The Boston Celtics are teetering on the edge of being serious contenders in the Eastern Conference. The team is sitting in the No. 3 spot of a tight race for the postseason, and execution during the final stretch of the season will dictate just where the Celtics stand before the playoffs. Isaiah Thomas is one of the players that will be a big part in the Celtics' postseason success and he is looking for advice on how to lead the team.
Thomas has been the X factor for the Celtics this season. The point guard has been thriving on the court leading a young and inexperienced group of players. Thomas is very comfortable in a leadership role for the Celtics, but he admits he is always looking for help and advice. He has talked with Kobe Bryant and Floyd Mayweather and now he is seeking a sit down with another Boston star, Tom Brady.
"I got the chance to talk to Kobe," Thomas said. "I'm real good friends with Floyd Mayweather, so I get to pick guys-like-that's brains. I just would like to sit down and actually meet [Brady] and also just pick his brain about winning championships and how he goes about his day, how he prepares. I like his preparation to everything. I like to pick guys' brains, especially the best in the business, best in their field, and see what he has to say to me. Hopefully I can make it happen."
The Celtics have certainly surprised many this season. Without a true star on the roster, they are making their way through the Eastern Conference. Head coach Brad Stevens has gotten a lot of credit for how he has developed the talent on the roster while players like Thomas and Marcus Smart are stepping up in big games. Stevens admits that he is not some sort of basketball genius as he gains inspiration from others around him.
"Honest to God, I've stolen everything we've ever done from somebody else," Stevens said. "Now, it may not be exactly what they do, but it may be, 'Oh, I really like that action. This is how it fits with us.' We may need to position one of other players somewhere else, but I think they are all - none of it is original. If anything, I watch film."
The Celtics might not have the roster or payroll of a team like the Cleveland Cavaliers, but they are playing like a real threat to Cleveland's shot at a title run. Thomas fully intends to meet the Cavaliers in the playoffs this season at some point. The Celtics fell to the Cavaliers in their most recent meeting, 120-103, but there is potential to get the upset win. Thomas says he is focused right now and hopes for a rematch.
"I'm just in attack mode right now, for the most part," Thomas said. "I feel like, when I'm in attack mode and very aggressive, not just to score, but to get in the paint and make things happen, it feeds all my teammates, it rubs off on them, and I just have to continue to have that mindset each and every night."
