The Nets know Cam Thomas is a bucket. The rookie is aware of it, too.
However each say he’s a lot extra.
“His willingness to adapt to the NBA recreation and prioritize making reads out of pick-and-roll the place he attracts a crowd and will get off it; that makes the sport simpler for him,” coach Steve Nash mentioned. “I’ve talked to him about it a variety of occasions. He’s actually improved at it, and the areas the place he could make enchancment and we’ve requested him to make enhancements, he’s been very keen the final three or 4 weeks.
“So, massive progress for him offensively and defensively by 1) having an important perspective to enhance, and a couple of) actually caring about these elements that we’re providing for him as progress areas. He’s turned a nook there when he’s had an important perspective and has been keen to tackle board among the teachings and the issues we’re asking him to do. That’s actually opened issues up for him and made it look like extra selection to his recreation and harder to defend.”
That openness to teaching the previous month has been rewarded with speedy improvement. And by no means was that extra evident than in Wednesday’s 21-point outing to beat the Knicks within the Backyard.
After a five-point, 2 of 11 begin by means of three quarters, Thomas poured in 16 within the fourth — together with a dagger 3-pointer with seven seconds left. His teammates showered him with water within the victorious customer’s locker room afterwards.
“He’s a bucket,” Seth Curry mentioned.
However greater than that. Thomas additionally grabbed 4 rebounds, performed the purpose down the stretch and handed out a few assists — one to LaMarcus Aldridge, with whom he really ran some two-man recreation.
“That’s the narrative that’s on the market that’s trash, saying that I can’t cross,” Thomas mentioned. “I may at all times cross, but it surely was simply what my crew wants. I've LaMarcus Aldridge within the midrange broad open, and so they’re doubling me and leaving him open. Who’s not gonna cross it to him? He’s the No. 1 midrange shooter within the league. In order that narrative must cease, I really feel like.”
As his protection and playmaking have improved, it’s allowed him to get on the court docket and keep there on a veteran-laden roster.
A possible lottery decide who fell to Brooklyn at No. 27 within the 2021 NBA Draft, Thomas was the top-scoring rookie within the NBA this month and entered Thursday’s recreation in opposition to the Wizards averaging 17.9 factors on 48.8 % capturing in February — the most effective by any Nets rookie since Kenyon Martin in March 2001.
“He is aware of how you can rating early already. His progress is coming alongside so far as figuring out how you can learn, when he’s doubled, when to drop it off. The hardest factor as a scorer is you at all times can simply shoot it. Now he’s studying to take this shot, cross, this time,” mentioned Aldridge, who famous Thomas’ self-assurance. “That’s why he has a leg up on enjoying nicely, as a result of he already believes in himself.”
That confidence has been hovering, averaging 21.6 factors, 3.9 boards, 2.9 assists and a steal in his previous seven coming into Thursday. He joined Cade Cunningham and Franz Wagner as the one rookies this season — and Cliff Robinson and Bernard King as the one Nets underneath 21 — with 150 factors in a seven-game span.
“I’ve been actually pleased with Cam,” Nash mentioned. “He’s clearly turned a nook, figuring out when to get off the ball, figuring out it’s not about what number of pictures I rise up however how good a shot I can rise up. And he’s proven willingness and talent to cross. The extra he mixes that in, the harder it's to learn him, the extra he’ll get open seems. And he’s been excellent in attempting to work towards that.
“And defensively, he cares and he’s taking steps of satisfaction at that finish of the ground that permit him to play extra. I’m actually pleased with him attempting to tackle these challenges that aren’t essentially his id for his profession thus far. It’s not straightforward, so I’m actually pleased with him. He’s creating clearly on each ends of the ground.”
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