The theme for the Boston Celtics on Saturday night was bouncing back, and no one embodied that theme more than Isaiah Thomas.
Thomas, if you’ll recall, had two chances to end the Golden State Warriors’ streak (more on that later) Friday night but couldn’t deliver. He got off to a poor start Saturday, too, missing his first four shots against the Charlotte Hornets.
Much like his team, however, the 5-foot-9 point guard quickly put his struggles behind him.
Thomas turned things around to record one of his best all-around games of the season, scoring 21 points while adding a career-high 13 assists in an impressive bounce-back road win. Boston’s victory was a team effort, sure, but head coach Brad Stevens had extra praise for his point guard’s ability to rebound from Friday night’s miscues.
“That’s one of my favorite things about Isaiah: He really cares about winning and losing,” Stevens said in a postgame interview aired on CSN New England. “He is not down necessarily because of anything else other than, he wanted to make a shot to help us beat Golden State. The guy really cares.
“He’s a competitive little guy, and I thought he made some great plays in that third quarter (Saturday), and then certainly at the end of the game.”
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Let’s hit a few other notes from Celtics-Hornets:
— One big reason for the Celtics’ success against the Hornets: They held onto the ball.
Charlotte entered the game with the NBA’s lowest turnover rate at 11.8 per game, but it was Boston that committed just five total turnovers. The Celtics have recorded five turnovers or less in just two games over the last five seasons.
— Saturday night’s game brought the Zeller brothers under one roof, although one is enjoying a bit more success this season.
Celtics forward Tyler Zeller didn’t play against the Hornets and has made a minimal impact for Boston, averaging just 8.1 minutes per game. But his younger brother, Cody, is getting some run in Charlotte. The 23-year-old forward, who tallied 12 points and five rebounds Saturday, is averaging 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest.
– As expected, the C’s were in a bit better spirits after Saturday’s win than they were after Friday’s disappointing loss. The victory produced quite the interesting locker room moment from forward Amir Johnson, who apparently wasn’t pleased with the accommodations provided by the Hornets and team owner Michael Jordan.
Johnson apparently was in a playful mood all night, because he also did this at the beginning of the second half:
— If you thought the Golden State Warriors’ winning streak appeared in jeopardy after Friday night, well, you were right.
The Milwaukee Bucks put the first blemish on the Warriors’ 24-0 record Saturday, earning a 108-95 win in front of a delighted home crowd. Ironically, the Bucks also snapped the Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA-record 33-game winning streak in 1972.
Thumbnail photo via Sam Sharpe/USA TODAY Sports Images
