Isaiah Thomas Is Averaging 28.0 PPG (5th Best In Entire NBA)

[Phantom255x]

I mean.. all of us here in the forums and this blog marveled in the last 2-3 years at how the likes of Carmelo, Cousins, Harden and Durant were averaging 27+ PPG each season. We also spent a lot of the final 2 years with Rondo complaining about how Rondo couldn't shoot well and wishing we had a PG who could score (put the ball through the basket).

Now we have Isaiah Thomas, a point guard who has improved significantly and is averaging 28.0 PPG for us (becoming a premium scorer and also a good closer for now). He is even averaging 6 assists a game, and not turning the ball over as frequently as before. Also, IT isn't far off from being 3rd in scoring, as Harden is 3rd with 28.2 PPG (had that 40 point game against Toronto last night). 

Seriously people, you don't trade players like Isaiah Thomas or let them walk in FA. Really hope things work out and "the little guy" stays with this team long term. Championship teams NEED premium scorers as well, and IT is proving to be one of them. Kyrie Irving is not the #1 piece on the championship Cavaliers... but he's still a key price, don't you think? IT can definitely be a #2 or #3 piece on this contending team.

Finding the #1 option alongside IT/Horford/Smart/Bradley/Brown/Crowder should be the goal, and Zizic coming in next season should also help big time.

[The One]

Good point...the Celtics have a premium scorer now.

But I think we are all wondering about the playoffs.  His production has fallen off a cliff.

Will that trend continue this year?

[PaulAllen]

I made a similar point on another post ...

Yes he is the scorer that the team needs so I dont think DA has better leverage to keep the Nets pick... He is on pace with the Bird in his prime .... Yes I know league scoring has inflated but still playing out of the universe...

[saltlover]

Good point...the Celtics have a premium scorer now.

But I think we are all wondering about the playoffs.  His production has fallen off a cliff.

Will that trend continue this year?

Last year he averaged 22 points per game in the regular season and 24 points per game in the playoffs, so I'm not sure what cliff you're talking about.

[Phantom255x]

Good point...the Celtics have a premium scorer now.

But I think we are all wondering about the playoffs.  His production has fallen off a cliff.

Will that trend continue this year?

Maybe some other players should step up then.

Isaiah Thomas is one of the only reasons we won two games in that Hawks series (with some help from Smart in Game 4 and I guess some contributions from Turner).

If I'm not mistaken IT averaged like 25 PPG that whole series. I think he was doing his job. Unfortunately Bradley was injured and Crowder played injured.. so there wasn't another reliable shooter, which is hardly Isaiah Thomas's fault (unless you're about to tell me "he should have been scoring around 30 PPG then"..)

[TheSundanceKid]

Good point...the Celtics have a premium scorer now.

But I think we are all wondering about the playoffs.  His production has fallen off a cliff.

Will that trend continue this year?

Maybe some other players should step up then.

Isaiah Thomas is one of the only reasons we won two games in that Hawks series (with some help from Smart in Game 4 and I guess some contributions from Turner).

If I'm not mistaken IT averaged like 25 PPG that whole series. I think he was doing his job. Unfortunately Bradley was injured and Crowder played injured.. so there wasn't another reliable shooter, which is hardly Isaiah Thomas's fault (unless you're about to tell me "he should have been scoring around 30 PPG then"..)

Exactly, you can't blame a guy for not carrying his team past Cleveland and what was a strong Atlanta side. Lebron James he is not, although even Lebron wasn't carrying his guys past the Cs at ITs age

[bdm860]

Would have led the league in '99 and '11.  If he ups it a little more, he could have led the league in several other recent years too.

'99: Iverson, 26.75
'04: McGrady, 28.03
'11: Durant, 27.71
'12: Durant, 28.03
'13: Anthony, 28.66
'15: Westbrook, 28.15

Not that 28ppg isn't impressive, but it would really be something to lead the league.

[Moranis]

Gilbert Arenas hit those numbers, not quite as efficient, but not terribly inefficient either.  If we were talking about Gilbert Arenas, would you feel the same way?  What about Alex English?  Adrian Dantley?  World B. Free?  Dale Ellis?  Bernard King?  Jerry Stackhouse?  All players in the same general production range (some bigger so more rebounds and less assists). 

I'm not suggesting Thomas isn't better than those players, but he might not be either, and none of those guys were ever #1 or even #2 type players on contending teams. 

[Phantom255x]

Good point...the Celtics have a premium scorer now.

But I think we are all wondering about the playoffs.  His production has fallen off a cliff.

Will that trend continue this year?

Maybe some other players should step up then.

Isaiah Thomas is one of the only reasons we won two games in that Hawks series (with some help from Smart in Game 4 and I guess some contributions from Turner).

If I'm not mistaken IT averaged like 25 PPG that whole series. I think he was doing his job. Unfortunately Bradley was injured and Crowder played injured.. so there wasn't another reliable shooter, which is hardly Isaiah Thomas's fault (unless you're about to tell me "he should have been scoring around 30 PPG then"..)

Exactly, you can't blame a guy for not carrying his team past Cleveland and what was a strong Atlanta side. Lebron James he is not, although even Lebron wasn't carrying his guys past the Cs at ITs age

Yeah, Lebron is the best basketball player in the world, but it's not like he doesn't have help.

