几个月前，我和猛龙全明星凯尔-洛瑞有过交流，他可是个大球痴，我问他联盟里看谁看得最多，他说每个人都看，但接着又挑出了一个球员。

　　A few months ago, I asked Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors All-Star and basketball junkie, who he had been paying attention to around the league. Lowry said he watches everybody, but then singled one player out.

　　“我现在是以赛亚-托马斯的小迷弟，”洛瑞跟我说。“我特别迷这个小矮个，爱的痴狂。”

　　"I'm mesmerized with Isaiah Thomas right now," Lowry told me. "I'm mesmerized with his little ass. It's f---ing crazy."

　　洛瑞其实说出了NBA很多人的心声。托马斯，2011年选秀区区60顺位，上个赛季就升华为全明星，而今年他的故事就更加传奇了。场均28.9分，只比拉塞尔-威斯布鲁克和詹姆斯-哈登稍低，这二位可都是MVP竞争人，而且还各种统治第四节。布拉德-史蒂文斯赋予了他巨大的权利，托马斯顶着更大的压力与担子，仍打出了更高的效率和更少的失误。虽然每支球队都想尽办法地针对，但却都拿他束手无策。

　　Lowry spoke for much of the NBA. Thomas, the No. 60 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, had ascended to All-Star status the previous season, but the story got even more special this year. He averaged 28.9 points, trailing only MVP candidates Russell Westbrook and James Harden, and made a habit of dominating fourth quarters. Empowered by coach Brad Stevens, Thomas coupled his increased responsibility with more efficiency and fewer turnovers. Despite being atop every opposing team's scouting report, nobody could slow him down.

　　“他的灵巧，”洛瑞说。“他的机动性、节奏变化、近筐终结、制造杀伤，我还只是列举了他能力中的一小部分，现在我也认真地观察他，从他那里学习更多细节。”

　　"It's his shiftiness," Lowry said. "It's his movement. It's his hesitation. It's his finishing at the rim. It's his foul-drawing. I just try to take something from everything. Right now I'm really watching him closely and taking little things from him."

　　元旦那会儿，勒布朗-詹姆斯评价托马斯是这支凯尔特人成功的关键原因，称他是“独一无二的天才”和“毋庸置疑的明星”。全明星周末，斯蒂芬-库里大赞托马斯的自信与坚韧，说他打球“每个人都爱看，除了他的防守人。”

　　Back on New Year's Eve, LeBron James said Thomas was the main reason for the Celtics' success, calling him a "unique talent" and a "clear-cut star." At All-Star weekend, Stephen Curry raved about Thomas' confidence and perseverance, saying he's "fun to watch except when you're trying to guard him."

　　今年，以赛亚成了家喻户晓的名字，记着Isaiah有两个“a”，不是Isiah。季后赛一开始，托马斯的传奇一季更加精彩，妹妹首轮前不幸离世，他却并未因此缺席哪怕一场比赛；次轮第一场，他嘴上挨了一肘，丢了一颗门牙，但那一场又得到33分9助攻，带领球队取胜。做了几个小时的牙齿修复手术后，他又砍下53分逆转获胜；奇才那之后终于懂得包夹托马斯了，可他摇身一变从冲锋陷阵的将军成了指挥若定的元帅。

　　This was the year that Isaiah -- with two As -- became a household name. Once the playoffs started, Thomas' legend only grew. He never missed a game despite the tragic death of his sister just before the start of the first round. He took an elbow and lost one of his front teeth in the first game of the second round, finishing that particular contest with 33 points, nine assists and a win. After hours of oral surgery, he scored 53 points in a comeback victory, and when the Washington Wizards decided to swarm him after that, he adjusted by being more of a facilitator.

　　但到了东部决赛，托马斯的神奇之旅戛然而止。第二场，打了18分钟后，托马斯因臀部伤势离场，之后不久，凯尔特人宣布他季后赛报销。三月中旬，他就伤过这一处，然后半决赛第六场再度加剧，在最不合时宜的时候，伤处又肿了起来，球队便决定让他休战。

　　In the conference finals, Thomas' special season ended suddenly. He left Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers with a hip injury after playing just 18 minutes, and the Celtics soon announced he was done for the playoffs. He had initially suffered the injury in mid-March, then aggravated it in Game 6 of the semifinals and, when the swelling increased at the worst time, the team decided to shut him down.

　　消息一出来，波士顿看上去已经没希望了。之前他们已经连续两场被骑士吊打，包括130-86的耻辱一败。但是，绿军用第三场的绝杀强势回应，第四场更是一度领先16分，但克利夫兰最后还是完成逆转，取得3-1领先。

　　When that news hit, it seemed like Boston was toast. It had already been blown out twice by the Cavaliers, including a humiliating 130-86 defeat in the second game. The Celtics, however, responded with a buzzer-beating win in Game 3, and they led by 16 points in Game 4 before Cleveland fought back and took a 3-1 lead in the series on Tuesday.

　　波士顿没了托马斯，看着却貌似更强了。怎么会呢？这有意味着什么呢？

　　Boston has at times looked better without Thomas. How can that be? What does it mean?

　　最明显的改变首先在于防守端，1米75的小托马斯有时要去防进攻威胁小一点的球员。凯尔特人的季后赛对手们，都试过用挡拆针对性攻击托马斯，或者在低位欺负他。波士顿的前场本就个小，所以托马斯一下场，外线的马库斯-斯玛特、艾弗里-布拉德利就可以用体型、速度和全能弥补内线的不足。