Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas made the first All-Star game of his NBA career last season, and expects to be back again this season. Thomas spoke to Ian Levy of FanSided over the phone, and talked about his goals for the upcoming season:
“I know if I play at a high level that gives my team the best chance of winning and going far. I’m gonna be an All-Star again and I want to be All-NBA. I want all of that and I think it’s a realistic shot for me. Winning takes care of all individual success, so that’s all I’m really worried about right now.”
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“I want to grow as a player as well. I’m getting better this summer and I want more. Whatever more is, that’s what I want.”
Thomas also discussed the Celtics’ primary competition within the Atlantic Division — the Toronto Raptors:
“The Toronto Raptors are a team we always have close games with. They’re a team in our division that we definitely have to surpass to attain the goal that we want to achieve. Cleveland, you gotta tip your hat to them, they won the NBA championship. But at the same time, we beat them before and we feel like we’re just as good as those top teams in the Eastern Conference. Once the season starts, we’re just going to compete and let the chips fall where they may.”
Thomas spoke about the acquisition of star big man Al Horford:
“He [Horford] was tough for us to play against in the playoffs. He’s versatile, he can post up, he can shoot the ball. On defense he can move his feet and guard multiple positions,” said Thomas.
Thomas talked about playing with a chip on his shoulder:
“Honestly, I want to be the best. I’ve often said I want to be the best little-guy to ever play the game and I’m working toward that. I always find little things to motivate me throughout a game or throughout a season because there’s always somebody saying something negative about me, not believing in me or not a fan of me. Those little things give me the extra motivation to keep going and keep proving people wrong.”
