The Brooklyn Nets are amid an intense crosstown battle against the New York Knicks. The Nets have a slight advantage deep into the fourth quarter; however, fans are not satisfied with Cam Thomas' first-half playing time. Moreover, Ben Simmons caught fans' attention with some flashy apparel on the bench.

Cam Thomas' playing time gets further questioned after first half Nets showing

Thomas ended the first half of play with just 11 minutes. While the third-year guard struggles to be a consistent playmaker and reliable defender, the Nets need his offensive production. Thus, fans on social media were dazzled by coach Jacque Vaughn's decision to sit Thomas for longer than usual:

Coach Vaughn understands Thomas' offensive upside better than almost anyone. At the same time, he wants to see the young guard improve the other areas of his game. This could be the reason why Thomas' minutes have fluctuated.

Moreover, Thomas thrives as an isolation scorer, but Brooklyn needs its starting unit to share the ball and run more sets. Therefore, it makes sense to use him as a spark plug off the bench. His minutes deduction against the Knicks could also be due to an unseen injury or ailment.

Nevertheless, critics believe Thomas' talent is too high to be limited. The 22-year-old averages a career-high 20.6 points per game, which ranks him 43rd in the NBA. Surely, Coach Vaughn will find the right balance for Thomas to maximize his contributions.

Soon enough, the Nets will also receive help from star forward Ben Simmons. The Australian guard sat on the bench for the Knicks game in a dazzling tan sweater, but he is closer than ever to returning to the court.

Jacque Vaughn revealed his plans for Simmons to ramp up his activity with the Long Island Nets “in the near future,” per ClutchPoints' Brooklyn Nets beat reporter Erik Slater.

As Tuesday night's matchup enters its late stages, the Nets are battling for more than the city of New York. Players and coaches are fighting for pride as the team looks to turn around its mid-season slump.