When Cam Thomas has been pressured to overlook time this season, he normally returns in type.
The 23-year-old was a notable scratch in Wednesday’s 130-113 loss to the Toronto Raptors. He missed a month due to a left hamstring pressure and missed D’Angelo Russell’s debut for precautionary causes. Russell obtained loads of touches — and impressed.
Thomas scored 25 factors in simply over 24 minutes in his return on Sunday. Getting into Thursday’s sport towards the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Discussion board, the Nets guard was averaging 25.8 factors per sport on wholesome splits this season when coming off at the least sooner or later of relaxation.
The pattern continued.
Thomas completed with 24 factors on 8-for-22 taking pictures and added seven rebounds, two assists and two steals in simply 22 minutes. He was held to only seven factors within the second half after beginning 6-for-10 from the sector, however his 17-point first half ignited the Nets in a 113-110 win.
It was Thomas’ sixth sport with at the least 15 factors via two quarters of motion this season. Each early bucket was essential, as a result of the Nets practically suffered one other epic fourth-quarter collapse.
After Thomas entered the sport for Russell with 5:23 left within the first quarter, the Nets ended the interval on a 14-11 run to take a seven-point lead into the second quarter. Brooklyn is plus-33 within the first quarter over its final 5 video games. Thomas led them to an early 16-4 edge in bench factors on Thursday.
Defensively, Brooklyn restricted the Bucks to 9-for-23 taking pictures and 1-for-7 from 3-point vary via the primary 12 minutes. Sure, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard had been lively.
The Nets led 66-54 at halftime due to Thomas’ scoring, 9 extra made free throws and a 15-4 benefit in factors off turnovers. Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton obtained occurring offense within the opening minutes of the third quarter, which helped Brooklyn open on a 14-2 run to go up 80-56 with 9:17 left within the interval.
Much like Sunday’s loss to the Orlando Magic, it didn’t final.
A 21-point sport with 6:55 left, the Bucks went on a 20-0 run to make it a one-point sport with 37.4 seconds left. The Nets ultimate factors in regulation got here off a pair of Ziaire Williams free throws, which put them up three with 6.1 seconds left.
Lillard missed the game-tying 3 with .6 second left, however Johnson stepped out of bounds whereas making an attempt to safe the following rebound and injured his proper ankle within the course of, the identical one he sprained throughout Brooklyn’s highway win towards the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 25.
Lillard’s ultimate prayer missed all the pieces, and regardless of being outscored 25-19 within the ultimate body, the Nets survived. And for the primary time since 2003, Brooklyn received a sport through which it scored two factors or fewer within the ultimate 6:55 of regulation.
The Nets improved to 13-21 with the win, snapped a three-game dropping streak, and secured a 3-1 season sequence over the Bucks.
Johnson completed with 26 factors on 10-for-16 taking pictures. Claxton added 16 factors, 11 rebounds, and a large full-court cease on Antetokounmpo late. Russell began had 11 factors and 12 assists. He left the sport late with cramps however needs to be effective.
Antetokounmpo paced Milwaukee with 27 factors, 13 rebounds and 7 assists.
The Nets will return to motion on Saturday towards the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Middle.
Initially Revealed: January 2, 2025 at 11:09 PM EST
