February arrived, with the All-Star break fast approaching.
Besides that, February was also the busiest period for midseason trades in the NBA.
Isaiah Thomas was one of the central figures in the trade rumors. After playing fewer than 50 games for the Suns, he had once again found himself caught up in trade speculation.
This tiny point guard, standing just 1.75 meters tall, erupted today with a strength far greater than his stature.
"Today, even the fans who once supported the team trading Thomas away have to be proud of him. Without Isaiah's outstanding performance, the Suns might already have lost!"
As Isaiah Thomas dribbled across half court, the commentator immediately grew animated.
Now, the Suns only needed three more points to push their lead into double digits.
And Isaiah Thomas was the man most likely to help the Suns extend that lead.
Mike Conley gave Isaiah Thomas no room to make a move, hounding him tightly from two steps beyond the three-point line.
Thomas remained calm. He had played with complete confidence today. He slowly moved closer, using one arm to brace against Conley with tremendous strength.
At the same time, Isaiah Thomas signaled to his teammates with his eyes, calling for a screen.
By all appearances, this Suns possession still seemed destined to end with Isaiah Thomas.
But after coming around the screen, Isaiah Thomas did not drive straight to the basket. Instead, he found P.J. Tucker, set and ready at the right-side 45-degree angle!
Tucker had entered the league through the draft in 2006, but after an uneventful season with the Raptors, he was quickly waived.
After that, Tucker went through a long, wandering stint in Europe. It was not until the 2012-13 season that he finally returned to the NBA.
As a small forward who could