Grieving Boston Celtics star Isaiah Thomas plans to play Tuesday

Boston Celtics star Isaiah Thomas plans to play Tuesday night in Game 2 of the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series against the Chicago Bulls as he continues to mourn from a family tragedy.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens said Thomas will fly to his home state of Washington after the game to help complete funeral arrangements for his sister, Chyna Thomas, who was killed in a car crash Saturday outside Tacoma, Wash.

"His plan, as of right now -- and, again, subject to him changing if he wants -- is that he'll be here (Tuesday) night and then will go to Tacoma after," Stevens told reporters Monday. "So either after the game (Tuesday) night or Wednesday morning."

Thomas played through tears Sunday night and scored 33 points in the Celtics' 106-102 playoff-opening loss against the Bulls -- just a day after his 22-year-old sister died in a single-car accident on Interstate 5 in Federal Way, Wash.

The Celtics have two days off before Game 3 Friday night against the Bulls in Chicago and Stevens suggested the entire team would make an effort to attend the memorial services.

"He's trying his best to compartmentalize when he's here to work on what he needs to work on, but I'm sure that's difficult," Stevens said. "But we were together for some film, some walk-through, and we'll be back together (Tuesday). I think he's as good as he can be.

"It's really tough when he's sitting there, and some of his family's back in Seattle, and some of them came here to mourn with him. I think the next extension of your family is who you're around every day, your team, and so these guys are really terrific teammates. They care about one another and they support one another. Obviously, that's what you'd hope you have in a team. It's probably not always the case."

Teammate Avery Bradley, a fellow Tacoma native, has helped Thomas get through the tragedy.

"Me and Isaiah have known each other since we were kids, since we were 11, 12 years old. So we're just family," Bradley said. "And no matter what goes on, we're always going to have each other's back. We're always going to be there for one another. And I think he knows that and I know the same about him.

"We're always going to support each other. Not to say our teammates aren't going to support us as well, but we're family so it's different. I'm going to be there for him no matter what."