Isaiah Thomas not suspended after slapping Dennis Schroder

“I was just trying to do what I could to win the game”. Thompson had eight offensive rebounds, more than the entire Pistons team.

The Hawks whittled away at it with a balanced attack, but still shot just 12 percent from the 3-point line in the opening 24 minutes. The Celtics are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.

Hell, I even expected this. Both were hit with double technical fouls.

But Stevens had a different plan. However, the Celtics thrilling 111-103 victory would not have been possible if not for the efforts of shooting guard Evan Turner, who entered the starting lineup in place of missing shooting guard Avery Bradley. Initially, after a quick read through Twitter, fans were stunned. “That wasn’t a look that we had seen from them this series”.

Curry was injured in the series opener and missed the last two games.

“I will not be going to any suit store”, Curry said asked if he’d buy a suit in case he doesn’t play Sunday. A couple loose balls, they were diving on the floor. Well…he changed it, obviously. He has repeated often how he wants to be the best player ever less than 6-foot (and has started the long march toward challenging Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy for that perch). Of course, his defense will have to be better.

The voice of doom here belongs to Stu Jackson, the NBA’s former dean of discipline, who was on the job when Orlando’s Rafer Alston was suspended for a similar slap to the back of Celtic guard Eddie House’s head during the 2009 conference semifinals.

Quite simply, Turner was in there for his play making abilities. He carried the Celtics with a career-best 42 points.

With 11 seconds remaining in Friday’s game, Stevens allowed Thomas to revel in his accomplishments, pulling him from the final seconds of the game. When your team is on the fritz, you do the same – except in this case, IT stood for Isaiah Thomas.

Having Thomas play off-ball was a game changer.

Perhaps just as egregious, however, Smart’s teammate Isaiah Thomas won’t be penalized for hitting the Hawks’ Dennis Schroder in the head in the first quarter as the Atlanta guard ran up the court after a layup.

“Space. Space and opportunity”, Thomas explained.

Not to be overlooked, but Turner’s insertion into the starting unit played dividends for Game 3. It’s a thing of beauty!

The fact of the matter is that when the team needs a bucket in a crucial juncture of a contest, Turner is the only other reliable option besides Thomas to provide the squad with the necessary production. Game Two, however, was atrocious.

The question is: Did Thomas hit Schroder on objective? That’s what Stevens was looking for. The block he had in transition on Al, Marcus Smart, was huge. This lineup gave the Celtics two play makers to set-up Isaiah for open threes, as well as the ultra competitive Smart, who you need out there in crunchtime.

I’ve had enough of praising Brad Stevens. “That’s just a sign of respect from (the Hawks), and I just gotta figure it out”. “And in my mind, he will get suspended for one game”.