An untimely ankle injury derailed what was such a strong start to the 2023-24 season for Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas. Thomas was dropping 30 and 40-point bombs left and right, but since returning from injury, he hasn't played at a similar level. However, his late-game exploits on Wednesday night in a 116-112 win over the Phoenix Suns should do wonders for Thomas' confidence.
With the Nets leading by just two, 114-112, with less than 10 seconds to go in the game and the ball being tossed hot potato-style between the two opposing teams, it was Thomas who held onto the basketball, forcing the Suns to foul so they could retrieve possession. That might have been a mistake for Phoenix, however. Thomas is a career 85 percent shooter from the charity stripe, so he proceeded to make both with ease to put the game to bed.
In fact, during his postgame presser, the Nets guard revealed that the possibility of missing never crossed his mind.
“Oh man, they’re free throws. I always make those…I mean free-throws? I was gonna make those. That’s nothing,” Thomas said following the Nets' victory, per ClutchPoints beat reporter Erik Slater.




Cam Thomas on his clutch free-throws with three seconds remaining:
"They're free-throws, I was gonna make those… That's nothing." pic.twitter.com/8YAnFaupDL
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 14, 2023
Cam Thomas is the ultimate confidence player. Whenever he gets it rolling, he simply has the magical ability to get the ball to nestle in safely through the net. Given the degree of difficulty of the shots he routinely takes, free throws are almost layups for the burgeoning Nets guard, even in pressure-cooker situations.
This is also a bit of a redemption arc for Thomas; despite earning minutes in crunch-time for the Nets this season, hasn't exactly made some crucial shots for the team. In fact, on multiple occasions this season, he has clanked shots that would have tied the game or allowed the Nets to take the lead.
Still, Cam Thomas is only 22 years old, and his courage in clutch situations will bode well for his future as one of the team's go-to-guys with the game hanging in the balance. But for now, Thomas will have to work on his efficiency and his ability to contribute in more than just scoring so he can continue to earn the trust of the Nets coaching staff.