Isaiah Thomas plans to play in Game 2 of the Boston Celtics’ first-round playoff series against the Chicago Bulls before heading back to his native Washington to be with his family after losing his younger sister, Chyna Thomas, in a tragic car crash on Saturday morning.
A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast SportsNet New England reported Thomas’ intentions from the Celtics’ Monday walkthrough at their practice facility in Waltham.
Chyna J. Thomas, 22, died in a one-car crash on Interstate 5 in Tacoma, Wash., at around 5 a.m. on Saturday morning. According to the Washington State Patrol, she was not wearing a seatbelt, and she died at the scene of the crash.
Thomas was informed of Chyna’s death after the Celtics’ Saturday afternoon practice and, after some deliberation, elected to play on Sunday evening. An emotional Thomas was somehow able to shine through unthinkable grief, scoring a game-high 33 points with six assists, five rebounds, one steal and just two turnovers in 38 minutes of floor time.
Despite Thomas’ heroics, though, the eighth-seeded Bulls were able to spring a 106-102 upset of the top-seeded Celtics, thanks in part to a huge second half from All-Star forward Jimmy Butler. Chicago now holds a 1-0 edge and home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series, which continues at TD Garden in Boston with Game 2 at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Stevens emphasized that the plans are fluid and “subject to him changing if [Thomas] wants,” and said that when arrangements are finalized for Chyna’s services, the whole Celtics team will make an effort to attend them.
Source: Dan Devine
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