How the Celtics get Isaiah Thomas free vs. the Cavaliers defense

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty ImagesIn the 2015 NBA Playoffs, the Boston Celtics were a surprising upstart. They made the playoffs on the back of Isaiah Thomas, who Danny Ainge had acquired at the trade deadline. Facing off against prohibitive favorites in the Cleveland Cavaliers, the series went about as expected. The Cavs swept Boston, but the Celtics were well ahead of schedule in the rebuild timeline.

One question came out of that series though that has remained with Boston ever since: Can the Celtics win in the playoffs with Isaiah Thomas as their main offensive weapon? Thomas averaged just 17.5 points per game in that series and turned the ball over 3.5 times per game. He shot just 33…