20150222-BOSLAL

Marc D'Amico

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LOS ANGELES – Isaiah Thomas made his first appearance with the Celtics Sunday night in Los Angeles.  He sure didn’t disappoint, at least for the first 43 minutes of the game.

Thomas joined the Celtics Saturday night, arriving in L.A. along with his reputation as an offensive sparkplug.  He could have won an Oscar for his performance in that role.

Brad Stevens called his name for the first time with with 5:27 left in the first quarter of Sunday's game.  It didn’t take long for the 5-foot-9 point guard to start heating up.

Thomas scored his first points as a Celtic less than a minute after he checked in, putting home a driving layup in the lane.  By the time the first half had come to a close, he had already racked up 15 points – more than any Celtics player averaged per game heading into the contest.

How did one of Thomas’ new teammates sum up the first-half run?

“Explosiveness,” Evan Turner said, “explains everything.”

Thomas showcased a wide-ranging offensive repertoire that Los Angeles could not contain.  He hit driving layups, fadeaways and 3-pointers, and he got to the free-throw line on the regular.  Thomas made one acrobatic up-and-under layup along the baseline that caused eyes to pop along press row.

“It’s what he does,” Stevens said of Thomas’ balanced offensive play.  “He’s a good player.  He’s a scorer, and he can also get inside and make plays for others.”

The latter skill was on display during the second half, when Thomas dished out three beautiful assists to his teammates.  He also scored six more points, taking his total to 21 on the night, during his 10 second-half minutes.

Wait - only 10 second-half minutes?  How could the most electric player in the game log only 10 second-half minutes?

That’s where the final five minutes of the game come into play.

Nearly 43 minutes of game time had ticked off of the clock before Thomas was whistled for an offensive foul at the 5:03 mark of the fourth quarter.  Referee Tony Brothers claimed that Thomas pushed off on his defender, and Thomas took exception to the call.

The point guard showcased his displeasure by slamming the ball into the ground, prompting Brothers to whistle Thomas for a technical foul.  Thomas then picked up a second tech by tossing the ball toward Brothers.

Just like that, Thomas' impressive night was over, and the Celtics had lost their most effective scoring threat.

“You need scorers on the floor late in the game,” a visibly upset Stevens said after the game.  He later added, “He’s got to be there at the end.”

Thomas was instead back in the locker room taking a premature shower as his Celtics drifted toward a loss.

Boston trailed by four points at the time of the ejection.  Seventy seconds later, its deficit had ballooned to nine points, matching the largest deficit of the game at that time.  The Celtics managed to force overtime but lacked the offensive firepower to outlast the Lakers, falling 118-111.

As the team made its way back into the locker room, Thomas was there awaiting them.  He had something he needed to get off of his chest.

“He came in and apologized to us,” Marcus Smart stated.  “He understands that he made a mistake.”

Based on all reports, it sounds as if Thomas’ apology was accepted.  His teammates, Smart included, are not holding the ejection against their new teammate.

“You can’t fault him for that,” Smart said.  “He was passionate.  It was a mistake that anyone else could make.  You live with that type of mistake because he was out there giving it his all.”

Turner later added, “Obviously he wanted to be out there to help us.  It’s his first impression, but we don’t think negatively of him.”

Depending on context, one could argue that Turner’s statement is incorrect.

Thomas’ first impression, in fact, was that he can be a game-changing offensive threat for his new team.  He acted as such for the first 43 minutes of the game.  His second impression was that he’s susceptible to the emotion of the game, which left him in the locker room for the most critical juncture of the night.

Let’s hope that Thomas' first impression turns out to be his lasting impression.  The Celtics need him to be an offensive weapon – one that’s available during crunch time.

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Thomas Dominates in Debut Before Late Ejection

Boston Celtics

RE: Isaiah Thomas' ejection and the fourth quarter:

RE: How Isaiah Thomas' ejection affected the game:

RE: If Boston has trouble keeping momentum:

RE: The Celtics' performance in overtime:

RE: If it's difficult to keep momentum rolling heading into overtime:

RE: What Isaiah Thomas said to the team after the game:

RE: If he thought about fouling Avery Bradley before his OT-forcing shot:

RE: If he enjoys this win more than others:

RE: If the Celtics-Lakers rivalry motivated the team:

RE: Los Angeles' difficulty closing out games:

RE: Why it's tough for LA to close out fourth quarters:

RE: He and Jeremy Lin both scoring season highs:

RE: If this game will spark the Lakers going forward:

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That's What He Said - Celtics at Lakers

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It’s difficult to win an NBA game without two of your best players.  The Celtics learned that lesson the hard way Sunday night in Los Angeles.

Boston, already without the services of Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk due to injuries, lost two of their top guards late in the contest.  First, Isaiah Thomas headed to the locker room with 5:03 remaining in the game.  Next it was Marcus Smart, who exited the game for the final time with 12.4 seconds left in regulation.

Thomas, who had scored 21 points in 25 minutes of action, was ejected from the game after reacting to an offensive foul call that went against him.  Brad Stevens later explained that Thomas picked up the first technical for slamming the basketball to the ground, and the second tech was whistled after Thomas tossed the ball in the direction of the referee.  Boston trailed by just four points at the time of the ejection.

