Cam Thomas will become a fixture in the Nets‘ lineup if he keeps scoring the way he has in the season’s first two games, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Thomas poured in 36 points off the bench in Wednesday’s season opener and followed that with 30 more as a starter Friday night in Dallas.
Scoring outbursts are nothing new for Thomas, who had three straight 40-point games last season, but issues with defense and play-making have prevented him from earning a regular role in his first two years in the NBA. With Thomas coming off a strong training camp, his teammates are hoping to see him as a consistent member of the rotation.
“Need it,” Mikal Bridges said. “I mean, that’s his job: Come off the bench and bring instant offense. “Defensively, he’s been playing hard, being in the right spots, so that was a big thing for him to learn. But that’s what he’s supposed to do off the bench. He’s supposed to lead that bench in scoring and provide offense. … then teams over-help and find other guys. That’s what he’s supposed to do. He can score the hell out of the ball.”
There’s more on the Nets:
- Brooklyn is hoping forward Cameron Johnson and center Nic Claxton, who are both considered day-to-day, can return for Monday’s game at Charlotte, Lewis states in another story for the Post. After sitting out the preseason with a hamstring injury, Johnson suffered a left calf contusion on opening night and didn’t play Friday. Claxton sprained his left ankle in the opener and missed Friday’s game in what coach Jacque Vaughn calls “a precaution.”
- Friday marked the first return to Dallas for Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie, who were both shipped to Brooklyn in February in the Kyrie Irving trade, Lewis adds. “I’ve got a ton of love for Mavs, Mavs’ fan base, the team,” Dinwiddie said. “Shoot, I just congratulated Josh Green on his new deal, so a lot of those guys are still my friends.”
- Hawks guard Patty Mills, who played for Nets teams that included Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden, tells Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News that off-court distractions ruined what could have been a title contender. “I think any place you go, the ideal scenario is it’s about basketball and you keep it about basketball, and you figure out how to move forward on the basketball court,” Mills said. “So when you look back at it there, there were definitely a lot of times where there were distractions that got the better of us and that definitely took a toll.”
Watched that Dallas game. Nets should have won. They continuously let Luka get his shot. Even on that lucky throw up. They gave him time. If they pick him up full court. You make him give up the ball. And you make him use clock. Luka is all about hero-ball. So he will do all he can to get that last shot. Guys like that who can put it in (Curry). Guys who are just hot. You pick them up full court. You don’t give them time to make a play. Just like shooting has stretched the floor. You must stretch the defense if you want to contest and defend it.
The Nets got beaten by hero ball two games in a row. The first game, it was Spida. The second game, it was Luka. They really need to learn how to close out games.
Dinwiddie last yr as the PG —
35 mins, 16.5 pts, 9.1 ast, 4.1 reb.
Plus good D. There is no way Ben should be playing PG for this team. He can do more damage at the 4. Doesn’t have to be a shooter to play the 4 or 3. Plus he can defend the 3 better than anyone. If he was on Luka full court. Closing the game. The Nets win. Ben should take on the challenge of playing other teams best scorer. Closing out games. That’s where he can be huge.