18 April,2017 08:22 AM IST | Boston | A Correspondent
Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics played with a heavy heart on Sunday, scoring 33 points in a 106-102 NBA playoff loss to the Chicago Bulls just one day after his younger sister was killed in a car crash
Isaiah Thomas
Isaiah Thomas
Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics played with a heavy heart on Sunday, scoring 33 points in a 106-102 NBA playoff loss to the Chicago Bulls just one day after his younger sister was killed in a car crash.
Thomas took to the court on an emotional night at the Boston Garden despite the death of 22-year-old Chyna Thomas, whom he honoured by pencilling her name on his green sneakers and adding "R.I.P. Lil Sis."
Boston Celtics' NBA player Isaiah Thomas' shoes carry the message 'I Love you Chyna' dedicated to his late sister, who was killed in a car accident on Saturday. Pic/AFP
There was a moment of silence after the grieving Thomas led his teammates onto the floor and just before the playing of the American national anthem. "This was difficult," said Celtics centre Al Horford. "I felt like our guys really dealt with it the right way.
But Isaiah is the one who I feel dealt with it the best." Thomas received a heart-warming standing ovation from the home crowd. He led the Celtics with 33 points, hitting a layup with seven seconds left to cut Chicago's lead to 104-102 in the opening game of their first round playoff series.
