Cam Thomas drops 41 points on Golden State, but Nets lose
Golden State guard Stephen Curry talks with Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) after the game in San Francisco on Saturday. Credit: AP/Jeff Chiu
SAN FRANCISCO — Cam Thomas and Stephen Curry traded shots Saturday night like gunslingers, and Thomas actually outscored him.
But Curry, as he’s done often in his legendary career, had the last laugh. His floater off the glass with less than a minute remaining gave Golden State just enough cushion to record a 124-120 victory over the Nets at Chase Center.
Thomas had 41 points, his second game this season with at least 40. He shot 15-for-24, but the Nets (13-12) not only lost their second consecutive game but fell to 1-5 when Thomas scores at least 40.
Curry was 7-for-7 from the field in the final period and scored 16 of his 37 points to help end Golden State’s losing streak at three games.
Curry’s shot put Golden State (11-14) up 122-118. Nic Claxton hit a layup, and after Golden State rookie Brandin Podziemski missed a three-pointer, the Nets had a chance to tie or take the lead.
However, Mikal Bridges’ driving layup with 24.4 seconds left missed off the front of the rim and Curry hit a layup on the ensuing possession.
“I just missed it. Just missed the layup,” Bridges said. “Coach drew the play up for me to get iso up top. And I just missed the layup.”
Bridges scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter but shot 6-for-17 from the field.
The Nets fell to 1-3 on this five-game road trip despite coming back from an 18-point third-quarter deficit.
They scored 35 points in the period to get back in the game at 95-89 entering the fourth quarter.
Bridges’ three-pointer capped a 10-2 run that gave the Nets a 99-97 lead, their first since the first quarter. Bridges’ layup put the Nets ahead 103-102 with 7:32 left, but Curry scored Golden State’s next 12 points, including a high-arcing jumper over Claxton that made it 114-106.
“[They] closed it out because they’ve got Steph Curry,” Thomas said. “He controlled the game, started making shots at the end, and that’s why he is who he is. So he really just took the game over.”
It spoiled Thomas’ best game since his return from injury on Nov. 30. He had 24 points by halftime after shooting 35% in the previous six games.
However, Golden State led 70-54, helped by 16 points from Klay Thompson.
The Nets matched Golden State with 17 three-pointers and had 14 offensive rebounds to Golden State’s 13.
“They turned those offensive rebounds into threes also,” coach Jacque Vaughn said. “So now you’re two-sided that you’ve given them shots that they can make and that they want to take. Then some of those possessions where you’re expending a lot of energy to get a stop, and then you got to do it again. You don’t get rewarded. It’s negated hustle.”
Claxton had 19 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks and Spencer Dinwiddie finished with 16 points and a season-high 14 assists. The Nets played without Dorian Finney-Smith, who was out with left knee soreness.
Thompson finished with 24 points for Golden State and Podziemski added 19. Chris Paul had 11 assists off the bench.
The Nets have a chance to get right Monday in Utah. While Bridges said it’ll take the Nets being dialed in from the beginning, he criticized himself for not doing more to help Thomas on a high-scoring night.
“He’s gonna score it at a high level and efficient, so it’s just staying steady,’’ he said. “It just stinks that he just has this game and it kinda just goes to waste because we lost.”
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
