Isaiah Thomas came up huge for the Boston Celtics with a clutch game-winning jumper to beat the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night
The Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks found themselves in a tight one on Friday night with the NBA paving the way for a heavy slate of football on the weekend. Playing at home, the Hawks led by one point with just seconds remaining on the clock. Any time at all would prove to be enough for the Celtics. More specifically, it would prove to be enough for the dynamic and clutch Isaiah Thomas.
Despite big performances from the Hawks bench players like Malcolm Delaney and Tim Hardaway Jr. the Celtics remained in the game. The score was 101-100 with just seconds left on the clock and they had the ball. Naturally, they let their diminutive point guard take the rock and go to work.
Thomas attacked to the right elbow off of the dribble and got his body into Kent Bazemore and—without pushing off—was able to step back and fade away to create separation. In doing so, the point guard got a jumper off. As he’s made a habit of doing since taking a starring role in Boston, Thomas watched the clutch shot fall through the bottom of the net:
If this were anyone besides Thomas, there might have been an even bigger reaction. However, the guard has been making a habit of big moments in the clutch as of late.
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As the Celtics have really started to turn it on as of late—winners in six of their last seven games—Thomas has been pivotal. Whenever Boston needs a bucket late, they’ve turned his way. If he’s making shots and plays like this, it’s not hard to see why that’s been so.