Isaiah on playing through grief: 'Mentally and emotionally, I'm not here'
Isaiah Thomas led the Boston Celtics to their second straight win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, despite the recent loss of his sister continuing to weigh heavily on him.
"Mentally and emotionally, I'm not here, so I just feed off what the guys give me," the point guard told reporters postgame, as quoted by ESPN's Chris Forsberg.
It's the first time Thomas has spoken to the media since his younger sister, Chyna, was killed in a car crash April 15 - just a day before the series opener in Boston. IT has managed to suit up in every contest, and is leading his club in scoring, assists, and minutes over the four outings.
Related: TD Garden observes moment of silence, gives IT huge ovation
The All-Star submitted another stellar performance - ringing up 33 points, seven dimes, and four rebounds in the 104-95 Game 4 defeat of the Bulls - and credited his teammates for their support.
"They give me a lot of confidence. I can't do it without those guys. They believe in me," the 28-year-old said. "Being here is what makes me, I guess, sane. It makes me feel somewhat normal through these tough times."
He added: "This organization is the best organization there is, from the people who work in the Garden to the players, the coaches, everybody who's a part of the Celtics. They've been supportive. The whole world has, really, so I can't say enough about that."
Related: Thomas overwhelmed by support during 'hardest week' of his life
Head coach Brad Stevens continued to heap praise on his point man, calling Thomas' resilience and on-court performances "incredible" and "remarkable." The star's teammates have noticed an improvement in his focus, as well.
"He was more clearheaded, and (Sunday) it was back to seeing what we've seen all year," center Al Horford said. "He just took over the game and it was big for us."