Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) shoots a three-point basket previous Phoenix Suns middle Deandre Ayton (22) and ahead Torrey Craig in the course of the first half of an NBA basketball recreation, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Watch out, LeBron. Here comes Cam Thomas.
The Brooklyn Nets guard continued his torrid scoring streak on Tuesday with a 43-point recreation in opposition to the Phoenix Suns. The effort was hit third straight with 40-plus factors after dropping 44 in opposition to the Washington Wizards on Saturday and 47 in opposition to the Los Angeles Clippers Monday evening. He received to 40 with a layup within the recreation’s ultimate 12 seconds and scored Brooklyn’s final three factors from there.
Thomas entered Tuesday averaging 9.5 factors in 15.2 minutes per recreation.
All three outbursts arrived since Kyrie Irving requested and was subsequently granted a commerce out of Brooklyn. Thomas has taken on an elevated function in his absence and is making absolutely the most of it, together with some historical past within the course of.
His efficiency on Tuesday made Thomas the youngest participant in NBA historical past to attain 40-plus factors in three straight video games. He’s the one Nets participant to ever pull off the feat in the course of the crew’s NBA historical past. Rick Barry pulled it off when the Nets had been within the ABA. This is a franchise that just lately featured each Irving and James Harden and nonetheless boasts Kevin Durant.
Unfortunately for the Nets, it wasn’t sufficient to beat the Suns, who walked away on Tuesday with a 116-112 win in Devin Booker’s return from harm. But Thomas is giving the Nets hope that they’ve stashed a hidden gem on the bench for the final two seasons. He’s actually earned a bigger function, even after the addition of Spencer Dinwiddie from the Irving commerce and the anticipated return of Durant from harm.
Like he did on Monday, Thomas got here out of the gates sizzling en path to 24 factors at halftime. He cooled off after an 8-of-13 effort first-half taking pictures effort that included 3 of 5 from 3-point distance.
