Isiah Thomas

guard · 1981-82 – 1993-94 · DET · 1,090 games

Every comparison Isiah Thomas leads among players since 1946-47: 87 claims in 9 families, the best first. A row leads its field now, or set a record that was later broken. Each links to its board.

assists

leads200 straight games with 5+ assists in his first 350 games1st of 1,108 careers, next 104 · leads from game 250 to 850 · said 1 other way200games

assists · a season

set it37 games with 15+ assists in DET's first 82 games of 1984-85a record when he got there, 1st of 1,153 player-seasons, past 32 · held from game 31 to 82 · broken by John Stockton 1987-88, 44, Apr 23, 198837games

points + rebounds + assists

set it24 straight games with 30+ points + rebounds + assists in his first 150 gamesa record when he got there, 1st of 110 careers, past 20 · held from game 145 to 185 · broken by Terry Cummings, 28, Apr 12, 1984 · said 1 other way24games

field goal attempts

set it233 games with 20+ field goal attempts in his first 900 gamesa record when he got there, 1st of 14 careers, past 220 · held from game 900 to 960 · broken by Mark Aguirre, 300, Dec 8, 1993233games

steals · a season

set it10 games with 3+ steals in DET's first 15 games of 1985-86a record when he got there, 1st of 385 player-seasons, past 8 · held from game 12 to 18 · broken by Michael Jordan 1987-88, 12, Dec 2, 198710games

double-doubles

set it15 straight games with a double-double in his first 880 gamesa record when he got there, 1st of 11 careers, past 13 · held from game 880 to 890 · broken by John Stockton, 37, Mar 16, 199515games

steals + blocks · a season

set it4 games with 6+ steals + blocks in DET's first 18 games of 1983-84a record when he got there, 1st of 75 player-seasons, past 3 · held from game 15 to 18 · broken by Tree Rollins 1983-84, 5, Dec 3, 19834games

minutes · a season

set it1,004 minutes through DET's first 26 games of 1984-85a record when he got there, 1st of 315 player-seasons, past 1,002 minutes · held from game 23 to 26 (1 gap) · broken by Kevin McHale 1985-86, 1,008 minutes, Dec 18, 19851,004minutes

3-pointers made · a season

set it5 3-pointers made through DET's first 3 games of 1984-85a record when he got there, 1st of 969 player-seasons, past 4 3-pointers made · at game 3 only · broken by Craig Hodges 1986-87, 6 3-pointers made, Nov 4, 198653-pointers made

A lead is an interval: the stretch of N where he is first, worded at one N inside it. "One of 4" is a tie for first. A record "when he got there" was first among the careers that had reached that point by then. Fields are careers that began in 1946-47 or later, or player-seasons where he played the window (started half the team’s games or averaged 15 minutes). The method is in the board's notes.