Best-case scenario, the Nets would only need one game.
Cam Thomas, who missed Tuesday's win with a lower back strain that head coach Jordi Fernandez called “no big deal,” will be back in the lineup Friday and Jalen Wilson will not be starting.
But considering Wilson's trajectory as a former second-round pick in his second season in the NBA, his performance against the Hornets was a positive step in his development.
The work in that area that began when Brooklyn added him in last year's draft finally paid off, as he scored a season-high 17 points and made a career-best five 3-pointers.
And as a young forward on a rebuilding team with a club option for next season, his role could continue to grow if a potentially more valuable starter is traded before February's trade deadline. .
“No matter how good or bad your day is, you've got to stay in the gym, keep working, keep hitting shots,” Wilson said after the game. “Like I said, just…knowing the shot is going to go in and being ready for the shot. We have a lot of great playmakers on our team, so we're always ready to take the shot. Just being able to do it helps.”
During his rookie season, Wilson averaged just 1.7 3-pointers per game, but that number rose to 3.7 a month into the 2024-25 season.
While he has worked on his 3-point shooting, his games have been focused on driving and breaking down defenses to create space for other shooters.
But against Charlotte, the Nets needed Wilson to make those shots.
During the game, he didn't realize he had broken a career high. It wasn't until later, “which was cool,” Wilson said.
He struggled early along with the rest of the Nets, falling into a 17-point hole, but after being held without a shot in the first frame, Wilson attempted eight in the second quarter, including He sank three of them, including two of them. 3 seconds.
Early in the second half, Wilson hit a shot from beyond the arc to give the Nets their first lead.
He sank another one on target in the second half and added two threes early in the fourth to keep them within striking distance.
Thomas was not listed on the original injury report and was gradually downgraded throughout the day, so Wilson did not learn of his start until just before tipoff.
Granted, he had played 30 minutes in a game before this season. Of course, he also already had 16 points, but both of those came in the opening game.
This time, and for only the fourth time in his career, Wilson has started.
And if the Nets ever need him there again, which will likely be Friday depending on Thomas' outlook, his performance reflected his ability to handle the increased role.
“After that rocky start, he was really, really good,” Fernandes said.
