WALTHAM, Mass. -- When trying to encourage his team to make the right choices on the basketball court, Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens will often dip into the baseball glossary and suggest hitting singles instead of home runs.

This resonated with Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas who, because of his scoring prowess and ability to make flashy plays as a ball handler, is probably more of a cleanup hitter than a leadoff guy. But Thomas said his focus in training camp this year has simply been on making the right read as a play develops, and that led Stevens to suggest that Thomas has been "unbelievable" on offense.

When asked Friday about that balance between swinging for the fences and trying to utilize the opposite field, Thomas ran with all the baseball analogies.

"Oh yeah, I'm Ken Griffey [Jr.] in his prime," said Thomas, a Tacoma, Washington, native who grew up watching The Kid slug most of his career 630 home runs in 13 seasons with the Mariners. "It's just that, for the most part, if you hit singles, you can still get on base. So that's what [Stevens] said -- don’t just try to go for the home run play. But like you said, I've always tried to hit the home run, because at the end it makes the story a lot better. But the game is slowing down for me, like I keep saying, and I think that's just going to make me an overall better player at the end of the day."

On Thursday, Stevens detailed how, through four team scrimmages in training camp, Thomas was last on the team in field goal attempts but had thrived as a playmaker. That seemed unfathomable for Thomas, who was among the NBA leaders in usage rate and scoring per 48 minutes during his abbreviated stint with Boston last season.

"I don't know. I'm sick or something, right?" Thomas joked. "Honestly, I'm just taking what the defense gives me. Coach had [noted his lack of field goal attempts] to the team [Thursday]. I was kind of surprised, too, but I'm just really trying to make the right play each and every time down, and that's what it's getting me. Guys are making shots. Other guys are making plays. For me, even in these practices, they're paying me a lot of attention, so I'm just trying to really focus in on making the right play. If I've got the shot or I can score, I'm definitely going to shoot it, but for the most part, if two guys are on me, trying to find that next guy that's open."

Wait, is Thomas going to be more of a facilitator than a scorer moving forward?

"Oh, don't worry, I've still got the same mindset. If I can go get 40, I'm going to go get it," Thomas said with a smile. "No question about that. But the game's just slowing down for me. I've become more of a student of the game. I watched a lot of film this summer, just seeing where I can get better at. In these practices we've had, it's just making the simple play. Coach always talks about hitting singles and not trying to hit home runs, and I'm really trying to focus in on that."

Added Thomas: "If I want to be great like I want to be, you've got to learn those types of things. And when [Stevens] said that one day, it kind of hit me. He didn’t say it directly to me, but he said it to the team. Like, hitting singles is good, too. We don’t always have to hit the home run. I really focused in on that, and this whole training camp I've just been trying to make the simple play, the right play. But at times you've definitely got to try to go for the home run. You get out sometimes, and you make a highlight sometimes. So for the most part just trying to become a more complete basketball player."

Thomas confirmed that the way the Cleveland Cavaliers swarmed him in the first round of last season's playoffs caused him to reconsider how he gets his offense and how he can get his teammates better involved when that happens. He studied tape of Steve Nash this offseason and has worked each day before practice on a variety of one-footed shots.

When asked about the competition at point guard, especially with many wondering if the Celtics might consider shifting Thomas to a starting role this season, Thomas praised the way the team as a whole has embraced an unselfish approach and said everyone is working toward taking the next step in the team's progression.

But then a bit of that bravado broke through.

"I do want to let you know that I'm undefeated in all the scrimmages," Thomas said. "No matter what team Brad puts me on, I haven't lost yet. That's where I get excited -- when we're competing and scrimmaging and getting up and down. Whoever's on my team, we're winning. That's what I tell guys. Whoever's on the opposite team, look forward to losing that day, because I'm not going to lose."