It wasn't long ago that the Boston Celtics were on the blip on the radar of Eastern Conference playoff contenders.
But Brad Stevens' club still had plenty of grit and resolve -- and one very talented point guard.
On this date four years ago -- April 24, 2016 -- the Celtics entered Game 4 of their first-round NBA playoff series with the Atlanta Hawks trailing 2-1 and in desperate need of a win.
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Enter Isaiah Thomas, who hit a clutch bucket to tie Game 4 with 15 seconds remaining and scored five of Boston's 12 points in overtime to lead the C's to a thrilling 104-95 win at TD Garden.
Thomas finished with a team-high 28 points, and while the Celtics went on to lose the series in six, the 5-foot-9 point guard cemented his reputation as a clutch playoff performer for Boston.
Boston Celtics
Here are a couple other notable April 24 performances from the C's, who are an impressive 11-3 in the playoffs on this date:
April 24, 1974: JoJo White (29 points, 14-of-19 shooting) and Don Nelson (25 points, 11-of-15 shooting) shoot the lights out as the Celtics dispatch the New York Knicks to advance to the 1974 NBA Finals.
April 24, 1963: In Bob Cousy's final game for the Celtics, Bill Russell racks up 12 points, 24 rebounds and nine assists as Boston takes down the Los Angeles Lakers 112-109 to win its fifth consecutive NBA championship.