Isaiah Thomas didn't need a championship or anything more than a brief stay in Boston to become an all-time Celtic. In two-plus years there, he left an indelible mark on both.
Starring as a David while battling against Goliaths, the five-foot-nine guard inspired a region, a franchise, and any undersized hooper who witnessed Thomas become an MVP candidate.
Friday night, "The King of the Fourth" returned to TD Garden. The Celtics honored Thomas as part of their "Legendary Moments" campaign. It runs in conjunction with when they don their gold City Edition jerseys to commemorate iconic moments throughout the history of the NBA's original monarchy.
Sporting them for their matchup against the Miami Heat made for the perfect time to relive when the two-time All-Star erupted for 52 points vs. that same opponent in December 2016. Thomas set a franchise record that night, generating 29 points in the final frame.
"It felt like I was in the gym by myself."
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 19, 2025
The @isaiahthomas 52-piece still hits so hard 😤 pic.twitter.com/3hI1YWneG4
"It was like a normal flow of a game, and then, something, I don't know what it was. It felt like I was really in the gym by myself, just getting up shots," said Thomas while discussing that night in a video shared by the Celtics on social media. "Once I was in those fourth quarters, I got super aggressive, my teammates found me, and I just embraced it."
"I'm always gonna remember that game. I'm always gonna remember those moments. Not too many people can say they scored 50 points in a Celtics uniform. So, I'm gonna always remember Dec. 30, 2016."
Joe Mazzulla thanks Isaiah Thomas
With the former All-NBA selection sitting courtside, one chair over from owner Bill Chisholm, Boston buried 10 threes in the fourth quarter. That's a new franchise record. The hosts' hot shooting helped propel them to a 129-116 victory.
After the win, Joe Mazzulla spoke eloquently about Thomas's return. That included adding a splash of humor, referencing when the TD Garden jumbotron went from airing a video of the former Celtics star pumping up the fans for the start of the final frame from his playing days to panning to him doing so in person from his courtside seat.
"Outside of the fact that I couldn't hear in the timeout, I thought it was a great gesture to have I.T. back," said Mazzulla, flashing a wry smile. "He's done so much for the city and really for the organization, and I came right at the tail end of him being here, but just who he was as a person and a player, it just says a lot about him."
"He sets an example of -- yes, it's about winning -- but also when you're a high-character guy, people appreciate you, and you're able to leave the place kind of a little better than you found it."
Mazzulla's comments perfectly capture the lasting legacy Thomas created in Boston.