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Cam Thomas leads Nets to a big victory over Rockets
The Brooklyn Nets have ended their grueling losing streak by beating the Houston Rockets 106-104, led by Cameron Thomas' 37 points.
Jacque Vaughn inserted Thomas into the starting lineup for the first time since late December, replacing Cameron Johnson, who sat out the game for personal reasons.
"The thoughts have always been there. It's always been about trying to balance that group out. I know Cam can score with the first group or the second group," Vaughn said after the game. "I loved his aggressiveness tonight. We needed it, he set the tone for us early... It definitely has always been on my mind, what's best for the group, and it'll continue to be on my mind."
A well-rounded performance
Apart from Thomas' 37 points, the rest of the team also played well. Nic Claxton had a solid 10-point and 13-rebound double-double, while Mikal Bridges and Dorian Finney-Smith both scored 19 points.
The Rockets did their best to win this game, especially with a massive fourth-quarter performance. Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, and Cam Whitmore all had 19 points to lead the Rockets in scoring. However, that was not enough to overcome the Nets' blistering start to the game.
Mikal was fantastic at the start, scoring 12 points and hitting all four of his shot attempts. The Nets took a 35-15 lead after the first quarter and maintained that for almost the whole game. Brooklyn's problem with closing out games reared its ugly head as the Rockets outscored the Nets 18-34.
However, the Nets managed to pull away with a much-needed win with a last-second free throw miss by Spencer Dinwiddie when Houston did not have a time-out to score a last-second heave.
Cam Thomas makes a case for the starting spot
With his 37-point performance, Cam once again showed he's arguably the Nets' best scorer. His impact on the game was massive from the jump, which further solidified his case for being a starter.
The Nets got a big win, but moving forward, Vaughn has some decisions to make. Cam has made an undeniable case that he deserves the starting spot, and the fans are clamoring for the former LSU Tiger to get the nod.
