doubt it’s the little guy. His final stat line: 52 points on 15/26 from the field, 9/13 from three, 13/13 from the foul line, 29 fourth quarter points. It was the fourth most points ever scored by a Celtic, and he now has a legitimate case to be an all-star starter. He’s also probably the frontrunner for eastern conference player of the month.
Gerald Green introduced his personal version of the Red’s Cigar, as he opted for a cup of hot chocolate during the 2nd quarter:
Gerald Green aka Hot Chocolate out here making NBA history, sippin a cup of cocoa on the bench. H/t @Marc_DAmico #Celtics pic.twitter.com/AWb4dLmF7I
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) December 31, 2016
Whatever works for you, Gerald.
Here’s the first:
.@Al_Horford to @CJC9BOSS to @Isaiah_Thomas for the and-1 BUCKET! pic.twitter.com/Z6J3WDjSXv
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) December 31, 2016
And this gives him 50:
Isaiah Thomas makes it 50 🔥🔥🔥 #NBAVote https://t.co/uxITnj878q
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 31, 2016
The Grid:
•FG: Celtics 38/74 (51%), Heat 48/90 (53%)
•FT: Celtics 24/29 (82%), Heat 7/10 (70%)
•Assists: Heat 35, Celtics 28
•Celtics 17/32 from three (53%)
•Josh Richardson: 19 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals
•James Johnson: 22 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks
•Al Horford: 21 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists
•IT’s 29 in the 4th is the second most points ever scored in the 4th quarter. The most? 31 by Wilt Chamberlain… which happened during his 100 point game!
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