Isaiah Thomas Proving That he is a Franchise Player
By Liam O'Brien
There may still be doubters, but Isaiah Thomas has proven he is a player you can build around
While discussing the status of Celtics’ all-star point guard, Isaiah Thomas, last Friday night on Comcast SportsNet New England, controversial Boston media personality Gary Tanguay did not mince words when it came to shattering the minuscule floor leaders chances of becoming a superstar.
“He’s never going to be a star,” Tanguay said via MassLive.com. “I agree. I think it’s a nice story this year. He is their best offensive option and that’s why he’s getting the shots. I think it’s going to change once he gets to the playoffs. I think things are going to be a little bit different. But I agree with you. And this could be the only year he makes the All-Star team, just because he has the opportunity, he gets the shots, he’s likable, people like him, they put him on the team. But he is not a foundation player.”
Thomas did not take lightly to the comments, sending out a since-deleted tweet which subliminally addressed Tanguay’s statement directly; “Thanks Greg Dickerson and that other guy LOL… If the hate don’t work they start telling lies. smh.”
Despite his underwhelming stature, Thomas compensates with his mammoth-sized heart and his ability to infiltrate a defense with incredible ease, and look no further than his recent performance to conclude that Tanguay is incorrect in his assertions.
Earning himself his first career all-star berth with per game averages of 21.6 points and 6.7 assists to accompany a 21.26 PER, the 5’9″, 185-pounder might not be in the class of the NBA’s upper echelon of superstars, but he has asserted himself as a someone who can become a cement lock in the league’s premier exhibition for years to come.
Need proof? Look no further than Thomas’ showing in Wednesday night’s convincing 116-93 decapitation of the surging Portland Trail Blazers at the TD Garden.
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In front of a playoff-like atmosphere against one of the Western Conference’s most formidable scoring point guards in Portland’s Damian Lillard, who had made headlines around the league by posting an average of 33.1 points per night in the seven games immediately following the All-Star break, Thomas was simply spectacular. The Tacoma, Washington product, making a statement for his followers watching in the Pacific Northwest, outplayed the two-time All-Star, in every single facet of the matchup.
Thomas recorded a game-high 30 points on 11-20 shooting from the field, and 3-6 shooting from deep in just 30 minutes of action. He also grabbed four rebounds and dished out two assists, while not committing a single turnover.
Lillard, on the other hand, scored just 20 points while taking nearly the same amount of shots (8-17), shooting more three-pointers (3-8), playing more minutes (34), and turning the ball over on three separate occasions.
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If this game is any indication, Thomas is capable of starring against the most prolific competition that the point guard position has to offer. Thomas will have more opportunity to prove critics, such as Tanguay, wrong in the next few weeks.