You think LBJ is winning his championships without DWade and Bosh in their primes? Or Irving and Love right now? We also saw what happened when Irving and Love went down two years ago. LBJ played great but the Warriors overwhelmed them in the second half of that series.

[The One]

Good point...the Celtics have a premium scorer now.

But I think we are all wondering about the playoffs.  His production has fallen off a cliff.

Will that trend continue this year?

Last year he averaged 22 points per game in the regular season and 24 points per game in the playoffs, so I'm not sure what cliff you're talking about.

Specifically his percentages:
Regular Season w/BOS: FG% - 43.3% / 3P% - 36.1%

Playoffs: FG% - 37.6% / 3P% - 25.0%

[saltlover]

Good point...the Celtics have a premium scorer now.

But I think we are all wondering about the playoffs.  His production has fallen off a cliff.

Will that trend continue this year?

Last year he averaged 22 points per game in the regular season and 24 points per game in the playoffs, so I'm not sure what cliff you're talking about.

Specifically his percentages:
Regular Season w/BOS: FG% - 43.3% / 3P% - 36.1%

Playoffs: FG% - 37.6% / 3P% - 25.0%

Yeah, that's more what we call efficiency than production.  Considering no one else could even make an open basket vs. Atlanta, I don't know why you're worried about IT.  If the team isn't down 2-3 of its best shooters, IT will be fine.  If they are, as they were last year, it won't really matter.  Once Atlanta realized after game 4 that they just needed to force IT to pass, it was all over.

The disappearing for the playoffs is a tired argument for a guy who single-handedly won game 3 and was the principle reason we won game 4.

[BitterJim]

Good point...the Celtics have a premium scorer now.

But I think we are all wondering about the playoffs.  His production has fallen off a cliff.

Will that trend continue this year?

Last year he averaged 22 points per game in the regular season and 24 points per game in the playoffs, so I'm not sure what cliff you're talking about.

Specifically his percentages:
Regular Season w/BOS: FG% - 43.3% / 3P% - 36.1%

Playoffs: FG% - 37.6% / 3P% - 25.0%

Only his 3p% was effected - his 2p% went from 46.2% in the regular season to 46.6% in the playoffs

Edit: 2s and 6s are different numbers

[Moranis]

Good point...the Celtics have a premium scorer now.

But I think we are all wondering about the playoffs.  His production has fallen off a cliff.

Will that trend continue this year?

Last year he averaged 22 points per game in the regular season and 24 points per game in the playoffs, so I'm not sure what cliff you're talking about.

Specifically his percentages:
Regular Season w/BOS: FG% - 43.3% / 3P% - 36.1%

Playoffs: FG% - 37.6% / 3P% - 25.0%

Only his 3p% was effected - his 2p% went from 42.2% in the regular season to 42.6% in the playoffs

Yeah, that is why I hate the FG% stat.  Everyone should always use 2PT and 3PT separately.

[bdm860]

Good point...the Celtics have a premium scorer now.

But I think we are all wondering about the playoffs.  His production has fallen off a cliff.

Will that trend continue this year?

Last year he averaged 22 points per game in the regular season and 24 points per game in the playoffs, so I'm not sure what cliff you're talking about.

Specifically his percentages:
Regular Season w/BOS: FG% - 43.3% / 3P% - 36.1%

Playoffs: FG% - 37.6% / 3P% - 25.0%

Only his 3p% was effected - his 2p% went from 42.2% in the regular season to 42.6% in the playoffs

Ahem, 46.2% and 46.6%.

Isaiah Thomas is offended that you apparently confused him with Marcus Smart. 

[BitterJim]

Good point...the Celtics have a premium scorer now.

But I think we are all wondering about the playoffs.  His production has fallen off a cliff.

Will that trend continue this year?

Last year he averaged 22 points per game in the regular season and 24 points per game in the playoffs, so I'm not sure what cliff you're talking about.

Specifically his percentages:
Regular Season w/BOS: FG% - 43.3% / 3P% - 36.1%

Playoffs: FG% - 37.6% / 3P% - 25.0%

Only his 3p% was effected - his 2p% went from 42.2% in the regular season to 42.6% in the playoffs

Ahem, 46.2% and 46.6%.

Isaiah Thomas is offended that you apparently confused him with Marcus Smart. 

Oh crap, you're right! I'm sorry Isaiah, I swear I know how numbers work

TP for the catch

Good point...the Celtics have a premium scorer now.

But I think we are all wondering about the playoffs.  His production has fallen off a cliff.

Will that trend continue this year?

Last year he averaged 22 points per game in the regular season and 24 points per game in the playoffs, so I'm not sure what cliff you're talking about.

Specifically his percentages:
Regular Season w/BOS: FG% - 43.3% / 3P% - 36.1%

Playoffs: FG% - 37.6% / 3P% - 25.0%

Only his 3p% was effected - his 2p% went from 42.2% in the regular season to 42.6% in the playoffs

Yeah, that is why I hate the FG% stat.  Everyone should always use 2PT and 3PT separately.

Agreed.  FG% might have been useful before 3s became so popular, but at this point it's just misleading