Isaiah Thomas’ preschool sons, James and Jaiden, did their best to sit quietly during his post-game news conference on Sunday before the elder tyke leaned over the microphone and said, “my daddy … is the best basketball player.”

Well, he’s the biggest reason the Boston Celtics have tied their playoff series with the Atlanta Hawks at two games apiece, at least.

One game after scoring a career-high 42 points — and one day after escaping suspension for taking a swipe at Atlanta’s Dennis Schroder — Thomas scored 28, including the last five of overtime to lead Boston to a 104-95 victory in Game 4 of the best-of-seven series.

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Atlanta.

Paul Millsap scored 45 for the Hawks — a career playoff high and one off his all-time best — and added 13 rebounds. The Hawks were 0-5 in overtime in the regular season and have not won an overtime game in more than two years.

Marcus Smart scored 20, including 11 straight points for Boston in the fourth quarter. He also held Millsap to just two baskets in the final nine minutes of regulation and none in overtime.

“You’re throwing darts a little bit with a guy that’s rolling like that,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “He was scoring in so many different ways.”

Friday night

Thomas scored a career-high 42 points, and the Celtics held on to beat the Atlanta Hawks 111-103 in Game 3.

Evan Turner, inserted into the starting lineup, had 17 points and seven assists. Amir Johnson added 15 points and seven rebounds.

Playing by far their best first half of the series, Boston led by as many as 20 points before seeing that mostly erased by a 12-0 run by the Hawks in the third quarter.

The Celtics then survived a frenetic fourth quarter that featured three ties and a pair of lead changes, finally getting separation with five straight points for a 104-98 lead.

Jeff Teague had 23 points for Atlanta. Kent Bazemore and Dennis Schroder each finished with 20.