Newest Boston Celtic big man Tristan Thompson moved closer toward returning to action Saturday, participating in his first practice with the team since signing with the Celtics in the offseason.
Nursing a strained hamstring — a notoriously tricky and recurrent injury — Thompson was able to get in work with Boston ahead of the team’s season opener against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 23. The Canadian’s presence in practice evidently had an immediately discernible impact. “He did a lot of practice today, and you could tell our energy went to a different level,” offered head coach Brad Stevens.
Celtics reportedly release forward Amile Jefferson from camp deal https://t.co/DwK802SWIq
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 20, 2020
The less-than-stellar effort demonstrated by Boston in its last preseason game, which bothered the veteran big man by his own admission, may have encouraged Thompson to push to get back to the floor,
“The wisdom I’ve learned from my past experience, to help give it to these guys whether it’s the good, bad or the ugly,” he suggested.
“At the end of the day, I want to help this team by the best we can be. I feel like my voice and what I’ve been through and what I see is going to challenge them. If I can light a fire under their ass to get them going and try to make everyone just one percent better, then I’ve done my job.”
The Texas product famously helped LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers come back from being down 3-1 in the 2016 NBA Finals, so he has the credentials to back up his talk.
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— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 20, 2020
Likely one of the reasons he appealed to the Celtics’ front office, Thompson will give Boston a much tougher identity when he’s on the court.
And while it might be a while until that happens — “That’s a training staff question. When they say I’m ready to go, I’m ready,” he answered when asked for a timetable — there’s still a chance it will be in time for the season debut.
