Kobe Bryant has been advising Isaiah Thomas regularly since the start of the playoffs.
Bryant began helping Thomas after the Celtics lost the first two games of their first round series to the Chicago Bulls.
"He reached out on behalf of my sister when [she passed away]," Thomas said of Bryant. "He wanted to go over film with me. He called me and we did it. He made me figure out a lot of things... He's just been a very helping hand when it comes to the film and figuring out what to do the next day."
Thomas had 53 points in Game 2.
"He's been sending me a text before and after every game since the first round. He definitely helps. He just tells me what he sees and what I should be watching for in film," Thomas said.
Thomas was surprised at the detail Bryant paid attention to.
"Mentally, he's just on a different level than anybody I've ever met. We were on the phone for 30 minutes. I e-mailed him my film and he watched every second, telling me what times to go to look at and certain plays and things I didn't look at when I watched film. Mentally, you can tell he's one of the greatest ever."
