Cam

Thomas

No surprises here as Thomas led Brooklyn in scoring. That’s something the third-year guard has done all season, and he finished the breakout campaign with career highs in points (22.5), rebounds (3.2), assists (2.9), three-pointers (2.2) and field goal percentage (44.2). Thomas led Brooklyn in scoring in 2023-24, and over the final month of the season, his 26.5 points per game ranked eighth in the Association. It remains to be seen if he can offer anything to fantasy managers other than inefficient scoring and three-pointers, but the 22-year-old has emerged as a premier bucket-getter who should be great in points leagues moving forward.

Thomas was the one player the Knicks struggled to find an answer for defensively, as he notched his fourth 40-point game of the season. Having scored 21 points or more in nine straight games, Cam is someone to watch if the Nets make him active for Sunday’s season finale against the 76ers. While Philadelphia will have playoff seeding to play for, Thomas scored 46 on the 76ers in the final game of last season.

Day’Ron Sharpe is also doubtful, which means Noah Clowney should continue to see significant run in the frontcourt. If Schroder is unavailable, Cam Thomas and Jalen Wilson would presumably pick up extra playing time in the backcourt.

Six Nets players finished Wednesday’s victory in double figures, with Thomas leading the way. He’s scored at least 21 points in eight straight and 15 of his last 16 games, except a 19-point effort against the Knicks on March 23. The lingering concern for fantasy managers in active leagues is that Thomas’ minutes could be tapered down during the Nets’ final two games, as has been the case with Mikal Bridges (11/3/2 with three 3-pointers in 23 minutes). Thomas has not played fewer than 29 minutes in a game since Valentine’s Day; hopefully, that remains true on Friday and Sunday.

Thomas unsurprisingly led the Nets in scoring, accounting for nearly a third of the team’s pitiful 77 total points in the blowout loss. Thomas has been phenomenal on offense over the last month, comfortably leading Brooklyn in scoring with 26.5 points per game - nearly 10 points more per game than Mikal Bridges. Thomas has been a top-75 player in that span, and he’ll likely finish out the season operating as the Nets’ go-to scoring option.

Schroder is available for Brooklyn’s second game in as many days and will take on his usual duties as the starting point guard. Should he experience issues with the Achilles, Cam Thomas and Lonnie Walker IV would be asked to spend more time on the ball.

Thomas has been tremendous in 14 games since returning from a six-game absence. In that span, he’s scored at least 20 points in 13 games with averages of 26.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.5 triples. He lit up the scoreboard on Saturday and led all scorers with his fifth 30-point outing in that 14-game stretch. Thomas scored 12 points in the decisive quarter of Saturday’s win, and he led the charge as the Nets came back from a 15-point deficit with just under eight minutes to play. There’s no reason to expect a drop-off in playing time or production to close out the season, and fantasy managers can lean on Thomas for the home stretch, particularly for points and three-pointers.

Thomas has scored 21 points or more in 12 of his last 13 games, which isn’t surprising for him. He tallied 27 on Wednesday, and the two blocked shots were a nice bonus for fantasy managers. The two rejections were a season-high for Thomas, who before Wednesday had one since the All-Star break. Any defensive production he offers should be viewed as a bonus and nothing more. With the Nets officially eliminated from postseason contention, Thomas could have the ultimate “green light” for the rest of the season.

Thomas may have been able to lead the team in scoring and extend his streak of 20-point games to four, but he wasn’t quite as effective as he had been over their previous three games. He also wasn’t able to keep up the strong assist numbers that he has been providing. It was an ugly loss for the Nets, and they have lost their second straight game after winning their previous three. Their postseason dreams continue to slip away, yet Thomas always finds a way to get his buckets. They don’t have their draft pick, so it is unlikely that they pull the plug on their season, so Thomas should pour in plenty of points for the rest of the season.

Thomas has been on fire over their last three games and has provided first round value during that stretch while averaging 32 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 3.7 triples per game. A lot of that production has come from the free throw line, where he shot 91.3% on 7.7 attempts per game. He is an elite scorer, but he has been an improved playmaker lately. That improvement is helping him develop into a star, and the statistical leap has reflected that. He’ll look to stay hot in Indiana on Monday, which is the second night of a back-to-back.