Nets’ Cam Thomas discusses being out of the game for the last shot
The Brooklyn Nets are still the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference, but on some nights, it feels like that is not the case for them. Brooklyn has really struggled to get up for certain games and now, it seems that the team is having trouble with figuring out who should be in the game.
The Nets lost at the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday in overtime 122-115 and the final score indicates a close game, but it’s hard to feel that way given how the game ended. Brooklyn led San Antonio 103-93 with 6:27 left in the fourth quarter and from that point on, the Spurs ended the period on a 17-7 run to send the game into overtime.
While the Nets losing games is not anything new at this point of the season, what is new is the ways they find to lose games in certain moments. Late-game execution has been an issue for Brooklyn despite having a healthy amount of veterans on the teams that have been in plenty of pressure-packed situations.
Towards the end of overtime, Nets interim head coach Kevin Ollie decided to turn to those veterans with the Spurs leading 118-115 with 20.1 seconds left in the period. Unfortunately, Cam Johnson missed the three and they left some fans wondering why Cam Thomas, who had 31 points at this moment, was sitting on the bench.
Thomas was asked after the loss about the play in question and after he said that there wasn’t a discussion between him and Ollie as far as who was getting the last shot, this is what he had to say:
“I guess that they (Ollie and the coaching staff) felt that was the best lineup to get a three off. So. it was a good look, he (Cam Johnson) just missed it, but I guess they felt that was the best lineup to get the three off. I mean, it is what it is. If he made it, we wouldn’t be here right now talking about why I wasn’t in the game or not, but it is what it is, can’t get it back. Just got to move on to the next game.”