Smart’s exit came as a result of being whistled for six personal fouls.  He fouled out after purposefully reaching in on Nick Young to stop the clock late in regulation.  The C’s trailed by two points when the foul was committed.

Boston somehow managed to force overtime after losing two of their top guards.  Avery Bradley hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie things up at 106-106, but the offense lagged during the extra session and Los Angeles pulled away for the 118-111 win.

Los Angeles opened overtime with a 6-0 run while the Celtics missed their first five shots.  Boston tallied only five points during overtime.

The Celtics are going to need Jae Crowder to step up in the absence of Jared Sullinger.  Crowder certainly got off to a good start in doing so Sunday night.

Crowder’s role has expanded to include minutes at power forward.  He’s expanding his numbers, too.  The forward logged 30 minutes of playing time against Los Angeles while tying his career high with 22 points.  He also contributed seven rebounds, which was the second-highest total on the team.

Long-range shooting hasn’t been a strength of Crowder’s, so he decided to get to the basket during this game.  Nine of his 14 shots were attempted from inside the arc.  He shot 7-of-9 from the field on those attempts.  Crowder also converted on all five of his free throws.

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Ford Keys to the Game: Lakers 118, Celtics 111

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Photos: Celtics vs. Lakers - Feb. 22, 2015

PLAYA VISTA, Calif. – The Celtics were dealt a devastating blow Saturday night when they learned that Jared Sullinger is lost for the remainder of the season with a stress fracture in his left foot.

Sullinger was initially diagnosed Friday morning with a stress reaction to the fourth metatarsal in his left foot, but that diagnosis was amended after his Saturday morning flight back to Boston.

"What we sent him home for was not only to get him started on whatever he needs to do from a rehab standpoint, but (also) to get more imaging,” Brad Stevens said Sunday morning at the Clippers practice facility.  “From what I've been told, the imaging has shown a more significant issue than we originally thought."

The original diagnosis of a stress reaction prompted Stevens to tell reporters on Friday that Sullinger would not be available “anytime soon.”  Sullinger, meanwhile, termed the length of his expected absence to be “a little bit.”  Such forecasts have quickly been overcome by news that the big man will miss the remainder of this season.

Surgery will not be required to heal the injury, according to Stevens.  This is an injury that simply needs time and rehabilitation to heal.

That being said, Sullinger’s injury remains a serious concern for Boston.  It could recur if the healing process does not complete itself.

“That's why you take the appropriate amount of time to let it heal,” said Stevens.  “Yes, it could be an issue (in the future) if you don't do that, but that's why you have to do it.”

Sullinger will be wearing a boot on his left foot for at least the next six weeks, according to Stevens.  During that time, Boston’s training staff will monitor his progress, all while attempting to maintain or improve the power forward’s conditioning, likely via swimming exercises.

In the meantime, the Celtics will attempt to move on without their most productive player.  Boston continues to have its eyes set on a berth into the playoffs.  Sullinger’s injury has undoubtedly dealt a substantial blow to those hopes.

Sullinger had averaged team highs of 14.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game through 51 games.  Replacing such production will be a tall order.  As Stevens commented, “We won’t have anybody be exactly like him.”

The most likely sources to fill in for Sullinger are Brandon Bass, Kelly Olynyk and Tyler Zeller.  Each of those players is averaging between 20 and 25 minutes of playing time this season.  Each player is likely to see his playing time jump by five or so minutes per game for the remainder of the season.  Newly acquired Jonas Jerebko may also see an increase in playing time from the 15.3 minutes per game he averaged with the Detroit Pistons.

Bass, Olynyk, Zeller and Jerebko have each proven that they are capable of making an impact in the NBA when given extended playing time.  Their impact, however, may not be able to match that of Sullinger.

Friday’s news of a stress reaction was bad for Sullinger and the Celtics.  Saturday’s news of a stress fracture was even worse.

There are no ifs, ands or buts about it: this is a devastating injury for the Boston Celtics.

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Second Round of Tests Drops Sullinger for Season

Here are five things to watch out for when the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers meet at 9:30 p.m. tonight at the STAPLES Center.

Celtics newcomers Isaiah Thomas, Jonas Jerebko and Luigi Datome may get their first taste of action with the C’s during tonight’s game against the Lakers.  Jerebko and Datome are sure to be available, while Thomas is a bit more of a question mark after undergoing physicals Saturday morning in Boston.

Jerebko and Datome should be easy fits into the Celtics lineup, simply because they are unlikely to have major roles.  (Although with Jared Sullinger sidelined, those roles could be substantial until he returns.)  Thomas is a bit of a different story.

There is no doubt that Thomas will garner major minutes with Boston.  He was a 20-points-per-game scorer as a starter with the Kings last season and he was great off the bench this season with Phoenix.  The question here with Boston is: will he start or will he come off the bench?

This is a major decision that Brad Stevens needs to make, because it will affect the rest of his rotation when it comes to lineups and who plays with who.  One thing we already know is that Stevens is not worried about Thomas stunting Marcus Smart’s growth.  “I’m not worried about that,” Stevens told reporters on Friday.

