Anxious at the idea of missing three weeks of competition while averaging 27 points, Cam Thomas had a nice surprise on his return from injury: a starting place! Of course, he can thank Ben Simmons, still injured in the back, but Jacque Vaughn has maintained his confidence in him for 10 days.
This night, against the Suns, the Brooklyn back showed how valuable he was by his ability to catch fire in short sequences, but also by his ability to cause fouls. But Vaughn gave him a little reminder before the match: if Thomas wants to be one of the greatest, he will have to improve in defense.
Substitute, “we can hide and cheat a little”
“He's learning how to start games and play on both ends of the floor, which means at some point tonight he's going to have to defend on Kevin, Devin or Beal. What doesn't happen when you come off the bench » explains the Nets coach. “We can hide a little and we can cheat a little. He accepts it and learns this “two-way player” side.
And as he is a starter, and is therefore no longer the number 1 weapon off the bench, Thomas must also learn to no longer be the first option.
“ In attack, he learns to play with Mikal, to play with Cameron, Spencer, who is our playmaker and who initiates our attack” Vaughn continues. “How do you get involved in the game without breaking your habits while remaining productive and taking effective shots? By continuing to take the shots your teammates expect you to take. It is this balance that he is faced with. And then there's the regularity of doing it every night, and that's a big challenge for him. »
One thing is certain, Thomas proved against the Suns that he was not afraid to take responsibility, and his throws hurt very badly at the very end of the match. “I knew I was going to wear them” he answers, before talking about his awkwardness at the moment. “That's why I'm on the court: taking mid-range shots, taking rhythm shots… Usually it goes in but that's not the case at the moment. Compared to that, free throws are nothing.
| Cam Thomas | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2021-22 | BRK | 67 | 18 | 43.3 | 27.0 | 82.9 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 8.5 |
| 2022-23 | BRK | 57 | 17 | 44.1 | 38.3 | 86.8 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 10.6 |
| 2023-24 | BRK | 13 | 32 | 44.4 | 34.2 | 83.9 | 0.2 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 23.4 |
| Total | 137 | 19 | 43.8 | 32.4 | 85.1 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 10.8 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
