Veterans loving what they’re seeing in rook
Kevin Durant laughed at the suggestion that rookie Cam Thomas had looked him off before sinking a 3-pointer.
Rather than feed Durant, who was off to his right, Thomas had the confidence to take the shot in the Nets’ win Friday night over the Hawks, a move that speaks volumes of the belief the young guard has in himself.
“One of the [shots he hit], he was screaming my name: ‘7! 7! I’m open,’ ” Durant said. “I’m like, ‘Cam, I see you dog.’ But I like that he wants that moment, he wants the ball, he wants to be able to be that one to relieve the pressure off of me and James [Harden] when we’re handling it.”
Thomas is making the most of the opportunity that arose for him after Joe Harris had ankle surgery last month. In the 11 games since Harris was sidelined, Thomas is averaging 19.5 minutes and 8.1 points per game and providing much-needed scoring punch off the bench after being inserted into coach Steve Nash’s rotation. Thomas was instrumental in the win over the Hawks, scoring 11 points and hitting three big 3-pointers in the third quarter as the Eastern Conference-leading Nets (18-8) rallied from an 11point deficit.
The moment doesn’t appear to scare Thomas. He acts as if he belongs. And the Nets clearly need him. They have won four of the five games in which he has reached double figures.
“Confidence. I mean, he’s a natural-born scorer, so he’s always ready to score no matter [what] when he’s in the game,” Harden said. “We need him to score, and he’s done an unbelievable job of picking his spots.”
He has some pretty good mentors. Durant and Harden have taken the 20-year-old Thomas under their wing. It’s not uncommon to see the three shooting together at the end of practices. But the exuberant Thomas is making an impact on the two stars, too.
“I love playing with Cam,” Durant said. “I love being around him every single day. It’s a challenge as a veteran player, but it’s good to be around that energy for sure.”
Thomas’ production isn’t necessarily a surprise. The firstround pick was fourth in the nation in scoring as a freshman at LSU and was a big star in the NBA summer league in Las Vegas, averaging 27 points per game and being named co-MVP. He then poured in 21 points in his preseason debut. Harden has said that Thomas is a more advanced scorer than he was at the same age. Thomas is starting to show that potential for the Nets.
“He’s just always asking questions, you know?” Durant said. “We always talk through stuff, what he needs to do on a certain play. His IQ for the game is very high for a young player who hasn’t really played much. He’s finding his footing with our different lineups and understanding what his role is. He’s coming off [the bench] and giving us [offense] . ... So we need that from him. He hit three big 3s [Friday].
“We just need his confidence to keep growing and for him to feel comfortable out there on both sides of the ball, and I think it’s moving in the right direction for him.”