Isiah Thomas Keys the Incineration of the Celtics in Game 4 (1987)

May 24, 1987 - With a nearly flawless 22-point, 8-assist, 0-turnover performance, Isiah Thomas led the Detroit Pistons to a 145-119 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals. The 145 points set an Eastern Conference Finals record for most points scored in a single ECF game, a record that still stands as of 2024.
After emerging with an 18-point victory in Game 3, the Pistons' Game 4 win evened the best-of-seven series at two games a piece. Alas, the series would end in supreme heartbreak for Detroit, with a miraculous Larry Bird steal of an Isiah Thomas inbounds pass in Game 5 turning the tide and leading the Celtics back to the NBA Finals.
Box Score: www.basketball...

[@plainsimple244]

I still cannot believe Isiah threw that ball away to Bird in '87....I've looked at that time and time again; they had a timeout, even Rodman stated what I said, all Isiah had to do was throw the ball in his direction down court towards Detroit's offensive end, Mahorn and Rodman were down that way...plus, when you look at it, he was trying to get the ball to a guy he trusted in Laimbeer who was a better foul shooter...so he just trusted Laimbeer more than Mahorn/Rodman or even common sense at that time....I don't think Thomas just 'made a mistake' or had a 'brain freeze'...I just think logically, he trusted Laimbeer and he either forgot he had a timeout and what's funny is he rushed to throw the ball in instead of calling timeout at first, anybody could have called timeout on the floor during that time when the ball went out of bounds...so that entire situation makes no sense to do unless you do that on purpose or your entire team just forgets you have a timeout.

[@osas5211]

Yea that’s true but nothing wrong with going OT

[@rew2949]

He saw that victory was there and probably wanted Laimbeer to put the dagger in.
Under no circumstance would he have even considered inbounding to Rodman.
Laimbeer did not come to meet the basketball. The ref hesitated in the handoff. A solid play by Bird who hung back and calculated.
Wonder if any part of Bird’s feet stepped out ?

[@123slasher.16]

That play was bad because of Joe Dumars.
After Rodman's block, Mahorn, Rodman and Dumars ran down court celebrating.
Detroit SHOULD NOT have called a timeout, because that would have allowed Boston to extend the game.
Had Dumars did his job as a ball handling guard who shoots great FTs, Detroit could have stretched their lead or dribbled the clock out.
But since Dumars didn't do the smart fundamental play, that put Laimbeer in a bad position to handle the ball in the backcourt as a slow footed center.
Once the 2nd year guard Dumars didn't make the smart play, Isiah was for Ed to throw the ball to Laimbeer and Bird just made a great play.
Dumars left Isiah Thomas hanging on that play.

[@123slasher.16]

​@@rew2949-Dumars screwed the whole play up when HE didn't come to the ball because he was down court celebrating.