Nobody told Dennis Schroder and Cam Thomas the Nets are supposed to be tanking

Brooklyn is proving to be more than just an easy out; it's genuinely competitive. 

After dropping their first two games of the season — road losses to the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic — the Nets have rebounded to win two of their last three contests. They secured a convincing 115-102 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks and followed it up with a 119-106 triumph over the Memphis Grizzlies, with a hard-fought overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets sandwiched in between.

Schroder has been a revelation during the early stages of 2024-25, exceeding expectations as he tries to prove he’s one of the league’s premier point guards. He has consistently outplayed his more celebrated and better-paid counterparts, doing everything he can to take them down a peg and put the league on notice that he's been overlooked.

Schroder spearheaded the convincing win over the Bucks, limiting Damian Lillard to a subpar 5-of-13 shooting night while exploding for 29 points and a game-high +27 plus-minus rating. He followed that up by holding Jamal Murray to just 25% shooting across 18 possessions (or partial possessions), contributing 28 points and 14 assists in the process. Schroder then capped off his stellar week by thoroughly outplaying Ja Morant, limiting the Grizzlies star to 14 points while scoring an impressive 33 of his own.

For the season, Schroder is averaging 24.6 points and 8.2 assists per game versus only 2.8 turnovers while shooting 55.3% from beyond the arc. Although his three-point percentage will regress, it highlights his continued development as a long-range shooter, building upon his improvement from 34.4% in 2021-22 to 37.5% last season. 

This increased proficiency from deep has unlocked Schröder’s offensive game, allowing him to attack the basket with greater aggression. His 15.6 drives per contest rank 14th in the league, and his 56.7% finishing rate on those drives is the highest among the top 15 players in that category.

Schroder’s backcourt partner, Thomas, has been equally impressive, currently ranking eleventh in the NBA in scoring with 27.4 points per game. He boasts a versatile offensive arsenal, highlighted by one of the best floaters in the league, and a herky-jerky first step that keeps defenders off balance as he relentlessly looks for easy opportunities around the rim.

In 2024-25, Thomas has demonstrated a newfound commitment to efficient shot selection. He’s launching over 40% of his shots from beyond the arc — a career-high — while significantly reducing his attempts from the inefficient mid-range zone.

Like Schroder, Thomas has also increased his drives to the basket, rising from 14.0 per game last season to 17.4 this year, good for 10th in the NBA. He also ramped up his involvement in pick-and-roll situations, averaging a team-high 8.6 per game. As the roll man, he is scoring 1.07 points per possession, placing him in the 74th percentile league-wide.

The Schroder and Thomas pairing may have a limited shelf life in Brooklyn. Their team-friendly contracts and impressive early-season showings make them attractive trade targets for nearly every contending organization in the association. 

For now, NBA fans can savor the hard-nosed and gritty performances of this unexpectedly competitive backcourt as they refuse to let the Nets wrack up losses.