Chase away the natural, it comes back at a gallop! Scorer at heart, Cam Thomas stayed true to himself in Brooklyn’s first two regular season games, finishing as his team’s top scorer each time, even setting a new record on the Opening Night loss to Cleveland. Before him, no one had passed 36 points in a first regular season game… coming off the bench.
The player’s nerve is intact and continues to impress observers, fans and of course his teammates. Like Ben Simmons, who passed through LSU, like him, and always amazed by Cam Thomas’ ability to score.
“Yes, it’s huge. It’s something he’s been able to do his whole life, he’s a scorer. I think he’s just learning to read the game a little differently and find the right rhythm while still making good play reads.”, did he slip.
After distinguishing himself by having had three games in a row with more than 40 points last February when the Nets had just parted ways with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in quick succession, Cam Thomas had nevertheless been used sparingly at the end of the season last. But as Jacque Vaughn said during the offseason, the player made the necessary adjustments during the summer by working in particular on defense.
“We need him”confided his teammate Mikal Bridges. “I mean, that’s his job: to come off the bench and bring offense instantly. He played hard defensively, positioning himself in the right spots, which was a very important point for him to learn. But that’s what he’s supposed to do off the bench, bring scoring and attack… because teams will focus on him, and then we can find the other guys. That’s what it’s supposed to do. Because he’s an incredible scorer.”
The confidence of Jacque Vaughn
Although he has gained the trust of his coach, Cam Thomas knows that there is still a long way to go and that he will have to gain in consistency, improve his reading of the game and his contribution to defense to stay on the field.
“It did me good, obviously”he continued about his first successful match against Cleveland. “Obviously you always prefer to win, but it’s good to always think about what you’re doing well. It’s a good thing to do for the first game of the year. But I have to continue to build on this foundation. It was just one match. I am very attached to regularity.”
Cam Thomas has particularly understood the importance of defense, because all that matters to him now is staying on the field as long as possible. For the moment, he is in a good place, among the best playing times in the squad with 29 minutes played on average over the first two matches.
“We just have to stick to our principles, what we learned in training camp, and continue to defend. Because that’s what our team is all about: defending. So we have to stick to our principles and do what it takes to make everything right,” he pointed out. “As long as I’m on the field, contributing and helping the team as best I can, that’s all that matters to me.”
However, within a team lacking in scoring, his impact on this side of the field could quickly allow him to join the major five. And not only when there are absences…
| 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 | 2 | 29 | 62.5 | 33.3 | 81.3 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 33.0 |
| Total | 126 | 17 | 44.4 | 32.0 | 85.1 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 9.8 | |
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.
