BOSTON -- For a while, Wednesday's Celtics-Cavaliers game looked like it might be a delicious midseason matchup. There was potential for Isaiah Thomas to make a revenge-seeking return to TD Garden, plus the new LeBron James-Kyrie Irving rivalry adding a chapter.
But Thomas not only didn't play but apparently buried the hatchet with Celtics GM Danny Ainge; the two texted before the game and then embraced in the hallway between the locker rooms before the opening tip. At Thomas' request, the Celtics held off on showing a tribute video until the Cavs come back to town, but he was shown on the scoreboard coming out of a timeout in the first half and received a standing ovation.