Isaiah Thomas debut

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I'm actually surprised he even got 1 T. He slammed the ball in a demonstrative way but I thought they usually let that go since he caught it about waist high. It was really more like a power dribble. It's not like he slammed it and let it bounce ten feet in the air like a super-ball I would've bought at the supermarket for a quarter in 1988.

Dude, I love those. I remember using them as a kid, but also when I was in college, standing on the third-floor landing in my dorm's stairwell, throwing it all the way down to the basement and seeing if I could get it to bounce all the way back up to the third floor. 

As for IT's debut, I thought it was great. Loved seeing him attack the rim and get into the paint. His assist-to-TO ratio was bad, but it was his first game and he has lots to learn about the Cs plays and players. Once he was ejected (terrible officiating job), Boston's chances decreased dramatically.

I'll also add that Boston needs at least one more rim attacker, because once IT takes a breather, there's no one left who can force the defense to react.

[The One]

Oh...I thought IT was solid, he did what he does best. Nice addition, the ball handling will really help too. Good work Danny. We look pretty fair in the back court.

Now please find us a center that can defend. (although Zeller is a nice backup) And while you at it, an athletic power forward would be nice. Oh...and a small forward that knows how to play without the ball in his hands would be great.

Gee...that's not asking for much.

[Evantime34]

I thought he looked great. He is the only player on the team that can consistently get his own shot. He's going to make it easier for his teammates to score by forcing the defense to focus on him.

His defense was better than I thought it would be too.

The tech was bogus. First he got called for an offensive foul because he knocked a guys hand away who was hand checking him. Jeremy Lin was stiff arming defenders the entire game yet IT gets called for an offensive foul for stopping a guy from fouling him.

I've seen people slam the ball down before without getting a tech, IT gets two for doing that?

[vinnie]

Thomas reminds me of Tiny Archibald.

I just wish KO would get back.

Please stop. Tiny Archibald is a hall of famer. Thomas might never even make an all star game. Tiny Archibald dominated basketball games. He would score 30 points and have 15 assists. There might be some comparison in style, but that is it. I like Thomas, but he's no Tiny.

And, while I like the guy a lot, there is a nagging question in my head -- why is he already on his third NBA team? I hope he works out here, but I still believe that he is going to end up a key trade piece to get the Celts one of the superstars they need to become relevant again.

The talent in the league is better now than it was in Archibald's day.

Thomas is very similar to Archibald, but more athletic.

This is beyond laughable. My guess is you never saw Tiny play.

[D.o.s.]

I never saw Archibald, what's the difference?

[hpantazo]

Thomas reminds me of Tiny Archibald.

I just wish KO would get back.

Please stop. Tiny Archibald is a hall of famer. Thomas might never even make an all star game. Tiny Archibald dominated basketball games. He would score 30 points and have 15 assists. There might be some comparison in style, but that is it. I like Thomas, but he's no Tiny.

And, while I like the guy a lot, there is a nagging question in my head -- why is he already on his third NBA team? I hope he works out here, but I still believe that he is going to end up a key trade piece to get the Celts one of the superstars they need to become relevant again.

The talent in the league is better now than it was in Archibald's day.

Thomas is very similar to Archibald, but more athletic.

This is beyond laughable. My guess is you never saw Tiny play.

Agreed. The talent in the league is better now than in the past argument is totally off-base. You could make a case for athleticism being better now, but talent is far worse nowadays imo due to lack of fundamentals and major watering down of talent by expansion of the league

[vinnie]

I never saw Archibald, what's the difference?

The difference? Tiny Archibald dominated the basketball game and is a hall of famer. IT is an excellent player/athlete for his size, but doesn't come close to the playmaking and passing skills of Tiny.

[LooseCannon]

It'd be reasonable to say Thomas reminds you of Archibald if Thomas had a similar skill set, but not to the same level.  I think everyone agrees that Thomas is not a HOF player, so the question is whether Thomas has the same strengths, just not to the same degree.

[action781]

Oh...I thought IT was solid, he did what he does best. Nice addition, the ball handling will really help too. Good work Danny. We look pretty fair in the back court.

Now please find us a center that can defend. (although Zeller is a nice backup) And while you at it, an athletic power forward would be nice. Oh...and a small forward that knows how to play without the ball in his hands would be great.

Jae Crowder may be that SF.  I'm becoming a bigger fan every time I watch him.  Maybe/maybe not a starter, but certainly a rotational player that I'd like to see stick around.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I call our players any and everything as a nickname and now I'm calling Isaiah I-4 (I4). I make it as short and easy as possible LOL. Yes, it's because I'm a lazy.

[footey]

Isaiah Thomas is so good, he makes it clear how mediocre our other players are on offense, such as Smart, Turn(ov)er, Bradley, Crowder, Young.   He is so fast, and such a quick decision maker. His stature is so irrelevant.  I love the energy he brings to our offense. The other players can't keep up with him LOL.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I never saw Archibald, what's the difference?

The difference? Tiny Archibald dominated the basketball game and is a hall of famer. IT is an excellent player/athlete for his size, but doesn't come close to the playmaking and passing skills of Tiny.

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but I believe the initial reference to Archibald in this thread was that Thomas reminds the person of Archibald, not that Thomas is as good as Archibald or better than Archibald. Crucial difference.

[SHAQATTACK]

I like " IT".




 

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I like " IT".




 

LOL I use that too but my brain always hears/says it instead of I-T and it weirds me out. KO looks more like Cousin It than I4 does hahahahaha.

[Chris22]

Thomas reminds me of Tiny Archibald.

I just wish KO would get back.

Please stop. Tiny Archibald is a hall of famer. Thomas might never even make an all star game. Tiny Archibald dominated basketball games. He would score 30 points and have 15 assists. There might be some comparison in style, but that is it. I like Thomas, but he's no Tiny.

And, while I like the guy a lot, there is a nagging question in my head -- why is he already on his third NBA team? I hope he works out here, but I still believe that he is going to end up a key trade piece to get the Celts one of the superstars they need to become relevant again.

The talent in the league is better now than it was in Archibald's day.

Thomas is very similar to Archibald, but more athletic.

This is beyond laughable. My guess is you never saw Tiny play.

Agreed. The talent in the league is better now than in the past argument is totally off-base. You could make a case for athleticism being better now, but talent is far worse nowadays imo due to lack of fundamentals and major watering down of talent by expansion of the league

On March 18, 2014, Thomas recorded his first career triple-double with 24 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in a 117-111 overtime win over the Washington Wizards; giving him status as the shortest player to ever record a triple-double in the NBA.

During his last season with the Kings, Thomas joined the likes of Calvin Murphy, Dana Barros, Damon Stoudamire, and Michael Adams as the only players under 6'0" tall to average over 20 points per game and 6 assists per game in a season.