Isaiah Thomas Thanks Shock Doctor Mouthguards After Playoff Injury
Thomas' injury in NBA playoffs reminder of importance of mouthguard adoption in basketball
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., May 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs continued Tuesday night as fans watched Isaiah Thomas lead Boston to an exciting overtime victory and a 2-0 lead in the series. Despite losing his tooth during Sunday's Game 1, and enduring extensive dental surgery, Thomas pushed through the pain to make a notable return to the court for Game 2 and racked up an impressive career-high 53 points. This time, Thomas wore a custom mouthguard, providing praise and thanks to Shock Doctor, the official mouthguard of the NBA.
"That was my first time wearing a mouthguard, and it's a good thing too because I hit my teeth pretty hard again. Without Shock Doctor, my tooth would probably have been on the ground like it was in Game 1. I now understand the importance of wearing a mouthguard," Thomas said during a post-game press conference Tuesday night.
Thomas' initial injury, while incredibly painful, is unfortunately not uncommon – nearly a third of all basketball injuries to high school athletes are to the head and face.1 And while mouthguards are a critical piece of facial protective equipment, they are not required in basketball.
"Our partnership with the NBA allows us to continue our mission to ensure athletes have the best protective equipment to stay safe on the court," said Tony Armand, CEO of United Sports Brands, the parent company of Shock Doctor. "Thomas has been playing remarkable basketball and we're glad wearing a mouthguard is now part of his essential gear."
About Shock Doctor:
Shock Doctor is the #1 global leader in mouthguards, along with core protective equipment and apparel, performance sports therapy, sports insoles and performance compression and recovery – designed to protect and enhance the performance of athletes across a wide range of sports including football, basketball, hockey, baseball, lacrosse, MMA, fitness and more. Shock Doctor also recently announced the launch of a new line of NBA and team-branded mouthguards as part of their multiyear partnership with the league. Fans can find their favorite team-branded mouthguards with key features like better breathability and speakability on NBAStore.com and ShockDoctor.com.
Contact:
Mary Horwath, (657) 383-4404, [email protected]
1 High School RIO; National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study, 2008-2013
SOURCE Shock Doctor
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