Nets G Cam Thomas channels LeBron James for second straight 40-point game since Kyrie Irving asked

Cam Thomas has been successful since Kyrie Irving left Brooklyn. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Cam Thomas is a bucket. He only needed Kyrie Irving’s departure to show his stuff.

The Nets guard sophomore has seen an extended run in Brooklyn’s lineup since Irving’s trade request on Friday. He lost 44 points in a win over the Washington Wizards on Saturday when Irving was not in the lineup. On Monday, just hours after Irving’s move to the Dallas Mavericks was official, he surpassed himself with 47 points against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Unfortunately for the Nets, they lost Monday’s game 124-116. But Thomas seems more than ready for his shot. The Nets have a glaring goal hole after the Irving trade as Kevin Durant is sidelined with a knee injury. Thomas seems more than willing to fill it.

He hit five 3-point shots in the first half in a 22-point try before halftime against the Clippers. He shot 15 of 29 from the field, including 7 of 11 from 3-point range, while adding four rebounds and three assists to his 47-point streak. In addition to his long-distance suitability, he also showed his skills on the edge and in midfield.

The performance made him the second youngest player in NBA history Score more than 40 points in consecutive games. Thomas was 21 years and 116 days old on Monday. The youngest? That honor goes to LeBron James, who is 36 points away from becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

We’re not suggesting that Thomas will one day challenge James’ upcoming NBA scoring title. Only that is an impressive company.

The Nets selected LSU’s Thomas with the number 27 in last year’s draft. As a rookie, he averaged 8.5 points in 17.6 minutes per game. Prior to Monday, he was averaging 8.4 points in 14.5 minutes per game this season. He connected 40% of his 3-pointers in his limited action. He has averaged 45.5 points in 34 minutes per game since Irving’s trade request.

It’s obviously not a sustainable pace, and Thomas will play a minor role if and when Durant returns this season. But the disappointment of the Nets season, in which championship hopes were predictably torpedoed by Irving, also has a positive side. His name is Cam Thomas.

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