The Nets, for the third time in less than a year, were rocked by a trade demand this week from one of their stars. Then, Cam Thomas played like a star on Saturday night.
The second-year guard had a career game to carry the Nets to a come-from-behind 125-123 win over the Wizards before a sellout crowd of 17,732 at Barclays Center.
Thomas poured in a game-high 44 points in 29 minutes off the bench, including 19 in the fourth quarter. That helped the Nets erase a 23-point deficit, and pull out a shorthanded victory after being stunned by Kyrie Irving’s trade demand.
The Nets (32-20) won with Irving, Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons and T.J. Warren all sidelined. They also lost Markieff Morris and Seth Curry during the game, leaving them with just eight players by the end of this gut-check victory.
“I always [have] hope, no matter who’s out there, because we’re all pros at the end of the day. It’s not like only two people can play [which is what it seems] like. A lot of guys contribute and play and help at any time. So everybody stay ready and we can keep moving,” said Thomas, who shot 16-for-23 and added six rebounds and five assists in his most complete game as a pro.
Cam Thomas, who scored a game-high 44 points, shoots over Kristaps Porzingis during the Nets’ 125-123 win over the Wizards. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“I had the opportunity to show off my full game. [I’ve] always been able to do that stuff. It’s just my coaches asking me when I was coming up through [every] league or circuit [I was] on [to] score the ball. So whatever my team needs me to do to win, that’s what I’m going to do. I’m not just going to do anything just to get praise from media. I’m trying to help my team win.”
The Nets won thanks to Thomas’ late-game heroics.
They trailed 123-122 with 12.2 seconds left, when Thomas, while shooting, drew a foul from Deni Avdija. After a review, it was determined that Daniel Gafford had committed goaltending on the shot. Thomas added the free throw for a three-point play, giving the Nets a lead they never gave up.
Monte Morris missed two from the charity stripe with 7.1 seconds left and the Nets held on.
In the absence of injured Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis scored 38 points to lead Washington. But Edmond Sumner, who had a career-high 29 points starting in Irving’s place, wisely drove at Porzingis and fouled him out late in the fourth quarter during the Nets’ comeback.
Edmond Sumner, who scored 29 points, slams home a dunk during the Nets’ win. Corey Sipkin for NY Post“It’s proof, its evidence of who we want to be as a team,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said. “We talked about it before the game. Just show up, man. Show up and do the work.”
The Nets put in the work, at least by the end.
Nic Claxton had an all-around strong night with 15 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. He also went 7-for-8 from the free-throw line.
Kyrie Irving, who has demanded to be traded from the Nets, did not play in Brooklyn’s win because of right calf soreness. APBut the Nets had to climb out of a self-made hole. They fell behind 44-21 with 49.9 seconds left in the first quarter on a Kendick Nunn free throw.
“There’s a little trickle effect to why there was a 23-point deficit. It’s adversity, it’s distractions, it’s stuff away from the court that probably saw us be affected at the beginning of the game,” Patty Mills said. “It took us to get down that much and take a little bit of a backside beating before we realize and could regroup.”
They were still down 84-64 after a Porzingis foul shot with 8:44 left in the third. But the Nets used a 13-0 run — capped by consecutive Mills 3-pointers — to cut the deficit to seven. That’s when Thomas dragged them across the line.
Former Knicks Kristaps Porzingis, looking to make a move, scored 38 points for the Wizards in a losing effort. NBAE via Getty ImagesThomas pulled the Nets within 99-97, and after collaring an intercepted pass, he beat Corey Kispert upcourt for a game-tying dunk that knotted the score at 109-all. Thomas followed with a 3-pointer that gave the Nets their first lead of the night, at 112-110 with 5:46 to play.
The teams traded leads until Morris put Washington up 123-122 with 24.1 seconds left, but then Thomas was fouled by Avdija. After the referee review showed goaltending by Gafford as well, Thomas hit the and-one and the Nets had a great escape.
“We’re not going to make excuses for who’s out there [and] who’s not out there. That’s just an easy cop-out,” Sumner said. “We [are] all professionals. We’re all NBA players. We all work out every day. We’re in the gym and the lab. So I wasn’t making excuses for who’s out there and not. Got to get the job done.”
