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The Nets’ first two players made a decent debut Monday in the Summer League opener in Brooklyn, but after a home and away game in Las Vegas, the Grizzlies won, 91-84.
Thomas, who the Nets took at No.27, finished with 19 points on 6 of 16 shots (1 of 6 from the depths) in 25 minutes on the bench. The 6’4 ” shooting goaltender, who led the NCAA in free throws last year at LSU, has gone to the line eight times, making six, often without fear. (The original box score for the game had Thomas with 17 but late Monday it was revised. Two points that were mistakenly scored for Quinndary Weatherspoon were added to Thomas’ total.)
After the match, Thomas admitted that it took a while for him to get into his rhythm,
“My first pro game,” said Thomas. “I haven’t played in the G League like some of these guys or played for the pros. You know, this is my first pro game, so I just got a feel for everything, I got off the bench. So I just had to find a rhythm, have a flow for everything. Once I got a good rhythm I felt like I was pretty, you know, just basketball from there.
Indeed, in the second half, Thomas went 4 of 8 and scored 10 points in the fourth when the Nets tried to win. But Brooklyn couldn’t stop second-year Desmond Bane who finished with 32.
Thomas’ biggest moment came in the fourth quarter with the Nets dropping two and a second on the 24-second clock. The 19-year-old slipped past a defender and shot a three from the corner.
It was their last lead as the Grizzlies went 14-4 to end the game.
Day’Ron Sharpe, who was taken two spots behind Thomas, only played 14 minutes but took eight boards to the collar and scored six points. Jordan Ott, the Brooklyn assistant who coaches entry to the Summer League, liked what he saw.
You can feel it, ”Ott said. “You can feel it from the bench. I’m sure you can feel it on the pitch, on both sides of the ball. It’s the rebound and it’s also its rim protection. You can tell a few times, the Memphis ballhandlers were coming down, and all of a sudden he was there protecting the paint. You can really see it, so it’s pretty impressive for this young man.
Thomas and Sharpe both finished with a positive +/-. Neither player started for the Nets as Ott went with a mostly more experienced crew with a surprise, undrafted David Duke Jr. Duke, a 6’5 “swingman with a maximum vertical of 39. “scored seven points on 3 of 8 shots and picked up seven rebounds.
Alize Johnson and Reggie Perry, who played for the Nets last season, had big minutes. Perry led the team with 12 rebounds but only shot 2 of 10. Johnson had 13 points and seven rebounds. Perry finished with a -20 +/- and Johnson a -19.
None of the Nets’ three second-round players got any minutes, but with three games in four days that is likely to change.
Weatherspoon, a shooter who played with Perry at Mississippi State, finished with 13 points after the box score was revised. Brandon Knight, hoping to return after a year of hiatus, has had some tough times. He went 2 out of 9 including 1 in 7 deep and racked up seven personal fouls.
Thomas said he viewed the game as a learning experience … in preparation for the role the Nets envisioned for him.
“I just want to come and learn as much as possible so that I can contribute right away, whether it’s right now or later in the season – whenever my name is called,” Thomas said. “So I just want to learn from these guys and have them train and teach me as much as they can so that I can have the opportunity to contribute whenever my name is called. So I hope it’s early in the year, but if it’s later, I just want to do my job to be ready.
Ott also cleared up the mystery of Nic Claxton’s absence from Las Vegas. After playing just 47 games in two years, it was reported that he would get a few minutes in the Summer League.
“Some of this stuff is all Sean, the front office. Steve [Nash] go in there, ”Ott told the Post. “You know, 14 guys, we’re happy. Whatever 14 guys we have, we’re trying to make them the best they can be, to improve them this week. We are excited with who we have here.
“Nic has been in the gym. Nic has been working, he’s been with us all this time. I think it was just a discussion, a collaborative discussion between him, his people, our people, and they thought the best thing was not to play in the summer league.
The Nets play again Wednesday at 4 p.m. against the Bucks. It will be televised on ESPN2.
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