Now a reserve, Cam Thomas scores 19 points in Nets' win over Heat
Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas drives to the basket past Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent at Barclays Center on Wednesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Cam Thomas scored more than 40 points for the Nets in three consecutive games this month, but now he is coming off the bench as a role player.
Thomas admitted after Wednesday night’s 116-105 victory over the Heat that his current role is “tough, for sure, but just have to figure it out and go from there.”
His tone suggested he was not thrilled with the situation. But everyone else associated with the Nets was, because Thomas made a big contribution off the bench.
In 21 minutes he scored 19 points – including 3-for-5 on three-pointers – and outscored the entire Miami bench, which totaled only 16 points.
“I think that’s an ideal picture,” coach Jacque Vaughn said. “For him to come off the bench and have the attention that he got, to be able to make shots for us, to be able to create for us.
“It was a little bit of a lull in our offense before he checked in, and he has the ability to create shots for us, so we really needed it tonight. I thought he was composed. I thought he used each possession and was pretty efficient with it, making the right decisions, which is growth for him.
“So definitely more so what we wanted to see.”
Notes & quotes: Seth Curry returned after missing five games with an abductor injury. Vaughn said before the game that Curry would not have a minutes limit, but he ended up playing only 10 and was scoreless . . . Nic Claxton started but played only 25 minutes and had four points and nine rebounds. Claxton’s production has trailed off of late. Vaughn said his center simply is tired, and that he knew that entering the game. Vaughn told Claxton to rest up during the All-Star break. “So he'll recharge,” Vaughn said. “We'll give him some love and he'll be back to [being a] double-double machine hopefully after the break.”
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
