The Brooklyn Nets are 1-7 since head coach Jacque Vaughn removed leading scorer Cam Thomas from the starting lineup. The change came amid a 2-6 stretch during which Brooklyn had posted the league's third-worst defensive rating. However, it has done little to quell the team's struggles.
The Nets led by 14 at halftime Monday vs. the Miami Heat before Erik Spoelstra's squad went on a 21-8 run during the first eight minutes of the third quarter with Thomas on the bench. Brooklyn would fall 96-95 in overtime despite holding Miami to 31 points on 11-of-42 shooting from the field (26.2 percent) and 0-of-12 from three in the first half.
Following the loss, Thomas was asked if he was beginning to gain a feel for Brooklyn's rotations while coming off the bench.
“No,” he replied. “I mean, it could change, I don’t know. But I’m just doing my job… I'm just doing what I need to do when I get out there to produce. So no, I don’t really have no comfortability coming off the bench or starting. Whatever he wants me to do, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Brooklyn's offense ranks 28th since Vaughn removed Thomas from the starting five. The Nets have gotten off to ugly offensive starts during their last two games, scoring 38 total first-quarter points in a pair of losses. Thomas accounted for 19 of those, shooting 8-of-10 from the field while all other Nets combined to shoot 7-of-32 (21.9 percent).
Vaughn has kept veteran point guard Spencer Dinwiddie in Brooklyn's starting lineup over Thomas following the pairing's glaring defensive struggles. Thomas and Dinwiddie have posted a horrendous 127.7 defensive rating during their minutes together this season.
However, Dinwiddie has not rewarded Vaughn for the decision. The 30-year-old has been a non-factor amid questions about his future in Brooklyn, averaging 8.4 points and 4.3 assists per game on 32.8 percent shooting over his last eight appearances. He was benched down the stretch of the team's last two losses.
Despite Dinwiddie's extended cold stretch and his team's struggles to score without Thomas on the floor, Vaughn indicated the latter will continue to come off the bench following Thursday's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Nets' 1-7 stretch has dropped them to 16-23 and 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn will have a prime opportunity to get back in the win column Wednesday at Portland before a difficult four-game stretch against the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
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