If that is Cam Thomas’ new position, he didn’t sound thrilled upon accepting it.
The guard was the precise scoring punch the Nets wanted in Wednesday’s house victory over the Warmth, rising from the bench to steer the second unit. He scored loads — 19 factors in 21 minutes — as a supporting piece.
However Thomas is now not the main piece of the Nets’ offense, as he was briefly when Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant have been forcing their methods out of Brooklyn. Mikal Bridges, who poured in a career-high 45 factors in opposition to Miami, appears to be the point of interest of the assault, with Thomas utilized in bursts greater than quantity.
“It’s powerful,” Thomas stated about adjusting to his new area of interest after capturing 6-for-11 and 3-for-5 from deep. “From doing one factor and attempting to regulate to the group as a result of that’s simply what you bought to do. It’s powerful for positive.
“So simply received to determine it out.”
On the courtroom a minimum of, Thomas appeared to be figuring it out. He was head coach Jacque Vaughn’s tenth and remaining man off the bench, coming into the sport to begin the second quarter. With out Bridges on the ground, Thomas may seize the scoring load. However as Bridges took over within the fourth quarter and scored 17 factors, Thomas largely watched from the bench.
Vaughn referred to as it the “splendid” recreation for the second-year shooter. However Thomas stated he didn’t know if this blueprint — getting used as a sparkplug off the bench whereas Bridges carries the beginning unit — may information the Nets the remainder of the season.
“I don’t assume something is … Coach remains to be attempting to determine every part out, so I don’t know,” Thomas stated. “I don’t have the reply for you.”
Early final week, it appeared as if Thomas had burst into the Nets’ subsequent star. With out Irving and Durant, Thomas shouldered the scoring load admirably. He dropped a minimum of 43 factors in three straight video games and appeared as if he may fill the scoring voids the celebs have been leaving.
However because the trade-deadline haul joined the group, the 21-year-old with restricted defensive means was bumped down the depth chart and out of the beginning lineup.
“Simply do my job,” Thomas stated about coming off the bench. “That’s about it.”
The minutes (or perhaps hours) is likely to be catching as much as Nic Claxton.
The Nets middle logged 25 minutes Wednesday through which he bruised with Bam Adebayo. Claxton entered the All-Star break having performed 1,592 minutes this season — greater than the 1,568 he performed in his previous two seasons mixed.
Claxton scored simply 4 factors on 4 photographs Wednesday and has been held and not using a double-double for 3 video games straight. Beforehand, he had pieced collectively 10 double-doubles in 13 video games, a span through which he averaged 17.2 factors and 11.6 rebounds.
“He’s drained, and he has been drained,” Vaughn stated of Claxton, who cut up time with Ben Simmons. “He’s given us every part that he’s had. … We have been attempting to determine: How can we get this dude to the tip line to get to some restoration over All-Star break? I respect him. I advised him that.”
