Isaiah Thomas is Always Looking to Get Better

Isaiah Thomas continues to be motivated to improve his impact with the Boston Celtics

During his one and a half seasons with the Boston Celtics, Isaiah Thomas has been their best offensive player, and no one else is really close. Even coming off the bench he was the leading scorer, and then, last year, Thomas stepped up as a distributor. Everyone knows the kind of chip Thomas has on his shoulder and he is constantly motivated to excel as much as possible.

Last offseason, Thomas talked about how he was looking to Steve Nash to try and expand what he was capable of doing with his shot. This offseason, Thomas had this to say (Via Basketball Insiders Alex Kennedy)

"I’m doing a lot of off-the-dribble threes just because that’s something I shot a lower percentage on and that’s something that I do a lot, where I got the ball in my hands and I’m dribbling and I need to be able to shoot better off of the dribble. I’m pretty good at catch-and-shoot and spot-ups and stuff like that. My main focus this year was extending my range, getting a quicker release on my jump shot and being able to pull-up from anywhere. When the defense has their hands down, I want to be shot-ready at all times. That was my main focus and then also just getting better at everything else"

The greatest part of Thomas’ game last season was how well he adapted to be the best in that offensive system. Thomas knows the Celtics need the easier looks created by ball movement to overcome their poor shooting. He also realizes how important their pace is, and how aggressive he needs to be as a scorer. Thomas did exactly what Stevens needed and that allowed them to get the best out of the talent they had around him.

In that quote Thomas emphasizes taking advantage any time a defender is slacking. Thomas wants to be a threat all over the court at all times, and he wants to punish defenders that are not respecting him from wherever he is a threat. Thomas wants to make sure that he can get the most out of his offensive game, and he can certainly improve on last season.

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Thomas’ ability to balance scoring and distributing while limiting his turnovers was remarkable. That being said, he was much better attacking in the paint last season. Thomas realizes that he has left something to be desired with the way he has shot. 35.6 percent from three made Thomas was of the best on the Celtics, but it is nothing spectacular. Thomas channeled most of his aggressiveness to driving to the rim, and he was tied for first in the league in that area. Now, Thomas wants to use the same aggressiveness as a shooter while remaining effective.

Thomas specifically addressed shooting off the dribble because of how much he plays with the ball in his hands. Thomas has identified where he needs to be better in order to improve that percentage. Thomas has the potential to be a stellar shooter from all over the court.

Mar 16, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) and center Steven Adams (12) in the second half at TD Garden. Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Celtics 130-109. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

His overall shooting percentage of 42.8 percent is also a bit disappointing. The Celtics play in a way that accommodates a lot of missed shots, but Thomas realizes that their offense will only be at its best when they are efficient. If the Celtics improve finishing as a team then they play at a pace that will allow them to be a top three scoring team and even top in the Eastern Conference.

Thomas sets the tone on the offensive end, and he can do that by improving that efficiency, without sacrificing any of the aggressiveness or pace. In fact, Thomas sounds as if he is specifically working on becoming more effective in situations where he is being aggressive, rather than only being strong with open threes created for him.

Thomas has been everything to the Celtics on offense, and he has already proven that he can greatly improve his game and impact. Thomas has given the Celtics no reason to doubt him and he is going to be a key piece to the future of this team.

Thomas is also going to have the additional luxury of Al Horford. The best offensive teammate Thomas has had in Boston should open things up for him. Hoford’s presence and ability to score will also generate better opportunities for Thomas. For once, Thomas will have another player that can have a significant impact creating for others. Thomas has always been responsible for creating for everyone and shooting efficiency should be helped by that alone.

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The Celtics need the very best Thomas can offer, and Thomas continues to redefine what his potential best can be. Thomas has already proven himself in the NBA, but those aspirations will never let him slow down.

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