Cam Thomas Shines in Season’s First Win for Nets
Cam Thomas returned to the court for the first time since November 5 and marked his comeback with Brooklyn’s most impressive win of the season, defeating the Timberwolves 123-107 at Target Center.
The Nets, having recently found their groove with Thomas back from injury, have now won seven of their last ten games. This win also marked their first three-game winning streak of the season. It’s quite something, really—Thomas had been sidelined for 20 games due to a muscle tear in his left hamstring, but his return was a resounding success.
Thomas put on a show, leading the Nets’ reserves with a game-high 30 points on an efficient 9-of-15 shooting in nearly 20 minutes off the bench. “It felt really good to be back out there, playing again, and being with the guys,” he said. He seemed genuinely pleased with the team’s performance, noting, “We knew they were a tough defensive team. We just focused on playing through contact.” That mindset definitely paid off.
Brooklyn’s bench scored a remarkable 62 points, completely outmatching the Timberwolves in that regard, and Thomas was at the center of it all. Remember, before his injury on November 5, the Nets were without a win at 0-7. But then they turned things around, going 10-12 with a much more solid defense and an inclusive offense. The question was how Thomas’ iso-heavy style would fit in with that, but, on Saturday, it worked seamlessly.
It was impressive to see Thomas immediately impacting the game, finishing the first quarter with nine points and reaching 12 by halftime—all in just eight minutes of play. Michael Porter Jr. also had a standout night, scoring 27 points and grabbing ten rebounds.
The Timberwolves, sitting at 20-12 and having won 10 of their previous 13 games, saw Anthony Edwards score 28 points despite nursing a shoulder injury. Even so, the Nets pulled away in the second half with a 19-6 run after holding a narrow lead at 85-80. They shot 54.8 percent overall against what’s considered a top-five field goal defense, while restricting Minnesota to 44.6 percent shooting.