Celtics fans must love the fact that this question can be asked with a straight face: Are the Los Angeles Lakers the worst team in the NBA?

LA has lost 16 of its last 17 games heading into tonight’s action.  That stretch dates all the way back to Jan. 11.

This Lakers roster is desolate when it comes to talent now that Kobe Bryant is done for the season.  Honestly, if a non-Lakers fan attempted to name LA’s starting lineup, it may go 0-for-5.  That group includes the following names: Jordan Clarkson, Wayne Ellington, Ryan Kelly, Tariq Black and Robert Sacre.

The Celtics have been waiting for this day (we think) to arrive since Jan. 22.  It sounds like Kelly Olynyk, who has missed the last 12 games with a right ankle sprain, could finally return to the lineup in Los Angeles.

Boston has managed to play some of its best basketball of the season since Olynyk suffered his injury, going 7-6 during that time, but there’s no doubt that the team is better off with the big man on the court.  His shooting and passing abilities provide so much versatility to Boston’s offense that has been missing for the past month.  Olynyk’s teammates would certainly benefit from the space that his skill set would create while he is on the floor.

Olynyk’s availability has not been made public.  He participated in part of Thursday’s practice and did not play Friday night.  The hope is that an extra day of treatment on Saturday will leave him ready to go tonight.

Friday night was an ugly one for the Celtics.  They couldn’t put the ball through the basket from anywhere on the floor.

Boston finished its eight-point loss to the Kings having made just 40.0 percent of its field goals, 27.3 percent of its 3-pointers and 57.7 percent of its free throws.  Those numbers simply aren’t good enough to win NBA games, particularly on the road.

Shooting the basketball at a more efficient rate will be a critical component of Boston’s attempt to grab a win tonight.  It needs to make shots – particularly the free ones – to get back into the win column.

George Karl coached his first game with the Kings Friday night, prompting Stevens to tell his players to expect Sacramento “to play with a renewed enthusiasm.”  Byron Scott might deliver a similar message to the Lakers heading into this game.

Boston struggled through Friday night when it had only 10 available players.  It was extremely shorthanded, missing four players (Sullinger, Olynyk, Marcus Thornton and Tayshaun Prince) who had been key parts of the rotation prior to the All-Star break.

The C’s should be juiced to have extra troops arriving tonight.  They’ve got Jerebko and Datome ready to go, and their big catch of the deadline, Thomas, could also be available to play.  If all three players are available and Olynyk returns, Boston will certainly play with a boost of energy.

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Watch It! - Celtics at Lakers

Byron Scott is making lineup changes once again for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Boston Celtics will again be without their best player, though some newcomers could make their debuts.

These proud franchises won't be bringing back memories of their glory days when they meet Sunday night in Los Angeles.

The Lakers (13-41) and Celtics (20-32) have combined for 33 NBA championships, but this matchup lacks luster just like their Dec. 5 meeting did.

That contest featured the lowest combined winning percentage (.286) for these clubs entering a head-to-head matchup in the series after the first five games of a season. They have combined for a .311 mark entering this rematch.

Boston won 113-96 on a night in which it still had Rajon Rondo while Kobe Bryant scored a team-high 22 points for Los Angeles. With those two not on the floor, there is little star power left on these rebuilding clubs.

Scott has used nine different lineups and he wasn't happy with the one he used in his club's seventh straight loss, 114-105 at home to Brooklyn on Friday. He said he would decide Sunday who to start.

"The one thing I want to do is make sure these guys stay hungry," Scott told the Lakers' official website. "I don't want guys to feel comfortable that they're going to play 25, 30 minutes a night. Also, I might just play all 12 guys and it'll be a little over 20 minutes for each guy."

Nick Young, averaging a team-high 13.3 points, will continue to come off the bench while rookie Jordan Clarkson will remain in the lineup. Clarkson is averaging 13.3 points and 3.9 assists in starting his last 11 games.

"I'm excited with the way he's playing," said Scott about Clarkson. "So far, he's come a long way in a short period of time. And obviously, like we've talked about, the summer's going to be big for him to continue to develop."

Scott could start Jordan Hill, who missed the previous five games with a hip flexor strain and came off the bench for the first time for 12 points and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes.

Boston will be without top scorer and rebounder Jared Sullinger, who is out for the foreseeable future with a stress reaction in his left foot. Sullinger averages 14.4 points and 8.1 rebounds.

The Celtics began this three-game trip with Friday's 109-101 loss to Sacramento as Isaiah Thomas, Luigi Datome and Jonas Jerebko all sat out. Thomas was acquired from Phoenix and Datome and Jerebko from Detroit, and they all could play Sunday.

Avery Bradley scored 28 points and Tyler Zeller moved into the starting lineup in place of Sullinger and had 22 points and six assists.

Rookie Marcus Smart, who has started the last six games, added 16 points for his second-highest total. Smart sat out the first meeting with the Lakers.

"The good thing about this league is you're going to have nights like that, but you can always come back," Smart told the Celtics' official website. "You've got to let it go and play the next game just like it's your last game. You've got to have a short memory."

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