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.
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 , Evan Mobley and Dean Wade .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.