Nets earn big win over Cavaliers to bounce back from two bad losses
Nets center Nic Claxton (33) hangs from the basket after dunking between Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (3) and center Damian Jones, right, in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Cleveland. Credit: AP/Sue Ogrocki
CLEVELAND — There was no doubt that Cam Thomas would pull up for a three-pointer as the third quarter ended. He grabbed the rebound, dribbled just past halfcourt and fired away with two Cavaliers defenders nearby.
The 37-foot shot went in just before the buzzer and Thomas bounced up and down toward the Nets’ bench. It allowed the Nets to tie their highest-scoring quarter of the season in a 120-101 win over Cleveland at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse Sunday.
“I saw that I had enough time to at least get a good shot off, I think it was like five seconds left,” Thomas said. “Heaved it and it went in. It was just a little energy play for me to get going.”
“It was great,” Mikal Bridges said. “That means it was going to be a great night.”
Thomas scored 11 of his 29 points and Bridges had 11 of his 25 points as the Nets, playing the second night of a back-to-back, scored 44 points in the third quarter.
Thomas’ shot, which put the Nets (26-39) up 96-80, wasn’t even the team’s longest make of the night nor the quarter. That honor went to Dennis Schroder, who made a 40-footer as the shot clock expired.
Schroder’s basket was even more miraculous; it came after an air ball by Thomas. Dorian Finney-Smith snagged the offensive rebound and threw a bounce pass toward Schroder. He corralled the loose ball, let it fly, then pointed and smiled.
“I thought it was long at first, but I made it, luckily,” Schroder said. “We shot the ball very well.”
That was an understatement. The Nets were 8-for-10 from three-point range in the period. Overall, they shot a season-high 51.4% (18-for-35) from outside the arc as they defeated a Cavaliers team that is in third place in the Eastern Conference but played without starters Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Max Strus.
Thomas and Bridges each made five three-pointers and all five starters scored in double figures. Thomas added seven rebounds and five assists in his second game back from injury.
Bridges had his most efficient shooting night in six games, going 9-for-14 from the field, including 4-for-4 in the third quarter. He also had five rebounds, five assists and three steals.
“Struggle is just part of it and he’s just going to grow through it if he doesn’t stop in the middle,” interim coach Kevin Ollie said. “And he didn’t stop in the middle tonight.”
Schroder was 3-for-5 from three-point range and added 17 points and eight assists.
After disappointing efforts the previous two games, the Nets seemed in danger of letting things slip again. They led 52-51 at halftime, but the Cavaliers (41-23) took their first lead of the game and extended it to 60-57.
Instead of folding, the Nets responded with a 16-7 run. They showed resilience that was lacking during the past week, and it helped them hold the Cavs to 50 second-half points.
Nic Clayton had 16 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth consecutive double-double and fifth in the last six games. Georges Niang had 20 points to lead the Cavaliers.
The Nets also got help in the standings. With the Hawks losing to the Pelicans on Sunday, the Nets trail them by 3 1⁄2 games for the Eastern Conference’s final play-in spot.
“That was the best game I think we had just communicating on offense and defense, covering up for each other, and that’s our power,” Ollie said. “We was underdogs coming in here. I just told them nobody thought we were going to win this game.
“But they believed, they communicated, they talked together and they stayed in as a pack.”
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
