Photo Credit: AP Photo/Winslow Townson
Isaiah Thomas Has A New Coach – Kobe Bryant
Tuesday night, Thomas poured in a regular-season and playoff career high 53 points on an immaculate 18-of-33 shooting from the field and 12-of-13 from the free-throw line. His desire to never give up and fight until the last bell willed Boston to the thrilling 129-119 overtime victory to steal Game 2. Thomas’ fourth quarter was one for the ages—20 points in the fourth alone was the most in franchise history since Paul Pierce’s 20 in 2003. To go with his historic fourth quarter, Thomas scored nine overtime points. He refused to let the game slip through the cracks.
Through the first two games of the Conference Semi Finals against the Washington Wizards, Thomas now is averaging 43 points on 52% shooting, and Kobe Bryant may be the reason behind it.
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) May 3, 2017
The Kobe Bryant you ask? Yes, an all time Laker-great is helping a Celtics star, and hell has not frozen over yet!
On Wednesday, Thomas revealed that he’s been in communication with Kobe Bryant since after Game 2 of the first round. Since then, the Celtics are undefeated in the postseason. It may be a coincidence, but ever since Bryant is coaching and advising the Celtics’ star player, his Playoff experience and Mamba Mentality has come over to spark Boston.
Kobe is helping out Thomas with scouting reports and his experienced perspective on the game and opponents. Most importantly, he lets Thomas know, what to watch on film.
.@Celtics @Isaiah_Thomas has been getting prep/film help since Game 2 loss to #Bulls from … Kobe Bryant? #Celticstalk pic.twitter.com/dAlDxDy5aj
— A. Sherrod Blakely (@ASherrodblakely) May 3, 2017
“We’ve been in communication the last couple weeks ever since my sister passed. He’s been a big help since Game 2, actually, we watched film together on the phone for 30 minutes. He was going over my film with me and teaching me things he looks at when he watches film, so that’s probably been a big help for me since Game 2 of the first round. I’m not gonna tell you. He wouldn’t want me to do that. Mentally, he’s on a different level than anybody I’ve ever met. We was on the phone for 30 minutes, I emailed him my film and he watched every second of it. He was telling me what times to go to and what to look at and certain plays and things I didn’t look at when I watched film. Mentally you can tell he’s one of the greatest ever.”
Asking Kobe for advice, has been a great move by Thomas. Kobe Bryant proves again that he shouldn’t be stepping away from the NBA, but possibly trying to pursue a new career as an NBA coach instead.
