Everyone caught it. In the fourth quarter of the Celtics' 104-96 victory Sunday to even their first-round series with Chicago 2-2, Isaiah Thomas cracked a smile as Boston started to pull away. Everyone saw it, noticed it, commented on it, tweeted about it. The Boston superstar who lost his sister last week in a tragic car accident had been living with a black cloud over him and it was evident to everyone that watched him. 

But as the Celtics pulled away behind Thomas' 33 points and seven assists, it was clear that he was, if only for a little while, getting away from it. 

Thomas was lightning and fire in Game 4, slicing past defenders for impossible layups time and time again. He got rolling vs. the Bulls' phalanx of nearly amateur point guards. Fred Hoiberg's insane decision to keep rolling out Jerian Grant and Michael Carter-Williams opened the door for Thomas' resurgence. Thomas is shooting 14-of-27 in this series with either of those young guards on the floor. Thomas was 3-of-10 with Rajon Rondo on the floor before his injury. 

But even then, Thomas finished over Jimmy Butler all the same in Game 4. His outside shot wasn't falling, but the Celtics' rim protection was absent with Robin Lopez stretched to the perimeter by the Celtics' smallball adjustment. 

Beyond all that, though, Thomas just showed why he was an All-Star this season, why he's sure to show up in the MVP ballots. With his team on the verge of evening the series and restoring order, Thomas delivered. When the Bulls cut the lead to single digits in the third, he helped push it back to where it needed to be. And when they collapsed on him, he got others involved, with seven assists. 

Thomas had his best game at the best time. His personal pain isn't over, that's not how grief works. But the Celtics needed the real Isaiah Thomas back on Sunday, and Thomas needed to be that player for a while as well. Both were able to leave Chicago happy, and leave with a 2-2 split, all the momentum, and the Celtics' lofty postseason hopes reignited.