Inside The Nets

Brooklyn Nets: Cam Thomas Has Solid Night in Return vs. Trail Blazers

Thomas returned to the court for the first time in nearly two months, and impressed in limited minutes.

Jed Katz

Feb 28, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) reacts during the second quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Feb 28, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) reacts during the second quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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The Brooklyn Nets suffered a brutal 121-102 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers last night, dropping their third-straight game. The Trail Blazers had the hot hand in Barclays Center, shooting 57.7% from the field and 41.7% from three. As for the Nets, they shot just 41.4% from the field and 24.1% from three, barely mustering up 20 points in the final 12 minutes of action.

Despite the loss, the Nets got a solid night from star guard Cam Thomas, who is back from a hamstring injury that had kept him out since Jan. 2. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard put up 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting in just 21 minutes, showing productivity despite the minutes restriction.

Thomas was inefficient in his return, but the rustiness was expected for someone who hasn't stepped on the court in almost two months. With his offensive prowess back, the Nets have added firepower in their pursuit of the Play-In Tournament, as Brooklyn sits just 2.5 games back from the 10th-seeded Chicago Bulls.

Although he shot 0-for-4 from three, Thomas was scoring from everywhere within the arc, creating shots for himself more than playing off of teammates. He was knocking down midrange shots but also got to the basket multiple times with crafty dribbles.

Many were critical of Thomas' performance, but the fact of the matter is that he hasn't played in nearly two months and got limited minutes in his return. The 23-year-old is still getting his rhythm back, so it wasn't unusual to see him out of touch like this.

The only glaring issue against Portland was Thomas' lack of facilitation, putting up just one assist. This has plagued the Nets' offense throughout his time as the star in Brooklyn, as the lack of passing has kept teammates from scoring more and creating better flow within Jordi Fernandez's offense.

Nevertheless, Thomas is back and should make a serious impact on the Nets as they wind down the regular season. For better or worse, Brooklyn is a legitimate contender for postseason basketball, and with its star scorer back, the team should win more games with Thomas.

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Jed Katz
JED KATZ

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