LeBron James sends condolences to grieving Celtics G Isaiah Thomas

LeBron James offered his condolences on Monday to grieving Boston Celtics star Isaiah Thomas.

Thomas played through tears Sunday night in the Celtics' 106-102 loss to the Chicago Bulls in the opener of a first-round Eastern Conference playoff series -- just a day after his 22-year-old sister Chyna Thomas was killed in a car crash.

Thomas, wearing "RIP Lil Sis" written in tribute on his shoes, paced Boston with 33 points.

James did not send his sympathies to Thomas and his family via social media because of the Cleveland Cavaliers star's playoff-imposed blackout, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.

James conveyed his sympathy after Monday morning's shootaround before Game 2 of the series against the Indiana Pacers.

"My deepest sympathy and prayers goes up to him and his mother, his father, whoever is in his life. I'm not quite sure who's in his life," James told reporters in Cleveland. "Had to be a tough situation for him, just going out and playing a game and obviously who cares about the game? That's so silly to even think about basketball when something like that tragic happens.

"He obviously is a strong-willed guy. I got to know him the last couple years. It's unfortunate something like that has happened at a time like this. Obviously our world is kind of revolved around basketball, but like I said, who cares about basketball when something like that happens?"

Fans and players around the league have been rallying around Thomas.

"It's a sick feeling. I don't have any siblings, but I have some very, very close people in my life and I can only imagine how that would take your heart away," James said. "Especially at a time like this. And he was unbelievable in the game, too, by the way."