Isaiah Thomas didn't feel any pressure entering the first game seven of his NBA career.
His play backed up his confidence and with the help of Kelly Olynyk and the Boston Celtics bench, Thomas earned his biggest career win.
Thomas scored 29 points and had 12 assists while Olynyk scored a career-playoff high 26 points as the Celtics used a big fourth quarter to outlast the Washington Wizards 115-105 in the deciding game of the Eastern Conference semi-finals on Monday night.
"I knew it would be a big time game tonight. I knew it wouldn't be easy at all," Thomas said.
"And we came out on top."
Led by Olynyk, the Celtics got a huge lift from their bench, outscoring their Wizards' counterparts 48-5. Boston also connected on 11 three-pointers, including eight of 13 in the second half.
"We needed it," Olynyk said.
"That's a tough team that we played seven tough games against and they can score. We needed to help out the starters, help out Isaiah."
Boston advance to the Eastern Conference Finals where they will host the Cleveland Cavaliers in game one on Wednesday.
It's the Celtics' first appearance in the conference finals since 2012.
"What a special opportunity to get a chance to compete against them," Boston coach Brad Stevens said.
For Thomas it serves as the ultimate validation for a team that many felt was unworthy of the conference's top seed.
It also marked the latest big performance by Thomas, in a playoff run that began in the haze of his younger sister's death in a car accident.
The 28-year-old All-Star has called the basketball court his sanctuary and he continues to credit his teammates for giving him the strength to perform at a high level.
"That says a lot about the team we are and we believe in each other," Thomas said.
"The game wasn't always what we wanted it to be and it wasn't a perfect game. But we kept going and stayed the course."
Bradley Beal led the Wizards - who were playing their first game seven since 1979 - with 38 points, including 24 in the second half.
"I don't care how well I played," Beal said afterward.
"I don't care if I played bad. The end result...the only thing that matters is getting a win."
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