Here’s how Isaiah Thomas fared in first game vs. Celtics in over two years originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
More than two years and four teams later, Isaiah Thomas finally got another chance to play against his former team.
On a night which once again showcased Jayson Tatum as the face of his former franchise, Thomas suited up against the Boston Celtics for the Charlotte Hornets, the third team he’s played for in the 2021-22 season as the 33-year-old point guard continues to try and stick in the NBA.
Coming off the bench, it was a quiet night for the King of the Fourth, who scored five points in 11 minutes on 1 of 4 shooting, adding two assists and finishing as a plus-5 in a 115-101 Hornets loss.
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It was the fourth time Thomas has played against the Celtics since they traded him to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the summer of 2017 in the deal which brought Kyrie Irving to Boston.
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IT is now 1-3 against the Celtics since departing, although he’s had some good games against his former team. Over two games in the 2019-20 season, Thomas averaged 17.5 points for the Washington Wizards against the C’s. Wednesday was the first time Thomas had faced Boston since Jan. 6, 2020 in Washington, D.C.
Thomas has already played out 10-day contracts with the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks this season. His current 10-day deal with Charlotte expires on Saturday. The Hornets have no games left against the Celtics this season.
After the game, Thomas was able to meet up with Tatum, who could be the first member of the Celtics to finish in the top 5 of MVP voting since Thomas himself finished fifth in 2016-17.
Terry Rozier, another former Celtic, had 14 points for the Hornets on 5 of 17 shooting. Former Celtic Gordon Hayward is once again injured, this time with a sprained foot, and missed the game. He’s expected to miss four weeks for Charlotte.