Cam Thomas’ 30-Point Clinic vs. Wolves Shows What He Can Bring to Milwaukee
It’s December 27 in Minneapolis, and the Brooklyn Nets are up against the Minnesota Timberwolves-one of the West’s toughest outs over the past two seasons. Anthony Edwards is doing what he does: slicing through defenders, pulling up from deep, and letting the Nets know about it every step of the way. He’s got the swagger of a guy who knows he’s the best shooting guard in the league-and on most nights, he’s right.
But this wasn’t most nights.
From the Nets’ bench, Cam Thomas is watching, waiting. He’s not used to this-sidelined after a hamstring strain and stuck behind a hot Brooklyn rotation that had just blown out Milwaukee by 45.
Still, when his number is called, Thomas doesn’t just match Edwards’ energy-he eclipses it. In just 19 minutes, he torches the Timberwolves and reminds everyone exactly what he’s capable of.
For Bucks fans wondering what Thomas brings to the table after being waived by Brooklyn and scooped up by Milwaukee, this performance is the blueprint.
Let’s break it down.
The Stat Line That Pops
30 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 turnovers. 9-of-15 from the field, 3-of-8 from three, 9-of-9 from the line. Plus-27 in a 123-107 win.
That’s not just efficient-that’s surgical. Thomas didn’t just score.
He scored quickly, cleanly, and without disrupting the flow of the offense. He was a spark plug off the bench, and he lit the Wolves on fire.
Rim Pressure: Getting There and Finishing
Thomas has never been known as a rim attacker-only about 16-21% of his shots come at the rim, and he finishes at a decent-but-not-elite 60% clip.
But against Minnesota, he showed what happens when he turns the jets on. He drove hard, especially to his right, using hesitation moves and his solid 6’3”, 210-pound frame to muscle past defenders and get into the restricted area.
The result? Three and-ones, nine free-throw attempts, and nine makes.
That’s where Thomas becomes a real weapon-drawing contact, getting to the line, and cashing in. Last season, he ranked in the 96th percentile in foul-drawing rate for his position.
This year, he’s still in the 81st percentile. That’s elite company.
And for a Bucks team that ranks 28th in free-throw attempt rate-outside of Giannis and Kevin Porter Jr., they’ve struggled to draw whistles-Thomas’ ability to live at the line is a serious asset. Even better?
He’s a career 85.8% free-throw shooter. So when he gets there, it counts.
Mid-Range Game: A Trusted Safety Valve
Thomas is a mid-range guy through and through-roughly half of his career shot attempts have come from that area. And while the analytics crowd might cringe, the truth is he’s effective there, hitting between 41-53% from mid-range over his career.
Against Minnesota, he didn’t need to lean on it much-he was too busy getting to the rim-but he still flashed it. A floater here, a pull-up elbow jumper there.
These are the kinds of shots that can stop a scoring drought cold. For a Bucks team that occasionally stalls in the halfcourt, having a guy who can create his own look from 15 feet is a luxury.
Three-Point Shooting: Streaky, But Dangerous
Thomas takes about a third of his shots from beyond the arc, mostly from above the break. He’s not a lights-out shooter-career 34.3% from deep-but he’s got the confidence and shot-making ability to hit the tough ones.
He went 3-of-8 from three in this game, including a couple of high-difficulty makes. That’s the kind of shot creation that doesn’t always show up in the percentages. He may not be your prototypical floor-spacer, but when the play breaks down and someone has to launch a contested three with the clock winding down, Thomas is more than comfortable in that role.
Off-Ball Movement: Flashes of Growth
Let’s be real-Cam Thomas is a ball-dominant scorer.
That’s been his role on every team he’s played for. But against Minnesota, he showed he doesn’t have to dominate the ball to be effective.
He made smart cuts, including one that led to a drawn foul after slipping behind the defense. He also relocated for a catch-and-shoot three after giving up the ball-something Bucks fans will want to see more of, especially if he’s sharing the floor with high-usage players like Giannis or Dame.
It’s not his bread and butter, but he’s capable.
Playmaking: More Than You’d Expect
No one’s mistaking Thomas for a pure point guard, but he’s not a black hole either. His 21.8% assist rate this season puts him in the 65th percentile among combo guards-right in line with guys like Derrick White and Amen Thompson.
Against the Wolves, he showed he can read the floor and make the right pass-whether it’s a kick-out to an open shooter, a dump-off to a big, or a lob over the top. What makes it work is that he draws so much defensive attention when he attacks. He leverages that gravity to create for others, and that’s a big deal.
For Milwaukee, he’d slot in behind Giannis, KPJ, and Ryan Rollins in assist percentage-but that’s fine. His job isn’t to be the primary playmaker. It’s to keep the offense humming when the stars sit, and occasionally surprise opponents with a smart dime.
What This Means for the Bucks
Cam Thomas wasn’t the flashy trade deadline acquisition some Bucks fans were hoping for. But considering Milwaukee picked him up off waivers without giving up a single asset, this could be a steal.
He brings something the Bucks have lacked off the bench: a true microwave scorer. Someone who can create his own shot, get to the line, and keep the scoreboard moving when the offense gets bogged down.
He’s confident, aggressive, and unafraid of the moment. And in the playoffs, when every possession matters, that kind of player can swing a game-or even a series.
The key now? Doc Rivers.
If Rivers can get Thomas to buy into a defined role-think Jamal Crawford or Lou Williams during their Clippers days-Milwaukee might have something special. Rivers has done it before, turning high-volume scorers into elite sixth men.
If he can do it again, and Thomas embraces that identity, the Bucks’ bench just got a whole lot scarier.
And if Thomas ever needs a reminder of what that role can look like at its best, all he has to do is cue up the Wolves tape. For one night, he was the best shooting guard on the floor-and that’s saying something when Anthony Edwards is on the other side.