Cam Thomas didn’t exactly light it up in his Bucks debut - just four points on 1-of-5 shooting - but it didn’t take long for him to remind the league why Milwaukee jumped at the chance to scoop him up after Brooklyn let him go. In back-to-back road wins over Orlando and Oklahoma City, Thomas found his rhythm in a big way, dropping 46 points in just 45 minutes of action while shooting a solid 17-of-33 from the field.
The breakout performance came Wednesday in Orlando, where Thomas poured in 34 points and looked every bit the microwave scorer that’s made him a cult favorite among fans and a headache for opposing defenses. After the game, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers didn’t hold back with the praise, putting Thomas in elite company.
“I’ve had Jamal Crawford. I had Lou Williams,” Rivers said. “And now, I have Cam Thomas.”
That’s not just flattery - that’s a coach with a front-row seat to some of the best bench scorers of the last two decades, now seeing flashes of that same instant-offense DNA in Thomas.
Of course, Thomas has heard the critiques. Throughout his four-and-a-half seasons in the league, he’s been tagged with the “empty calories” label - a guy who can score but doesn’t bring much else to the table.
Defense, playmaking, off-ball movement - all areas where skeptics have questioned his impact. But Thomas pushed back on that narrative this week, saying he’s “more than just a scorer” and calling his playmaking “underrated.”
Rivers echoed that sentiment, saying the Bucks are committed to letting Thomas show the full range of his game.
“Cam wants to do right. He wants to play well.
You can see that,” Rivers said after the Magic game. “And we’re going to give him every opportunity.
I mean, the guy is a natural scorer, and you can see that. Probably forced one or two today where he overdribbled.
You live with that, and you teach that to get that out of him. But overall, he was fantastic.”
On Thursday in Oklahoma City, Rivers wasn’t on the sideline - he was away attending a funeral - but assistant coach Darvin Ham stepped in and led the Bucks to an impressive win over the defending champs. It’s worth noting that both teams were without their MVPs, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined by injuries. Still, it was a gutsy road win for Milwaukee, and another chance for Thomas to show he can contribute on a winning team.
Elsewhere around the Central Division:
Cleveland’s new-look backcourt is clicking - even when James Harden isn’t hunting shots. In his home debut with the Cavaliers, Harden took just four shots but dished out 11 assists and looked comfortable letting the game come to him. The Cavs cruised to a 25-point win, moving to 3-0 since adding the former MVP.
“Like I told them, I’ll figure it out,” Harden said postgame. “We’ll do some adjusting with each other, but for the most part, I’ll play with y’all and do what y’all been doing and I’ll find my way… Even [Wednesday], I shoot four shots, but we win by 25 points.
That’s the most important thing. I’m just here to win.”
It’s a different version of Harden - less iso-heavy, more facilitator - and so far, it’s working.
**Cavs also making moves off the court - literally. ** After another round of criticism over the Rocket Arena floor, which came under fire following a Luka Dončić injury scare last month, Cleveland has installed temporary extensions along the sidelines and baselines of their raised court.
The goal: improve player safety. A team spokesperson confirmed that a permanent fix is coming before the 2026-27 season.
**In Detroit, a young big man got his shot. ** With Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren both suspended, second-year forward Tolu Smith - on a two-way deal - saw his first game action since January 10.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff made it clear before tipoff that this was more than just a fill-in appearance.
“He’s an elite defensive rebounder, paint protector, pick and roll guy,” Bickerstaff said. “He’ll be just fine with the tools that he has.”
Smith logged 15 minutes off the bench in Detroit’s win over Toronto, finishing with three points, three boards, and two assists - a solid showing for a young player looking to carve out a role.
Bottom line: Whether it’s Cam Thomas proving he’s more than just a scorer, James Harden adjusting his game to fit a new team, or a young big like Tolu Smith making the most of an opportunity, the Central Division is full of storylines worth watching. And with the playoff push heating up, every minute - and every role - matters.