Can Cam Thomas' Return Catapult Brooklyn Into The Postseason?

Cam Thomas' return is imminent, how could it impact the Nets' playoff prospects?

Nov 24, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) during the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets haven’t had the easiest season so far, falling down to the lower half of the Eastern Conference, which can be attributed to a flurry of reasons.

One of which is the injury problem that Jordi Fernandez’s side has seemed to be struck by, with stars Cameron Johnson and Cam Thomas, amongst others, sitting out for significant periods of time.

The latter of the aforementioned pairing hasn’t been sat on the bench for just one injury stint but two after Thomas suffered a left hamstring strain in early January, which put a halt on what was a bright season in which he was soaring to new heights on the offensive end, averaging 24 points per game on an efficient 44 percent from the field.

This lack of offensive firepower can be reflected in Brooklyn's scoring numbers in the 35 games that Thomas has sat out, which sits at an abysmal 101 points per game, which puts them at the bottom of the league, three points below the Orlando Magic.

Despite these low-scoring numbers, Brooklyn has managed to chain together an impressive record in February prior to the All-Star break, which has helped put them neck and neck with the Philadelphia 76ers, two and a half games outside of the Play-In Tournament.

The start of the second half of the season coincides with the expected return of Thomas, who is slated to make his way back onto the court “shortly after All-Star break.”

If the 23-year-old were to reenter the lineup putting up similar numbers to what he was prior to his injury, it would skyrocket the Nets’ offense to roughly the 23rd-best team, which would see them climb over the lower half of the Eastern Conference, the same teams who they are currently fighting against to get a spot in the Post Season.

Pair this offensive production with the current work that Fernandez has the Nets' squad doing on the defensive end, which is currently amongst the best in the league throughout February, there's a good chance that it would result in a winning recipe.

This is a recipe that would be perfect for their nine games against teams currently in the Play-In tournaments or those below them in the table, all of which prove to be pivotal for Brooklyn's hopes of playing into late April.

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