Cam Thomas made his return a triumphant one. And an spectacular one.
After Thomas had missed 20 straight video games with a strained left hamstring, there were lots of questions about how his iso sport and iffy protection would match into the Nets’ new type. Apparently the reply was just wonderful.
Playing his first sport since Nov. 5, Thomas had 30 factors off the bench on 9-for-15 capturing, including 3-of-8 from deep and a excellent 9-of-9 from the stripe.
Cam Thomas shoots during the Nets-Timberwolves sport on Dec. 27, 2025. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“Really just [glad] to be back playing, feeling good to be back out there with the guys, making the right play, making the right shots. And we played really well. We got a win out of this. That’s even better for me,” Thomas said. “That’s good just to have everybody connected. Everybody being on the same page locked in, just having no drop-off between the starters and the bench. So that’s a really big thing, having no drop-off right now. So they did a great job on the bench, came in and did a good job. So we want to keep building on that, and we’ll see how that goes from there. But I’m just happy we got the win.”
It marked his sixth profession 30-point sport off the bench, snapping a tie with Spencer Dinwiddie for the most in Nets franchise historical past. It’s the most off the bench for Brooklyn since Tyrese Martin had 30 on Nov. 27, 2024, at Phoenix.
And Thomas did it effectively, in just 19:48 of taking part in time.
Cam Thomas celebrates after making a 3-pointer during the Nets-Timberwolves sport on Dec. 27, 2025. AP
“I’ve never seen somebody play 20 minutes 30. It was so efficient. It’s so effortless,” Nic Claxton said. “We need him. He takes it to a whole ’nother level, especially with the way that we’ve been playing, especially defensively. When things get stagnant, he can just score at will. So, he played phenomenal. And I’m super happy for him. He’s been through a lot.”
Thomas harm the same hamstring thrice last season, limiting him to just 25 video games.
Brooklyn had been 0-7 when he harm it again just minutes into their Nov. 5 tilt at Indiana. They won that contest and turned their season around, now 10-12 since behind stout protection and egalitarian offense. On Saturday, Thomas disrupted neither.
He was purely additive.
“[I liked] his mindset. He let the game come to him. He assisted, zero turnovers being a simple play every time. And I’m pretty sure the potential assists were high because he made the right play over and over and over,” coach Jordi Fernández said. “Sometimes you can not management if these are going to be assists, but you just play the proper method. And going to the free throw line, and as environment friendly as it was, it was just actually spectacular.
“We have to be careful with the amount of minutes we play him. And knowing that he had a short amount of minutes and using them efficiently, efficiently for the team. He just played, once again, the right play every time: whether it was to score against the line or pass waters. So, very clean game, very connected to his teammates, talking to them, telling them what to do. That’s it.”
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