My name is Kevin O'Connor. I'm a writer at TheRinger.com and welcome to The Ringer NBA Show.

Today I'm at the Celtics Practice Facility in Wal-Tham, Massachusetts, with Celtics starting point guard and soon to be two-time all-star, Isaiah Thomas. Isaiah, welcome to the show.

Oh, thank you for having me. I appreciate it. Isaiah, the past year has been pretty monumental for you. In 2016 you became an all-star for the first time. You got married later that summer. Your kids are old enough to watch the games and enjoy it.

You capped off the year with a 52-point performance on list zen lists. Did you enjoy life in 2016 more than ever before?

Yeah, it was a special year for myself, for my family. Something I always dreamed of with all the things that happened in that year. It was a blessing. It was a lot of positive things that happened not just for me, but for this organization, for my family. And I look forward to 2017.

Your average and career highs across the board this season and points per game, 3.0% HP are the list goes on. You recently said that you're an MVP candidate right behind Westbrook and Harden. When you assessed your own skill set, what are the differences that you observed between past years and this season?

I'm just getting better overall. My overall game is getting better. I'm understanding the game of basketball at a higher level. I'm a year older. It's just all coming together for me. And then with the opportunity, Brad, this organization gives me to be myself. I'm just taking advantage of that opportunity.

I got so much more. I can prove so much more a level. So many more levels. I can reach. I'm just keep continuing to work and never being satisfied.

I've had longer streaks. What are the steps you take to have that overall level of efficiency as a player?

My biggest thing is just staying consistent. I work tremendously hard on my craft. I'm consistent. I have a routine. And I think that translates to the games. I'm a consistent basketball player. You know what you're going to get out of me 90 to night out. And I think that's going in the right direction and the right steps of being a really good basketball player.

You mentioned the level of consistency it takes your footwork on the game. When I stepped back jumper last week in Atlanta was just filthy. The long and long aided stride. You took to get to the elbow. Your level of body control. You've really mastered that move. What are the things you do in the gym in order to perfect that type of move?

Repetition. I mean just getting more reps up at it, making it become easier. And then it just comes muscle memory. I work then and I move thousands of times. So it doesn't matter who's guarding me or what type of situation I'm in. I know I can get to that spot and get to my shot and get a nice release on my jump shot with doing that move because I've done it so many times.

You mentioned repetition, but is there like a step by step process where you might watch film of another player or film of yourself and then practice that specific move when you go onto the court or something like along those lines.

No, I just take what the defense gives me. I think that's kind of overthink in the game a little bit too much.

I know what spots I want to get to and not one man is going to stop me from getting to those spots. I mean, defenses are trying to stop not just me, but other teammates on my team.

So you just got to take what the defense gives you and be able to read and react. And I think that's what I'm doing at a really good level right now is being able to read and react on what they're doing to me and what they're giving to me.

Your averaging over 10 points per game in the fourth quarter of the season, which is the most of any player since 1996. You received a lot of defensive attention late in games. What have you learned from the past to playoff series when you've received a lot of attention just like that.

And how have you translated that to this season when you are receiving quite a lot of attention from the defense to maintain your high level of efficiency.

I'm just being more locked in first three quarters setting up. I guess setting up the table to what I want to do in that fourth quarter. So not showing them everything. And then when that fourth quarter starts just being ultra aggressive, not just a score, but the make place for my teammates.

And you know, in the fourth quarter guys are usually tired guys are usually fatigued and I'm in. I want to treat the fourth quarter like it's the first first quarter and be in the be fully, I guess fully ready for whatever that quarter entails.

And I just I'm more locked in. I mean, I love that moment. I want to embrace that moment of the fourth quarter. And like I said, the fourth quarter really isn't for everybody. I mean, it's tighter situations. It's it's it means a little more.

I mean, and in the games usually underlying a little more in that fourth quarter and the great players embrace those moments.

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