BOSTON -- All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas said those who believe the Boston Celtics are better without him don't even believe what they're saying.
Thomas, sidelined by a groin injury, wasn't with the team when it posted a lopsided 117-87 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. That led to speculation on Boston sports radio and local TV about whether Boston might be better without Thomas because of the ball movement the team displayed in his absence.
Asked if he'd heard any of the chatter before Friday's 101-94 loss to the Toronto Raptors, Thomas downplayed it.
"'They're a better team without me. The ball moves better without me.' I see it all," Thomas said. "They gotta write something. They say the stupidest things so they get the headlines and everybody can talk about it. I can't control that. At this point, I laugh about it now. Because it's like, if you really think that, OK, that's fine. I know what I mean to my teammates, I know what I mean to this organization and to (coach) Brad Stevens. The ball moved a little better without me. I guess so."
Added Thomas: "It is what it is. But people that say that, they don't even believe it. They go home at night, they're not believing that. They're just saying it to get a reaction. I'm trying my best not to react. If it was anybody else, we wouldn't be talking about that. I'm 5-9, that's the only reason why they say that. I'm fine with that. I know what I bring to the table. My teammates know what I bring. As long as they are happy, I'm fine. I'm not going to react. I try not to. I try to think of what Kobe [Bryant] said: Be a lion. Just lock in and don't worry about what others say."
Thomas, who missed his second consecutive game Friday against the Raptors, is hoping to be back on the floor Wednesday when Boston visits the San Antonio Spurs in a national TV game on ESPN.
Thomas strained his groin late in the first half of Monday's loss to the Houston Rockets. He flew home to Boston early and received a platelet-rich plasma injection Wednesday. Thomas is hoping to travel with the team on a two-game road trip that starts Sunday in Oklahoma City, even as team decision-makers encourage him to take it slow in his recovery.
"I want to play but [team brass] keep telling me no," Thomas said. "They keep wanting to be very patient with this because they don't want to reinjure it. It's an injury that can get reinjured and be a problem the rest of the season. So I don't want that. And on top of that, it gives me time to heal all the other injuries I have."
Asked who might make the final determination about when he can return to action after he's medically cleared, Thomas suggested it was team president of basketball operations Danny Ainge.
"The big dog, Danny, he's really not in favor of [me] going [on the upcoming trip], but I'm trying to convince him to just let me go," Thomas said. "I think they -- if I'm there, they know I'm going to try to play. I'm shooting for Wednesday for the most part. I think that's more realistic than Sunday. Hopefully I can play on Wednesday."
Thomas is hopeful the plasma injection will expedite his return and said Friday was "one of the days where it's felt its best."
Stevens noted that a groin strain can typically sideline a player for 10-14 days, but believes Thomas will be back sooner.
"We've talked about Isaiah being pretty ambitious in his return," said Stevens. "And he's been getting treatment around the clock, so we'll see. He'll be officially listed as day-to-day."
Added Stevens: "Our medical staff is great. ... They feel like he's not looking long term. It's not going to be a long-term [injury], for sure. We have to make sure we don't bring him back [Friday] or too soon so that it doesn't become one."