NBA: Cam Thomas fuels Nets in win over Cavaliers

Cam Thomas scored 29 points and the Brooklyn Nets pulled away in the second half for a 120-101 victory over the host Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night.

In his second game back from a six-game absence due to an ankle injury, Thomas helped the Nets rebound nicely from a pair of sub-par performances in losses to the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets and his big night pulled Brooklyn within 3 1/2 games of the 10th-place Atlanta Hawks for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.

Thomas made 9 of 19 shots and hit five of Brooklyn’s 18 3-pointers, including a 3 to beat the buzzer and give the Nets a 96-80 lead into the fourth quarter.

Mikal Bridges added 25, including the triple that gave the Nets the lead for good in Brooklyn’s 44-point third quarter. Dennis Schroder highlighted his 17-point showing with a desperation 3 that avoided a shot clock violation during Brooklyn’s decisive run.

Nic Claxton tangled with Cleveland’s Georges Niang early in the first and contributed five dunks among his 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Dorian Finney-Smith contributed 11 points as the Nets shot 53.2 percent and led by as many as 26.

The Cavaliers fell to 9-8 this season without Donovan Mitchell, who missed his sixth straight game with a bruised left knee. Cleveland also was without Max Strus (knee), Evan Mobley (ankle) and Dean Wade (personal).

Missing four starters, the Cavs were led by Niang’s 20 points. Former Net Jarrett Allen added 15 as the Cavaliers saw their five-game winning streak over Brooklyn stopped. Darius Garland added 14 and Craig Porter Jr. contributed 13 as Cleveland shot 48.7 percent.

A physical opening quarter ended with the Nets holding a 29-28 lead after shooting 40 percent. Claxton’s dunk and free throw expanded the lead to 40-31 with 8:37 left and the lead was 46-34 after another Claxton basket with 6:02 to go.

Cleveland roared back as Niang scored 11 points in its 17-6 run to end the half and trailed 52-51 by halftime. After Isaac Koori’s 3-pointer forged a tie at 67 with 7:32 left, the Nets outscored Cleveland 29-13 the rest of the third and Thomas hit three treys in the opening two minutes of the fourth for a 108-82 lead. —Field Level Media/Reuters