Since returning from an ankle sprain that caused him to miss nine games, third-year Nets guard Cam Thomas had been in a shooting slump, converting just 37.9% of his field goal attempts in the seven games leading into Saturday’s contest at Golden State.
While Brooklyn wound up losing to the Warriors in a nail-biter, Thomas was able to snap of out the slump, pouring in 41 points on 15-24 shooting (62.5%), writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
“Yeah, just the way I was … just my feeling out there, the way I started the game off. I felt good coming in, feeling better, getting there by the day,” Thomas said. “In transition when I did a little floater, that’s when I really felt like I was good. I felt good. So my rhythm is coming back, getting there where I need to be. So you know, I just wanna keep it up and keep going.”
As a former first-round pick who had his fourth-year option exercised, Thomas will be eligible for a rookie scale extension in the offseason. He’s averaging a career-high 23.9 points per game through 16 games in 2023/24.
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Saturday was the two-week mark from when the Nets said there would be an update Ben Simmons, who has been sidelined since November 6 with a nerve impingement in his lower back. However, as Lewis tweets, head coach Jacque Vaughn said he had no clarity on Simmons’ status, and he wouldn’t know more until they return to Brooklyn. The Nets conclude their five-game West Coast trip on Monday in Utah, with their next home game coming on Wednesday against the Knicks.
- Backup guard Dennis Smith Jr. will miss his sixth straight game on Monday, Lewis adds (via Twitter). A free agent addition over the summer, Smith has been battling an upper back sprain.
- The Nets have gone 1-3 thus far on their road trip, and they’ve been missing the athleticism and “spark” of Lonnie Walker, Smith, and Simmons, according to Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post. Like Smith, Walker was a minimum-salary free agent addition. He will miss his eighth consecutive game on Monday due to a groin strain.
With his history, is anyone buying this story about Ben Simmons? I’m very skeptical.
No one should, he should never get another contract after he’s finished stealing this one lol.
I picked Cam Thomas as one of my three players to win the most improved player award, and man is he making that prediction age well!! lol
You could just tell, even in limited minutes, that this man knew how to score the ball. I hope he keeps it up, and is able to continue developing his all-around game.