Cam Thomas can be the elite closer Nets need

C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News on Nov 13, 2024

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NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets were down 105-103 with under 40 seconds left Monday night in New Orleans. Brooklyn had the ball and possessions were growing scarce. First-year head coach Jordi Fernandez was trying to call a timeout. He wanted to get his guys organized and ensure the best possible shot. But his frantic requests did not register with any of the officials on duty — not Jacyn Goble, Sean Corbin or Brandon Schwab.

“I told the guys, if it gets to 37 [seconds] and we’re unorganized, I’m going to call it,” Fernandez said. “And I saw ourselves unorganized.”

The defensive chants echoing throughout Smoothie King Center were deafening. The shorthanded Pelicans were one or two stops away from stealing a game they probably had no business winning in the first place. Dennis Schröder swung the ball to Cam Thomas as the game clock continued to dwindle and the trio of referees were locked in on the most important play of the night.

Fernandez’s desperate pleas were ultimately drowned out in the excitement, but it did not matter in the end. Thomas, being the clutch performer he is, casually drilled a step back 26-footer and clipped the Pelicans’ wings.

“I’m glad he didn’t, and I’m glad I didn’t see him, because that would’ve been really bad,” Thomas said after the Nets’ 107-105 win.

Thomas had scored just seven points through three quarters against the Pelicans but scored 10 of his 17 total points in the final frame. That has been a common theme for him this season. Entering Wednesday’s game against the Boston Celtics at Barclays Center, the 23-year-old guard ranks second in the NBA in fourth-quarter scoring at 8.9 points per game behind Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball.

“It’s expected,” Ben Simmons told reporters. “He’s just different. His mindset was different, taking those shots. And we have a lot of faith and trust that he is going to make them.”

Closing out games will always be a team effort. You have to run offense as a team. You have to guard as a team. You have to rebound as a team. These things are obvious. But one of the differences between Brooklyn and, say, the Celtics, is that Boston can lean on superstars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in late-game scenarios.

If Thomas wants to be respected like those All-Stars, he must continue to thrive with the game on the line. The clutch gene is already there. He has the most field goal attempts this season with four or fewer seconds on the shot clock and is shooting 47.1% from the field in those scenarios (16 for 34).

When doubles are inevitably sent Thomas’ way, he has to continue to evolve as a playmaker, and he is. He has recorded at least six assists in two of his past five games entering Wednesday.

“We had a few games against really good teams where we played down to the wire, and we didn’t close in the fourth,” Noah Clowney said. “So, for us to close in the fourth was a big step in the right direction. Even though it’s not always pretty, we got it done.”

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