Isaiah on scoring troubles: 'Next game I may drop 40'

Despite the fact they now trail the Boston Celtics 3-2 in their second-round series, the Washington Wizards seem to have found a formula for keeping Isaiah Thomas' scoring down. By throwing different looks at the listed-at-5-foot-9-guard and sometimes triple-teaming him, they've forced Thomas into the role of playmaker - be it as a passer or a screen-setter.

He appears to be fine with that, crediting his maturity as a player.

"Earlier in my career I'd probably ... kept forcing it," Thomas said after Boston's Game 5 win Wednesday. "But now I'm seeing the game differently. I watch a lot of film and I see what they're doing to me."

The Wizards are trapping and crowding Thomas when he has the ball. Since scoring 53 points in Game 2, he's combined for 50 in the three contests since. In Game 5, he responded by dishing out nine assists, tying his playoff high. He's still hoping for looks at the basket, though.

"Next game might be another game where I'm setting screens and getting other guys open," he said. "Or next game I may drop 40. You never know."