Getty Former Boston Celtics star Isaiah Thomas reflects on the grueling postseason after the tragic death of his sister in 2017.
Over the course of their rich NBA history, the Boston Celtics have seen some heartwarming moments, and they’ve seen their share of heartbreaking ones, too. It’s hard to argue that Boston’s most emotional moments in franchise history came during a stretch when Isaiah Thomas put the team on his back after the tragic death of his young sister Chyna.
Chyna died on April 15, 2017, and Thomas played the next day in a playoff game against the Chicago Bulls. He erupted for 53 points on Tuesday, May 2, 2017, a day that Chyna would have turned 23. Thomas recently spoke about that grueling time in his life and the advice he got from his inner circle on how to get through the toughest moment of his life.
Isaiah Thomas Was Simply Told To Be Himself Around His Teammates
Thomas somehow managed to play the day after Chyna was killed in a car accident. The Celtics hosted the Bulls in Game 1 of the opening round of the playoffs. Thomas gutted his way through a 33-point effort in a 106-102 loss.
Thomas has been a fan-favorite since Day 1. Celtics fans appreciated the effort from the 5-foot-9 point guard who always gave his all. Recently during an appearance on the “View From the Rafters” podcast, Thomas said that while he believed the tragedy of his sister’s death brought he and the fan base closer, he felt a little distance between himself and his teammates.
“That was a difficult series,” Thomas said on the podcast. “Everybody knows what I was going through, not just off the court, but on the court, I wasn’t 100 percent as well.
“It was difficult in the sense that I was going through some real s*** in real life, and then my teammates didn’t know how to interact or act around me. The energy that we built the last two years kind of got thrown out the window just because I was going through a real-life situation.”
That’s when Thomas got some simple advice from those close to him.
“The first two games, I was there physically, but mentally, I was back home,” he said. “I remember talking to some important people that I had in my circle and them telling me that if you’re going to try and play through, you’ve got to try to be as normal as possible, especially around your teammates because they’re walking on eggshells as well. They’re sensitive about the situation. They don’t really know how to treat the situation or treat me.”
Thomas Lit It Up on Chyna’s Birthday
Thomas certainly had the support of his teammates, and he said he was grateful for their backing.
“I thank my teammates first and foremost for sticking with me and being so respectful of everything that was going on,” Thomas said. “Most importantly, just being there for me. Each and every one of my teammates, and not just my teammates. The coaching staff, the video coordinators, equipment managers, everybody was literally there for me.”
The Celtics dropped the first two games to the Bulls before bouncing back with four straight wins to close out the series in six games. Next up, the Washington Wizards.
Immediately following the Game 6 win over the Bulls, Thomas flew cross country to Washington to attend Chyna’s funeral. He was questionable for Game 1 against the Wizards, but he made it just in time. In Game 2, on what would have been Chyna’s 23rd birthday, Thomas torched the Wizards to the tune of 53 points in a 129-119 overtime win.
During the Game 1 win, Thomas lost a tooth after taking an elbow to the mouth. He underwent 13 hours of dental surgery between Game 1 and Game 2. Still , he put up 53 points.
“I really don’t know how it happened,” he said. “It was one of those games where I felt like I was really in the gym by myself. I wasn’t hearing the crowd or anything. I was just so locked in. It was bigger than that actual game for me and my family.
“That’s a zone I’ve never been in. It felt like somebody was there with me. When I got in the zone later in the game, it felt like I was at the YMCA with my sister like I was when I was a kid.”