Cam Thomas adopted up three straight video games of scoring 40-plus factors by dropping 20 within the second half on Thursday evening in opposition to the Bulls.
Regardless of his excessive scoring methods, Thomas discovered himself out of the beginning lineup in the Nets’ 101-98 loss to the 76ers on Saturday evening on the Barclays Middle, when coach Jacque Vaughn went with a beginning 5 of mikal bridgesJohnson, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Nic Claxton.
“I already had two trustworthy conversations with Royce [O’Neale] and Cam Thomas and what are the expectations for them,” Vaughn mentioned. “That does not imply I like them any much less. I all the time search for one of the best of the bunch and proper now that is it. We’ll see the way it develops.”
Vaughn acknowledged how effectively Thomas had performed of late, scoring 14 factors in 18:06 off the bench.
“We have seen him get quite a lot of consideration as a starter, so I do not suppose that may change,” Vaughn mentioned. “Will probably be nice to see that in opposition to the second unit. He is a man we are able to put the ball within the hand of once we want a bucket. He has confidence to return off the bench and rating. We’ll attempt to use him in that function to make the most of some matchups. He is somebody we’ll proceed to make use of, it is simply that now he is coming off the bench, for now.”
Whereas the Nets appear optimistic concerning the staff’s future, the lack of star energy introduced by Durant and Irving is already being felt. ESPN introduced Saturday that it had changed its Wednesday sport in opposition to the Warmth with a matchup between Cleveland and Philadelphia.
Bridges had not missed a sport in his NBA profession earlier than being pressured to sit down out Thursday after being acquired by the Nets.
Johnson, his Suns teammate who joined him within the commerce to Brooklyn, mentioned he joked about how a lot Bridges wished to play despite the fact that he was just lately traded.
“I used to be shaking,” Johnson mentioned of Bridges’ response earlier than the Nets performed the Bulls on Thursday.
“It was a bit tough for him. He was saying, ‘Can we play?’ ”
Bridges acknowledged the significance of the streak, however made it clear that it wasn’t the one vital half for him.
“I am excited to be right here,” Bridges mentioned. “I wished to play in that final sport and it was concerning the streak, however I wished to be on the market with the brand new guys as we convey a complete new tradition.”
