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Four Nets finish in double-figures as Brooklyn defeats Minnesota, 102-83

By Chris Milholen
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2022 NBA Summer League - Brooklyn Nets v Minnesota Timberwolves Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images

The Nets are not in the running for the Summer League championship game but nevertheless responded with a big win against the Timberwolves Thursday night in Las Vegas. Led by a strong performance from the starting five — Cam Thomas, David Duke Jr., Kessler Edwards, Raiquan Gray, and Day’Ron Sharpe — Brooklyn breezed by Minnesota, 102-83. With the victory at Cox Pavilion, the Nets stand at 2-2.

Cam Thomas recorded his fourth 20+ point performance of Summer League, tallying a game-high 26 points on 7-of-16 shooting overall and 4-of-8 shooting from behind the arc in a game-high 31 minutes of action. The 6’3” shooting guard dished three assists with three turnovers in the win. He’s now averaging 28.0 points a game, tops in the Summer League.

Day’Ron Sharpe paved the way for Brooklyn’s dominance under the boards. He powered a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes of play. The young big shot 8-of-10 from the field and went 1-of-2 from 3-point range along with four blocks, three assists, and a steal. David Duke Jr. once again had another strong outing for the Nets, finishing with 16 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in 30 minutes. The former two-way shot 5-of-10 from the field. Raiquan Gray the 59th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, followed with a near double-double of nine points and nine boards in 26 minutes.

2022 NBA Summer League - Brooklyn Nets v Minnesota Timberwolves Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images

The only downside for the Nets was a shoulder injury sustained by Noah Kirkwood, the 6’7” guard out of Harvard. He left the game and didn’t return.

The Nets will conclude their Summer League campaign against the Celtics on Saturday, July 16 at 8:00 p.m. ET. The consolation game will be televised on ESPN. The consolation game is based on rivalries and broadcast/scheduling management.

Cam Thomas on KD and Kyrie

Marc J. Spears of Andscape spoke to Cam Thomas about his relationship with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving ... and the Nets off-season woes have effected him.

Thomas told Spears he knows the NBA is a business, which he said he understood when James Harden was traded for Ben Simmons Still, that doesn’t help him deal with the possibility that the superstars may not be back.

“I never even expected to come into a situation like Brooklyn, where I had Kyrie and KD take me under their wing,” Thomas told Andscape.

“They have no reason to help me, but for them to take me under their wing, and talk to me, take me in, I feel like I have to cherish that the rest of my career because I was only a rookie last year, 19, 20 years old,” Thomas added. “So for them to believe in me like that and trust me, and look at me as one of the guys, is great. So, I’ll definitely cherish that.”

Thomas told Spears that he and KD still talk regularly.

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