Inside The Nets

What do The Nets Have to be Grateful For This Thanksgiving?

Sitting at 11th in the East, the Nets have a lot of potential and a great group to be grateful for.

Peter Sunjic

© Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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Mikal Bridges and Spencer Dinwiddie were expected to be the heavy hitters within the Brooklyn Nets' offense this season. However, they’ve had a bit of a slow start to the season, but some of the other Nets players have picked up their slack. 

Even though the team is 6-8 to start the year, the emergence of supporting players is much to look forward to. As Thanksgiving approaches, we now take a look at a few things that Brooklyn fans can be thankful for.

Cam Thomas

Perhaps the player most spoken about on the Nets this season, Cam Thomas started off the season averaging 26.9 points per game in just 8 games played. His hot run of form was stopped quickly, when he suffered an ankle injury early in the season. Thomas is still expected to miss time, but his status is improving.

Since losing Thomas, the Nets have been 2-4 and have dearly missed his high scoring output. In the meantime though, Lonnie Walker has slowly been emerging as a 6th Man of the Year candidate.

Lonnie Walker IV

Walker is currently averaging a career-high 15.9 points per game this season, up from the 11.7 he averaged last year with the Lakers. He has appeared in 13 of the 14 games for the Nets this season, but hasn’t started in a single one. In just 22 minutes per game, Walker is also dishing out 1.9 assists, along with 3.1 rebounds per game.

Dorian Finney-Smith

Known for his impressive defense, Finney-Smith has been impressive this season on the offensive end. From last season, his 3 point shooting percentage has improved from 30.6 to 44.8% this year, and his overall field goal percentage has jumped from 35.1 to 46.3% this season.

Beyond being a specialist in corner three-point shooting, Doe has demonstrated improvement in attacking the basket. While this isn't a frequent aspect of his game, his success rate on drives has risen to 53.8% this season compared to 29.6% in the previous season.

The Nets have had a pretty mediocre start to the season thus far, being under .500 through their first 14 games. However, the emergence of a few role players having stellar seasons are certainly something to be grateful for this Thanksgiving.

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Peter Sunjic
PETER SUNJIC

Peter's journey with basketball commenced in the first grade, and it has since evolved into an integral part of his life. Standing on the brink of a potential professional playing career, Peter ultimately chose to pursue a degree in Political Science and Journalism in Zagreb, Croatia. Despite this academic pursuit, his deep-rooted love for the game of basketball endured, undiminished. Now, as a writer and editor, Peter finds an avenue to channel his unwavering passion for basketball-related news and analysis. Whether it's deciphering the latest happenings or delving into the lore of old-school basketball, he covers every corner of the NBA world.

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