The Brooklyn Nets were put into a tough position after star point guard Kyrie Irving requested a trade earlier this month and was subsequently traded to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. However, Irving’s absence has allowed second-year guard Cam Thomas to get some extended playing time. Thomas has taken advantage of that in a huge way.
Thomas came into Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers red-hot, scoring 44 points off the bench in the team’s last matchup against the Washington Wizards. He miraculously topped that on Monday, scoring 47 points in a losing effort against the Clippers.
This puts Cam Thomas in some rare company, becoming the second youngest player behind LeBron James to record back-to-back 40-point games.
Irving’s departure will certainly impact the Nets’ performance for the remainder of the season. But many around the NBA world believe that Thomas could be blossoming into a very important piece of the team’s future.
He even received some high praise from NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, who said that Thomas was “born a bucket” on Twitter.
Unbelievably Thomas’s two-game stretch has matched the number of 40-point games that Irving had this entire season as a member of the Nets.
Thomas discussed his increase in playing time after the game, crediting his excellent play as of late to staying ready for any and all opportunities.
“I love to hoop man,” said Thomas via SNY Nets on Twitter. “I love to stay ready. Obviously I want to play in the real games. Who doesn’t? Can’t tell me one person who don’t want to play in a real NBA game, that’s foolish. I just try and stay in the moment. When I do get my opportunity, I try and make the most of it.”
While Thomas’s performance is very promising, it is also important to add context to his impressive play. His two breakout games have come without star forward Kevin Durant, who has been sidelined with an MCL sprain.
If Cam Thomas can continue to play well with all of the Nets’ pieces together, he certainly can become an impactful piece for a potential playoff push in Brooklyn.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.