Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

“I don’t ever wear down,” he said. “I got, I think, 15 shots in the paint so they really didn’t pressure me that much. I had some turnovers that are uncharacteristic. But I got where I wanted when I wanted. For some reason, I just couldn’t make any layups. I guess you have days like that, but you have to bounce back.

“I could see if I was missing 3’s or jump shots you could probably say fatigue. It just didn’t bounce my way today.”

Herald: Thomas doesn’t blame fatigue for poor game

I have an instinctive fear that kicks in when Isaiah Thomas has a bad game against a playoff team like Atlanta. However, after letting last night’s game sink in, I’m not ready to declare this one of those “they game-planned for Isaiah and it worked” kind of games because he’s right… he got to the rim plenty for shots that he’d make, and he didn’t make them.

Honestly, what I saw was Thomas maybe playing a little too fast, which might have been just a reaction to the moment. In fact, I think there could be lessons learned in that loss to take things a little more comfortably the next time around.

One thing that was definitely different last night was the Celtics actually played like a team on a back-to-back. Isaiah Thomas won’t admit it, but Avery Bradley will

“To be honest, not to make an excuse or anything, everybody’s tired, man,” said Bradley. “I’m beat right now. I don’t think guys had legs in the second half. We all were trying to play hard regardless but I think people were a little tired.”

The Celtics have a day to rest today… and hopefully watch Charlotte and Miami lose. Yes, the Celtics can win out and control their own destiny, but I won’t turn down a gift, either. If the Hornets and Heat want to hand the fourth seed to Boston, I’m sure the guys will enjoy a couple of meaningless games to end the season to get some extra rest.

Photo: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Related links: CSNNE: Thomas frustrated by loss to Hawks

Page 2: RJ Hunter might make a good coach someday

“One of the things that I told him is every game that you play, take a mental note and when you get home, write things down,” Ron Hunter said. “Write it down about the players in the next few years you’ll have to go against and start thinking of [the game] as a coach. So when we talk now it’s seem like I’m talking to a coach more than I’m talking to a player. He’s going to be great when it’s his turn.

“I think he’s become a better student of the game. Sometimes you have to take a step back and my conversations with him are so different than they were a year ago.”

Globe: R.J. Hunter and his dad reflect on rookie season

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of RJ Hunter and I think his future is going to be pretty bright. I think this kid can do a lot of things on the floor and, eventually, it will all come together. Being the coach’s son, and learning to see the game in that way, gives him an advantage. It’s a type of guidance and conversation that many players don’t get.

I think Hunter will be one of those third-year players who gets a crack at a bigger role and takes advantage of it. Of course, a lot of this depends on what the Celtics do draft/trade/free agent-wise. I hope there’s a role for Hunter here in Boston. I just think very highly of his skill set and I think it can blossom into something really good.

And Finally…

The New Jersey Swamp Dragons were thiiiiiis close to being a thing.

Zach Lowe uncovered the story of how the New Jersey Nets, wallowing in crappiness for way too long, decided that a name change was in order. Their goal was to suck kids in with a cartoonish fire-breathing dragon and get them excited… and hopefully the parents would find their way to Nets, errr, Dragons games… thus boosting attendance and whatever.

Nowhere in this plan did they mention putting a better team on the floor… but that’s a different story.

The best parts of this are David Stern’s initial reaction to the proposal:

SPOELSTRA: David told me, “This is the stupidest f—ing idea I’ve ever heard.”

O’GRADY: He did say that. It wasn’t the first time he said something like that. I had an open-door policy on dumb ideas.

STERN: If they say I said that, I’m sure I did.

That Spoelstra, by the way, is Erik’s dad, Jon.

Fast forward through the process… get to the vote. Yes.. the LEAGUE TOOK A VOTE ON IT!

SPOELSTRA: David called me screaming, “What the f— is going on?” I asked what he was screaming about. He told me the vote came in, 26-1, in our favor. Well, that’s terrific. What’s the problem? He told me: “No, that isn’t terrific, because the one dissenting team was you — the Nets.”

We voted against our own name change. I thought he was kidding. If your own team votes no, you can’t go ahead with something like this.

That’s just such a perfectly “Nets” ending to this. Just… amazing. You really have to go read the whole story. I can’t believe it progressed how it did.

The rest of the links:

CSNNE: Stevens focused on what Celtics can control  |  ESPN Boston: Playoffs have already begun for seed-hunting Celtics  |  MassLive: Evan Turner reacts to Hinke resignation  |  Celtics get some help from Phoenix Suns  |  Herald: The Celtics’ trophy case