Cam Thomas will return to the Brooklyn Nets’ lineup on Friday vs. the Portland Trail Blazers. After missing nearly two months with a hamstring strain, his second of the season, the fourth-year guard is taking extra measures to ensure he stays on the floor.
“It felt really long. I’ve never been out this long ever. So it was definitely an adjustment. I’m just glad to be back. I’m ready to get on the court,” Thomas said of his latest absence. “I’m just doing everything more diligently and taking more time. Being patient with it, not rushing. That’s probably the main thing. Just being more diligent with it so it doesn’t happen again.”
Thomas missed six weeks with a hamstring strain earlier this season. He returned for two games before re-injuring the same leg during a Jan. 2 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Cam Thomas returning to Nets’ lineup as team pushes for play-in birth
When available, the former first-round pick has continued to have zero issues scoring in droves. Thomas has averaged 24.7 points per game on 45/38/88 shooting splits over 19 appearances this season, his first as the Nets’ No. 1 offensive option. He scored 43 points on 16-of-22 shooting from the field and 7-of-10 from three while nearly willing Brooklyn to a victory over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden in November.
His elite shot creation has been the missing ingredient for a Nets squad that ranks third in defense but 28th in offense during a 7-4 stretch over its last 11 games.
“He creates attention. He’s a weapon, and he’s capable of scoring in bunches,” said head coach Jordi Fernandez. “And even if they double team him, then – with the proper spacing – you can get a good shot. So the game’s he’s played, he’s made the difference; and that’s what we expect from him. We also need him to be a playmaker, to be a defender, to have a complete game. And he’s been working hard, and we’re going to push him.”
While the Nets will need Thomas to carry a heavy load if they hope to stay afloat offensively, they won’t rush him back following his second hamstring strain this season.
“We’re excited to push him to whatever his body is ready for. He’s done a great job playing five-on-five, so all that load is being tested. That’s why we know he’s ready,” Fernandez said. “To get to the real minutes, per se, it’s not gonna happen right away, because we have to be careful and cautious. That’s why I have a great performance and medical staff. And those guys give me the guidelines and we execute it. And we’re ready for him to perform with the minutes he can play right now.”
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