Cam Thomas, Doc Rivers, Milwaukee Buckx
It did not take long for new Milwaukee Bucks guard Cam Thomas to endear himself to the team. He struggled a but in his team debut, but in game two, right before the All-Star break, he absolutely let them know what he is all about.
With the team still sitting a few games out of the play-in, victories are necessary at this juncture. The team was able to score a 116-108 victory over the same Orlando Magic team that had defeated them just two days earlier. It moved them 22-30, giving them a nice victory to coast into the break on.
Of course, Thomas, who had quite the saga with the Brooklyn Nets previously, was waived after they couldn’t find a trade partner. There was a time he was dropping 40 points on the regular, but his minutes had been dwindling and both parties wanted to move in. And now here is, cooking up in Milwaukee.
Doc Rivers with High Praise for Cam Thomas
In the victory over the Magic, Cam Thomas dropped 34 big points off the bench. With the team a bit short-handed, he became the primary option in last night’s contest, and he delivered.
There aren’t too many players that can score 34 points in just 25 minutes, off the bench no less, but Thomas has proven to be that type of player.
His coach, Doc Rivers, offered some incredibly high praise for the fifth-year guard, saying that:
I’ve had Jamal Crawford. I’ve had Lou Williams. And now I have Cam Thomas.”
The two guards he is mentioned with of course, had some incredible performances during their LA tenures, taking home numerous Sixth Man of the Year awards. If there was a player who could help revitalize the team in the second half of the season, Thomas would be that person.
They also got five threes from fellow newcomer Ousmane Dieng in the victory. Kevin Porter Jr. put up a triple-double. A career-high 17 points from Jericho Sims certainly helped things, too.
A team that has been struggling all year, a victory like this can hopefully help to move the needle at least a bit.
If the team can still be somewhat in contention for a top 10 spot when Giannis Antetokounmpo returns from his calf strain, anything will be possible.
Cam Thomas, Bucks Head Into All-Star Break on a High Note
Hearing Doc Rivers dish high praise on Cam Thomas has to feel good for Bucks fans. They have not had much to smile about this season, and this is certainly something that can at least bring little grins to their faces.
Teams that win games while short-handed usually get the most out of it. The Pacers had half the team on the bench last night, and defeated the Nets in clutch fashion. The Warriors have won a bunch of games like this while Stephen Curry has been out of the lineup.
Especially for a Milwaukee team that is teetering far below .500 and may be witnessing the end of the Giannis Antetokounmpo era after 13 seasons. Thomas and his fellow newcomers brought energy that the team really needed to get.
As they go into the second half of the season, they now know they’ve got some real weapons off the bench. We’ll see if they can put it together.