Cam Thomas’ season-high 43 points not enough as Nets fall to Knicks at The Garden

Mikal Bridges walked truthful Cam Thomas could fly.

Thomas, who has further cemented himself arsenic the Nets’ superior bucket-getter since Bridges was dealt to the Knicks up of the 2024-25 season, was averaging 22.4 points successful 12 vocation games against the Knicks entering Friday’s Emirates NBA Cup matchup astatine Madison Square Garden.

It was the archetypal clip Brooklyn faced Bridges since helium was shipped crossed the bridge.

And what did Thomas bash successful his latest sojourn to The World’s Most Famous Arena? He casually lit up the Knicks successful the highest-scoring archetypal fractional of his career. In the opening 4th of the Nets’ 124-122 loss, the 23-year-old scored 14 of the team’s archetypal 16 points, acceptable a caller career-high with 5 3-pointers successful the period, was up to 19 points by the clip the archetypal 4th was through, and helium was a cleanable 7-for-7 from the field.

It was the astir points scored by a Nets subordinate successful a archetypal 4th against the Knicks since stats were archetypal tracked. After 1 of his 3-point makes successful the archetypal quarter, helium turned and trolled Bridges with his ain 3-point celebration. The young scoring defender would commencement 8-of-8 from the tract and did not miss his archetypal changeable until helium bricked a straight-away 3-pointer with 4:46 near successful the archetypal half. He dropped 27 points connected 10-of-11 shooting (5-of-6 from deep) successful the archetypal fractional alone, finished with a season-high 43 and matched a career-high with 7 treys.

But the astir points scored by a Net all-time astatine Madison Square Garden was not enough.

Despite Thomas’ monster archetypal quarter, it was wide aboriginal connected that the Knicks were a much balanced violative team. They were up 37-32 aft 1 and led 68-59 astatine halftime. Thomas was going off, but nary different Net scored much than six points successful the archetypal half. Meanwhile, Bridges, Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby were already successful treble figures for the Knicks, who changeable a blistering 63.4% from the tract done the archetypal 2 quarters.

With Nic Claxton sideline for the adjacent week, Brooklyn had a pugnacious clip keeping the Knicks retired of the paint. They changeable 21-for-26 connected two-point attempts successful the archetypal fractional portion the Nets changeable 43.5% from the tract and 37.5% from deep. It did not get overmuch amended for Brooklyn arsenic the nighttime continued.

The Knicks threw aggregate bodies astatine Thomas successful the 3rd 4th and constricted him to conscionable 4 points. And with the Nets’ lone existent scoring menace neutralized — adjacent if lone for a play — it was capable for the Knicks to outscore them 32-23 and instrumentality a commanding 100-82 pb into the last frame.

But these Nets bash not quit. They rallied each the mode back, and a Dennis Schröder country 3 gave them a 122-121 with 11.5 seconds left. It was their champion comeback effort of the season. However, Brunson answered with a 3 of his ain with 6.2 seconds left, and connected the Nets’ last possession, Schröder’s layup was blocked astatine the rim arsenic clip expired. And that’s however the Knicks escaped by the tegument of their teeth.

Brunson (37), Anunoby (25) and Bridges (22) combined for 84 points successful the Knicks’ sixth triumph of the season. Better violative equilibrium by the location squad — and 46 points successful the overgarment — won retired successful the end. Brooklyn’s second-leading scorer was Cam Johnson, who finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.

The Nets fell to 5-7 with the nonaccomplishment and person present dropped consecutive games for the 3rd clip this season. They are 0-1 successful East Group A. They volition look the Knicks again astatine Madison Square Garden connected Sunday.