Isaiah Thomas crying before game, one day after sister's death, made Charles Barkley 'uncomfortable'
One day after losing his sister in a tragic car crash, All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas chose to suit up for the Boston Celticsâ first game of the 2017 NBA playoffs against the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden. The Celticsâ leader clearly and very understandably remained devastated so soon after learning of the loss of his sister, openly weeping during pre-game warmups in a display that TNT commentator Charles Barkley called âuncomfortable.â
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Chyna J. Thomas, 22, died in a one-car crash on Interstate 5 in Tacoma, Wash., at around 5 a.m. on Saturday morning. According to the Washington State Patrol, she was not wearing a seatbelt, and she died at the scene of the crash.
Thomas was informed of her death after the Celticsâ Saturday afternoon practice and, after some deliberation, elected to play on Sunday evening.
âHeâs struggling,â Celtics coach Brad Stevens said before the game, according to Kyle Hightower of The Associated Press. âObviously, itâs tragic circumstances that he and his family are going through right now. Our thoughts, first and foremost are with them ⊠Weâve talked a little bit last night and then again today [that] as he goes through it and if he feels like he needs to not [play] â then whatever he wants.â
While he decided to play, Thomas remained shaken throughout the run-up to Sundayâs Game 1. TNTâs cameras captured Thomas crying on the bench during the Celticsâ pre-game warmups, with teammate Avery Bradley later coming over to wrap his arm around Thomas to console him:
.@3DTV reports on Isaiah Thomas from Boston. pic.twitter.com/W7a1TWZwpc
â NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 16, 2017
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That scene jarred the famously outspoken Barkley, who offered some curious comments in the moment after its airing:
"Basketball is our sanctuary⊠It is our safe place." @SHAQ & Charles on the passing of Isaiah Thomas' sister. pic.twitter.com/NhJvqmPf9m
â NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 16, 2017
âIâm not sure what to say â Iâm not feeling comfortable with him sitting on the sideline crying like that,â Barkley said on the pregame show. âThat makes me uncomfortable. So that tells me heâs not in shape to play. I mean, I donât know how this night is going to turn out, but to be sitting on the sideline a few minutes before the game, crying, that just makes me uncomfortable for him.
âThatâs just not a good look for him, in my personal opinion. I mean, he is clearly devastated, like we all would be if we lost a sibling, but sitting on the sideline right before the game, that makes me uncomfortable.â
During a follow-up discussion, Barkley did note that Thomas might benefit from being able to lose himself in the rhythm of the game for a couple of hours:
"You know when he is introduced tonight, that place will go crazy." â@TurnerSportsEJ on Boston's support of Isaiah Thomas #BostonStrong pic.twitter.com/r6QgvtU2cy
â NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 16, 2017
âI think heâll be glad â like, this is just me thinking â I think heâll be glad when the game starts,â Barkley said. âBecause as a player, we have so much going on in our mind. Weâve got the game plan, weâve got wondering what plays to run and things like that. Youâve got so much going through your mind once the game starts.
âIn his free time, I know itâs going to be painful, but I know if heâs going to play today, itâs going to be a relief for him. At least, it was for me, because I had to think about so much going on in the game, and it gave me two hours of pain relief, as I called it. And then you go back after the game.â
Thomas remained determined to work through his grief, leading the Celtics onto the floor âŠ
Lead by Isaiah Thomas, the East's top seed @Celtics take the floor! pic.twitter.com/irNEdfdwcJ
â NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2017
⊠and paying a small gesture of tribute to his late sister, writing âR.I.P. Lil Sis,â âChynaâ and âI Love Youâ on the shoes he wore onto the court for Game 1:
IT4's shoes ???? pic.twitter.com/g5AMPDJ9MA
â Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) April 16, 2017
The Celtics held a moment of silence for Chyna Thomas before the game, during which her brother once again appeared to be overcome with emotion:
Hereâs the moment of silence by the #Celtics for Chyna Thomas. pic.twitter.com/N15b88m9ml
â Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) April 16, 2017
The TD Garden faithful did what they could to show their support, raining down cheers on Thomas during the introduction of Bostonâs starting lineup:
ALL the cheers for on an emotional day for Isaiah Thomas at TD Garden. ???? pic.twitter.com/Cc2nK1O5hc
â Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 16, 2017
⊠and, as he stepped to the line for his first free throws of the contest, showering with âM-V-P!â chants:
"MVP" chants ring out for Isaiah Thomas at TD Garden. #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/bAAvNvy5n4
â NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 16, 2017
Despite Barkleyâs concerns about how Thomasâ emotional state might affect his play, the point guard looked for the most part like his All-Star self, scoring a game-high 33 points on 10-for-18 shooting with six assists, five rebounds and one steal in 38 minutes. But Thomasâ remarkable game wasnât enough to put Boston over the top, as the Bulls pulled a 106-102 upset to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and wrest home-court advantage away from the top-seeded Celtics. Game 2 tips at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Donât Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at devine@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!