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Key Moment
Just when things felt as if they were slipping away from the Celtics Wednesday night at the Garden, Isaiah Thomas brought them back.
Boston had blown what had once been a 12-point lead and allowed the visiting Mavericks to take a 70-66 lead – its largest of the game – on a 3-pointer by Wesley Matthews at the 6:15 mark of the fourth quarter.
Following that bucket, groans could be heard inside TD Garden. It was as if every fan in the building was simultaneously thinking, “We’re going to lose to a far less talented team for the second time in as many games?”
It sure felt like such was going to be the case. At least until Thomas took over.
Thomas dropped in a trey of his own just 17 seconds after Barnes hit his to bring Boston back within one. Then, after Barnes scored another basket, Thomas canned three free throws after he was fouled on another 3-point attempt from the right wing. Those freebies tied the game up at 72-72.
And it didn’t stop there. The ultra-quick point guard went coast-to-coast after a turnover by Barnes to make it seven Celtics points in a row and to put his team back on top 78-76 with 3:17 remaining.
By the time the final buzzer sounded, Thomas had tallied 22 points during the fourth quarter alone and 20 during the final 5:58 of the contest. His scoring single-handedly pushed the Celtics ahead by 10 points and allowed them to pull out the 90-83 victory.
Thomas may be only 5-foot-9, but he put the entire Celtics team on his back Wednesday night.
Key Player
We already gave Isaiah Thomas his love. We can’t pass on giving Avery Bradley his, too.
Bradley recorded Boston’s only double-double Wednesday night by tallying 18 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. His 13 boards were nearly double the next-highest total by any Celtic, which was seven by Marcus Smart.
Wednesday’s performance marked the sixth double-double of Bradley’s season (11 games). The rest of Boston’s team combined has totaled only two double-doubles.
To make this occurrence even more fascinating, try this stat on for size: Bradley had totaled only two double-doubles during his first six seasons in the NBA. He now has six in the last 19 days.
Box Score Nuggets
- Boston out-rebounded Dallas by a count of 53-32.
- Dallas committed only nine turnovers.
- Avery Bradley grabbed a game-high and career-high 13 rebounds.
- The C's prevented the Mavs from scoring a single fast break point.
- Two Mavs scored 22 or more points: Harrison Barnes with 28 and Wesley Matthews with 22.
- Isaiah Thomas led the game in scoring with 30 points, marking his second straight 30-point game.
- The two teams totaled just 24 points during the second quarter.
- Dallas attempted only one free throw during the first half.
- Terry Rozier led the game in blocked shots with two swats.
- Thomas and J.J. Barea tied for the game high in assists with six apiece.
- Thomas attempted (16) and made (13) more free throws than the entire Mavs team, which shot 7-for-10 from the line.
- Andrew Bogut committed as many fouls (six) as he scored points.
- Deron Williams started and played 9:34 before exiting with an injury. He did not total a single point, rebound or assist while he was on the court.
- Boston outscored Dallas 44-26 in the paint.
- Neither team's bench totaled more than 22 points.
Quote of the Night
Brad Stevens on Isaiah Thomas' 22-point fourth quarter.