Isaiah Thomas dedicated his 53-point Game 2 performance to his late sister Chyna
Thomas is unbelievably strong.
Isaiah Thomas’ sister, Chyna, died in a single car accident right as the NBA playoffs started. It’s impossible not to root for the older brother, whose hasn’t missed a game for the Boston Celtics despite the massive grief he must be experiencing right now. Before the Eastern Conference semifinals began, Thomas went to Chyna’s funeral in Tacoma, Wash. In Game 1, he led the Celtics to a win against the Washington Wizards.
Game 2, though, fell right on what would have been Chyna’s 23rd birthday. Thomas didn’t just play well — he scored 53 points in an overtime win, the most points in a playoff game since 2003, and dedicated the performance to her in the post-game press conference.
Mighty I.T.
Flannery: The moments that sustain I.T.
Cato: Isaiah becomes a legend
Medworth: I.T. paints another masterpiece
Celtics Blog: An inspiration
“Today is my sister’s birthday,” Thomas said. “She would have been 23 today. The least I can do is play for her.”
It’s gut-wrenching. I could write words here trying to imagine what Thomas might be feeling, but that doesn’t feel appropriate nor could it be representative of his actual emotions. Our heart goes out to Thomas.
