The Celtics All-Star will get his first chance to do the same on Monday night when Boston hosts the Washington Wizards with a trip to the Eastern Conference finals at stake.
While Thomas is anxious for the opportunity, one thing he says he won’t be is nervous.
“I don’t believe in pressure,” Thomas said. “I’ve worked too hard to be scared of any type of pressure.”
Maybe not. But neither is a Washington team that pulled out a one-point win in Friday’s Game 6, becoming the first home team to stave off elimination on its home floor this postseason. Teams had previously been 0-10 during the 2017 playoffs.
The Wizards will now be trying to be first team in this matchup to win on the opponent’s home floor in 2016-17. All 10 meetings this season have been won by the home team.
NEED TO KNOW
When it comes to Game 7s, no franchise has been in more of them than the Celtics. Boston will be playing its 30th Game 7 (21-8). Washington is just 6-3 in Game 7s. Home teams are 101-26 all time.
KEEP AN EYE ON
The scoring production of Wall and Beal. The Wizards are 6-2 in the playoffs when they combine for 50 or more points. They combined for 59 points in Game 6.
INJURY UPDATE
Wizards reserve Bojan Bogdanovic sat out Saturday’s practice with the flu. Mahinmi said he has “good and bad days” on the left calf that kept him out the first two games of the series, but said he is good to go for Game 7.
PRESSURE IS ON
Thomas and Wall. In Game 6 Thomas scored more than 20 points for the first time since his 53-point game in Game 2. But he was mostly contained in Games 3 through 5 as Washington sent multiple defenders at him. The Celtics will need him to have a big night to stunt Washington’s momentum. Much the same is true for Wall, who said he would think of this season as a disappointment if they forced Game 7 only to come up short.
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