Cam Thomas and the NBA Kings of the 4th Quarter 2024-2025 Season

IMAGE BY THE BROOKLYN NETS

A few years back, Cam Thomas said he was a better scorer at age 20 than Kevin Durant was at the same age.

“Me and KD just be trash-talking about our scoring abilities. I say I’m a better scorer than him at my age than he was and he doesn’t believe that. He never wants to play me one-on-one. Because we play one-on-one shootaround, post-ups, I beat him.”

Cam said this in 2022 when he was a rookie averaging 8.5 points with the Brooklyn Nets, and KD was leading the league in scoring. When KD was traded to the Suns a year later, the Cam got the opportunity to show how great of a scorer he was and became the youngest player in NBA history to score 40 points in three straight games.

• 44 PTS, 5 AST (70% FG) in 29 MINS
• 47 PTS (7/11 3PT)
• 43 PTS (18/20 FT)

He started his next season by scoring the most points in NBA history off the bench by a player in a season-opening game (36) and finished it with a career-high average of 22.5 points.

Before the start of this season, a reporter asked the always confident Cam if he felt his game was properly respected around the league.

"I think around the league it is respected. They respect it because they double me.”

Cam Thomas (11 4th Quarter Points)

Well, it seems like teams aren't showing enough respect because, after seven games of the 2024-25 season, Cam is averaging 26.6 points and a league-leading 11 points (75% TS) in the 4th quarter. Cam's 77 total points in the 4th is 20 more than any other player.

Best 4th quarter performance of Cam Thomas

• Cam scored 18 of his 38 points against the Hawks in the final 10 minutes of the game. He also tied his career-high in three-pointers with seven.

Cam Thomas Drops 36 Points vs. Hawks | First Net Ever With 35+ Pts In Back To Back Season Openers

(Just in case you were wondering about his teammate Ben Simmons, the former All-NBA player is averaging a career-low 5.8 points per game on a career-low 4.3 field goal attempts per game)

LAMELO BALL (9.5 4th Quarter Points)

Melo isn't just playing like an All-Star this season; he's playing for the title of Best Eastern Point Guard. His 30.2 points a game is the 4th highest in the league, and if he hadn't fouled out of three of his first five games (4 and 5 fouls in the other two), he would have had a chance at the early scoring title.

Best 4th quarter performance of Lamelo Ball

• Melo scored 16 of his 36 points in the 4th quarter of the Hornets' loss to the Celtics.

NIKOLA JOKIC (9.2 4th Quarter Points)

The Joker isn't just putting up numbers in the 4th; he's been big in overtime this season. In a win against the Raptors, he scored seven of his 40 in OT. The following day, Cam Thomas and the Nets took the Nuggets to OT but lost because of this monster line from Jokic: 29 points, 18 rebounds, and 16 assists.

Best 4th quarter performance of Nikola Jokic

• The 29/18/16 line has only happened one other time in NBA history, so that's an easy pick but I have to mention Jokic knocked down a career-high 7 threes and scored 41 before the 40 against the Raptors.

DEVIN BOOKER (8.8 4th Quarter Points)

The Western Conference Player of The Week is leading the Suns in scoring this season (26.7 to KD's 25.8), and his 8.8 in the 4th is a big reason the Suns have won 4 in a row (the last three wins have been by six or fewer points).

Best 4th quarter performance of Devin Booker

• 40 points and 8 assists in the Clippers' new fancy stadium on Halloween.

LUKA DONCIC (8.8 4th Quarter Points)

Booker's nemesis does most of his damage in the first half, but if the team needs a bucket in the 4th, he will get it. He wasn't required late in the Mavs last game because he went off for 25 in the first half and only played 32 minutes in the Mavs' 23-point win vs the Magic.

Best 4th quarter performance of Luka Doncic

• Statistically, it was his 40 against the Suns, but since they lost that game, I will give it to his performance against the Magic, which included him talking trash in German to the Wagner brothers.

JAYLEN BROWN (8 4th Quarter Points)

Considering Jayson Tatum is 3rd in the league in scoring (30.3), you would probably expect him to be on this list, but he's averaging two fewer points in the 4th than Jaylen Brown.

Best 4th quarter performance of Jaylen Brown

• 30 points and 1 "too small" celebration in a win against the struggling Bucks.

TRAE YOUNG (7.3 4th Quarter Points)

What makes Trae's 4th quarter-scoring so impressive is the NBA assist leader is also dishing out three assists in the final quarter. This stat isn't much of a surprise because Trae is one of just two players in NBA history to lead the league in total points and assists. And I expect him to continue putting up gaudy numbers every quarter for the rest of this season.

Best 4th quarter performance of Trae Young

• 38 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds, 5 threes, and 4 steals in a win against LaMelo Ball and the Hornets.

ELITE GUARD DUEL! LaMelo Ball (34 PTS) & Trae Young (38 PTS) GO AT IT! | October 25, 2024

The following three guys are also averaging 7.8 4th quarter points:

• DEMAR DEROZAN
• GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO
• JAYLEN GREEN