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Celtics Hardwood News: Isaiah Thomas Torches the Month of January

By Tarringo Basile-vaughan

Feb 1, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) celebrates during the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 1, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) celebrates during the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas has etched his name onto the list of great Celtics scorers with his performance in the month of January. 

It was an MVP type of January for Boston Celtics All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas.  With multiple 40-point performances, including some fourth quarter theatrics, the 5-foot-9 scoring machine was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for January on Thursday afternoon.

Thomas backed up a hot December with a scoring streak that has lifted his team to the No. 2 spot.  Not only that, he has put the rest of the NBA on notice and has analysts adding his name to the list as a potential league MVP.  So let’s sum up what the little big man did in the month of January.

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With an average of 32.9 points per game, Thomas was just one point shy of tying both Paul Pierce and Larry Bird for the most points averaged in a single month.  In winning the award he has also joined the two legends along with Antoine Walker as the only players to have ever been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month.

Add his 6.9 assists per game and 49.7 overall percent shooting and you’ll see why Isaiah Thomas has led the Celtics to a 10-4 record in the month of January.  He hasn’t been too shabby to start the month of February either.  He scored 44 points (including 19 in the fourth) to help rally Boston past the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.

Notes & quotes

Brad Stevens: The young Boston Celtics coach is just one win away from becoming the coach of the All-Star Game.  With a 31-18 record entering Friday night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Celtics have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference behind the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Celtics coaching staff will get the node since NBA rules say that the team can’t be coached by the same person in back-to-back years.  That stipulation rules out Cavaliers coach Tyrone Lue and would put Stevens in the role if the Celtics end the first half of the season with a victory.

Amir Johnson on Brad Steven’s halftime message in comeback win over Toronto via. CSNNE.com:

"“He was like, ‘they’re playing like they want it more.’ We realized we started off a little sluggish in the first; that was unacceptable.  We just made up our minds and picked it up at halftime.  That’s when we got aggressive, we started making shots and got to win.”"

Isaiah Thomas on the potential of Stevens coaching the All-Star Game via CSNNE.com:

"“That would be amazing.  To come from when he first got here [from Butler] to a few years later coaching in the All-Star Game, I don’t think anybody thought it would happen that fast. Hopefully we can get it. We’ve got to take care of the next few games and hopefully we can get our coaching staff there.”"

Next: Examining Julian Edelman’s Value in Super Bowl LI

The Boston Celtics will next host the Los Angeles Lakers Friday night at TD Garden.

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