There are few individual performances in Celtics history that reach the status of ‘epic.’ Isaiah Thomas’ 53-point effort in Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Semifinals is unquestionably one of them. In this episode, we begin with Marc and Sean provide full context around the love affair between Isaiah and Celtics Nation, and the emotional circumstances that surrounded the 2017 Playoffs after Isaiah’s sister, Chyna, tragically passed away the day before Game 1 of the opening round. Isaiah himself joins for the second half of the episode for a lengthy conversation about his historical run with Boston, and how that epic 53-point game came to be on his late sister’s birthday.

0:30 – Setting the table for the IT4-Celtics relationship and what made it so special

10:15 – Remembering the emotions of Chyna’s death and the first-round series against Chicago

16:00 – Recalling Isaiah’s oral surgery between Games 1 and 2 of Conference Semis, and his miraculous performance in Game 2

29:15 – Isaiah Thomas joins and gives an update on his workouts

31:00 – Isaiah describes the love affair between him and Celtics Nation

37:00 – An emotional first-round series following Chyna’s death, and how it strengthened the bond between him and the city

42:40 – Reliving Game 1 of the Conference Semis, and his 13 hours of oral surgery before Game 2

49:00 – Isaiah describes what he was seeing and thinking during his magical Game 2 performance

53:15 – A friendly bet that will go down in history

55:30 – Isaiah recalls the game-sealing bucket over Markieff Morris, and how trash talk during that series nearly ended his relationship with the Morris Twins