Al Horford sets a high ball screen on Otto Porter. Isaiah Thomas dribbles to the right, initiating the switch to Markieff Morris Sr. This was a common play for the 2016-17 Celtics, but this time it was in Game 2 of overtime in Eastern Conference Semifinals last May at TD Garden. Isaiah Thomas takes a couple of dribbles preparing for his next move. The gym silences in anticipation, and spectators are on the edge of their seats. He does two quick crossovers in an attempt to create separation. He hesitates three feet in from the three-point line. The former Celtic star does an aggressive diagonal dribble, stops and pulls up. The defender, Markieff Morris, manages to stay close enough to affect the shot. Morris grazes the ball, which causes Thomas to fumble the ball. But somehow Thomas wills the ball in a flat arc towards the hoop. Swish!
This was Celtic fan bliss. Pure basketball. No trade worries, no free agents, no controversy, just Isaiah Thomas willing a team to win. But to most Celtics fans, this was the beginning of something great, not the peak. The peak was supposed to be this current NBA season. With three all-stars, two top 3 picks and a litter of other talented role players, they were a trendy pick to win the NBA championship. Unfortunately, instead of having jaw-dropping clutch plays and fun team basketball, they had passive-aggressive back and forths between players creating a rift in the locker room. It all came to a climax on Jan. 12 in Orlando, Florida.
Gordon Hayward looks to inbound the ball with 2.9 seconds left. The score is 105-103 to the Orlando Magic. Kyrie Irving, Isaiah Thomas’s “upgrade,” was set up in the backcourt. Most people would expect the ball to go to Kyrie as he is known for his late-game prowess. However, instead of the throwing it to Kyrie, Hayward elected to throw it to a cutting Jayson Tatum. He received the ball almost directly in between the block and the three-point line. Tatum stopped took two dribbles and used his patented step-back to create enough space to release the shot. The ball clanked off the back rim. Game over. Celtics lose.
Generally, after tough losses like this, teammates try and lift each other up. During an 82-game season, a lot can go wrong. But Kyrie threw his hands in the air clearly frustrated at Hayward that he didn’t pass him the ball. After his visible verbal abuse of the former all-star, he stocked away like a disappointed parent. This was a stark contrast from the team-first mentality that the Celtics had been known for the past two years.
The Celtics are a good lesson in sports that people often forget. While people are often looking onto the horizon for the next great team, it is important to appreciate the team you’re supporting. Every single season a team will win the NBA title, but not every season is there a team that touches everyone’s hearts, that everyone can root for. Isaiah Thomas and those ragtag C’s may have never won anything, but in every game they played, fans could see how much he cared. Sure, maybe these 2018-19 Celtics are better and maybe they will make it farther in the playoffs than the 2017-2018 Celtics did, but there are few things better than an Isaiah Thomas acrobatic layup at TD Garden in the playoffs. •
