Which NBA legend does the possibly incomparable Isaiah Thomas remind you of?
Debate the answer with Chad Finn and Boston sports fans at The Sports Q.
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Can’t sleep. Still awake thinking about Isaiah’s 53. One of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen out of a basketball player, especially considering all he’s going through. Have you ever seen anyone like him? I’m not sure he has a comparison that makes you say, ‘Ah ha, that’s who he reminds me of.’ He’s totally unique. Thoughts? – Shaq the Large Celtic.
I mean, last night that was some vintage Larry Bird ’86 or Paul Pierce ’08 stuff when it comes to the postseason. Fifty-three points — 29 after the clock started on the fourth quarter — on 18 of 33 from the field on a day in which he had multiple hours of dental surgery? Man, that’s how legends are secured. We’ll be talking about this one forever, like Jordan’s 63.
And that’s without considering how much anguish he must have been feeling since it would have been his sister’s 23rd birthday. I don’t know how he is doing this. Any of it. All of it.
But in terms of who he reminds me of, specifically? There’s no one who is an exact match.
The Allen Iverson comp comes up, but that’s just because he’s small and scores a lot. Thomas is not as a fast, skilled, reckless, or selfish — his scoring is more nuanced, and more efficient too. (IT was in the 50-40-90 club last night: he shot 54.5 percent overall, 41.7 percent from 3, and 91.2 percent from the line.)
Tiny Archibald comes up, and that fits better than Iverson, if for no other reason than Tiny was a lefty. But he was more a pure playmaker than Thomas, and he’s also at least four inches taller. It’s pretty remarkable that Thomas can do this while being noticeably smaller than a Tiny.
I suppose he’s similar to Isiah Thomas, at least in name and knack for postseason outbursts in which he is truly unstoppable.
But comparing Isaiah to Isiah is not an especially accurate stylistic comp.
Who else? NBADraft.net’s comparison for Thomas coming out of college was Jerome Randle. I don’t know who that is.
Thomas is who Brandon Jennings thinks he is.
I don’t know, man. I like to think I know my NBA history, but I’m stumped. Thomas may be incomparable by every definition.
Does he remind you guys of anyone? Give me the name I’m looking for in the comments.
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