Isaiah Thomas says he felt good, needs to play better. But should he even have been in the game?


After last night's extremely disappointing 93-86 home loss to the Heat, Isaiah Thomas said the following about his first game back in action (via CSNNE's Jimmy Toscano):

My body felt good, other than when I fell one time it hurt. It was just all the other things, getting into the flow of things. Getting my rhythm back. I just wasn't decisive at all. It was tough for me, probably one of the worst games I've ever played. 
Yesterday was my first time really running a little bit in the half-court. But I mean there's no excuses. I just have to play better. As a team we have to play better. And one thing about me I have a short memory whether I play good or bad so I'll be alright.


Despite Thomas' even-keeled demeanor, his insistence that physically he felt OK, and his vow to play better, it seemed pretty clear to anyone watching that he never should have been out there in the first place.


That was with 1:31 remaining in the first quarter.  At the time, the Celtics were only down 21-16.  I figured there was a good chance Brad Stevens was going to pull Thomas then and keep him on the bench for the rest of the night.  Unfortunately that didn't happen.

By halftime Boston trailed 57-40, and it was already too late.


I'm not saying Steven's decision to keep Thomas on the floor is the reason the Celtics lost, but it clearly didn't help.



Follow Mark Vandeusen on Twitter @LucidSportsFan