The Milwaukee Bucks will be facing off against a shorthanded Brooklyn Nets side on Monday night. The Nets have been dealing with a couple of injuries to some of their key players to start the season, and it won’t be any different in Monday’s matchup in Milwaukee.
Nic Claxton and Cameron Thomas will both be missing their sixth consecutive game on Monday with both starters already ruled out against the Bucks. With Milwaukee at full force, Brooklyn will need to rely on the rest of the guys on their lineup to try and upset the Bucks on their home floor.
Nets’ Cam Thomas Looking Forward to Matchup Vs. Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks
One player who has been taking full advantage of his team’s early-season injury woes is Cam Thomas. The 6-foot-4 guard has been starting for the Nets over their last five games, and he’s responded with multiple eye-opening performances for Brooklyn.
On Monday night, he gets to match up against Bucks superstar Damian Lillard — a prospect that Thomas is very much looking forward to.
“Shoot, I think I am, honestly,” Thomas said with a laugh when asked if he’s excited to go up against Lillard, via Peter Sblendorio of the new York Daily News (paywalled).
Despite the fact that Thomas is just in his third season in the league, he is already well aware of what Lillard brings to the table. This is exactly why the 22-year-old is looking forward to testing his own level of play against an all-time great:
“It’s good to play guys like that at your position, because he’s elite and you want to play so that you’re elite, too,” Thomas said.
“You always want to play against the guys like that because that’s just how basketball competitors are. You want to play against the best.”
In his first five games for the Nets this season, Thomas has averaged 26.0 points on 47.5 percent shooting, 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 steals in 33.2 minutes per contest. He’s also knocking down 1.8 triples per game on a 31.4 percent clip.
It’s not just his offensive prowess that will be put to the test on Monday, though, as he will also need to do everything he can to try and contain Lillard on the defensive end — a challenge that Thomas isn’t shying away from:
“If he makes it, it’s a good shot,” Thomas said. “Obviously he’s talented, one of the all-time greats, NBA’s Top 75, so obviously he’s gonna make some shots, so we can’t get discouraged. You know, he is crazy, so you can’t get discouraged when he makes a shot in your face.”
For More Wisconsin Sports:
Follow me on Twitter at @PaoloSongcoNBA, and follow us @WiSportsHeroics. Also, check out our Merchandise Here! Get 20% off with the code “WSH.” You can also reach out to Paolo Songco via email at pao.songco@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here! Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers.
