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Isaiah Thomas scores 40 points in G League debut as former Celtics star looks to make another NBA comeback

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BOSTON -- Isaiah Thomas is attempting another NBA comeback, and got off to a great start in his G League debut for the Salt Lake City Stars on Tuesday night. The former Boston Celtics star dropped 40 points for Salt Late City, showing the basketball world that he can still be a walking bucket at the age of 35.

Thomas led all scorers in Salt Lake City's 122-115 loss to the Valley Suns in Utah, hitting 13 of his 28 shots on the night. He was 4-of-10 from downtown, dished out eight assists, pulled down three rebounds, and had a pair of steals. He also turned the ball over six times. 

Thomas had his full arsenal working for the Stars on Tuesday night. He had his mid-range game going and also broke out his hesitation move a few times, which helped the 5-foot-9 guard get to the basket with relative ease.

Isaiah Thomas EXPLODES for 40 PTS & 8 AST in His Season Debut with SLC Stars! by NBA G League on YouTube

While Thomas looked like a 35-year-old at times, he looked pretty smooth for the majority of his 33 minutes of action. He signed with Salt Lake City -- the G League affiliate for the Utah Jazz -- last week, marking the second straight year he has joined the Stars in hopes of getting another shot in the NBA.

After averaging 32.5 points over four games with the Stars last season, Thomas got a pair of 10-day contracts with the Phoenix Suns before signing with the team for the rest of the 2023-24 NBA season. He played in six games for Phoenix, after not playing in the NBA at all in 2022-23.

Isaiah Thomas with the Boston Celtics

Thomas will always be a fan favorite in Boston for his incredible run with the Celtics from 2014-17. He was a two-time All-Star during his brief stint in Boston, and finished fifth in NBA MVP voting after averaging 28.9 points per game for the Celtics during the 2016-17 season. 

Thomas bled green in his time with the Celtics, and earned the nickname "The King in the Fourth" for his knack for making clutch shots for Boston. His passion was on full display whenever he stepped on the court and he made the most out of his smaller stature, which endeared Thomas to the Boston fanbase. 

He also played through pain and heartache while with the Celtics, which was on full display during the playoffs in 2017. Thomas' younger sister died in a car accident the day before the postseason tipped off, but he scored 33 points in a Game 1 loss to the Chicago Bulls just a day later. Thomas was in Washington state for his sister's funeral a few days later, but did not miss a game during the series, which the Celtics won in six games. 

Then in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Washington Wizards, Thomas lost his front tooth during Game 1 at TD Garden. But he remained in the game and scored 33 points, and after spending the next day in the dentist's chair, followed it up by dropping 53 points in a Game 2 victory.

Unfortunately for Thomas, a hip injury from the regular season caught up to him after the Celtics made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, and he played just two games of Boston's five-game defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers. That offseason, Thomas was traded to the Cavs in the deal that brought Kyrie Irving to Boston.

But Celtics fans will never forget Thomas' big impact during his short stint in Boston. He provided a ton of highlights and memorable moments for an overachieving C's squad, and will always be welcomed back in Boston. 

Thomas hasn't been the same explosive player since that hip injury, and has played just 115 for eight NBA teams since his time in Boston came to an end. He hasn't been a regular contributor since he played 40 games for the Wizards during the 2019-20 season. 

But with his latest stint in the G League off to an incredible start, we'll see if Thomas can find his way onto an NBA team at some point this season. 

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