Sad News: Boston Celtics Player dies after ‘freak accident’ during……

Sad News: Boston Celtics Player dies after ‘freak accident’ during……

Sad News: Boston Celtics Player dies after ‘freak accident’ during……

On an emotional night for mourning Celtics star Isaiah Thomas, Jimmy Butler had 30 points and nine rebounds as the Chicago Bulls defeated Boston 106-102 in Game 1 on Sunday.

Thomas led the top-seeded Celtics with 33 points a day after her 22-year-old sister Chyna Thomas was killed in a vehicle accident in their home state of Washington.

In the second half, Butler scored 23 points. The Bulls’ Bobby Portis finished with 19 points. For Boston, Al Horford had 19 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds.

Game 2 of the first-round series is scheduled for Tuesday night in Boston.

Neither team led by more than two possessions until Butler hit three free throws with four minutes remaining to make it 95-88. Butler scored 10 straight points to pull the Bulls back in front early in the fourth quarter, the first of three lead changes.

Later, on a three-point try, Thomas was smacked on his left hand before landing awkwardly on it. He calmly made all three free throws after a quick trip to the trainer. It was part of a string of seven straight points for him.

When Thomas was presented, Celtics supporters greeted him with thunderous applause. At the outset of the game, Thomas appeared to be emotional, missing his first free throw short of the front rim.

“I believe everyone reached out. It’s a tight-knit group. Before the game, Celtics coach Brad Stevens remarked, “He’s a big part of it.” “Isaiah is an excellent teammate. Isaiah is an excellent husband. He’s a wonderful father. He’s a wonderful person, son, and brother. And

And I think, ultimately, we just all tried to do our part in letting him know we were thinking about him and anything we could all do to help we’d do, that family and this particular situation with his family takes precedent over everything else going on. And that we’re here for him if he needs us.”

Boston’s second unit started the second quarter one for seven from the field and was outscored 10-0 to surrender the Celtics’ first-quarter lead.

The Bulls had their moments of fallibility as well. Late in the second quarter Wade intercepted an errant pass by Thomas, but got hung on the front of the rim as he attempted a dunk on the fast break.