NEW ORLEANS — After a slow start to the season, the Nets’ Cam Johnson is starting to look like himself. Actually, a record-breaking version of himself.
The Nets wing has not only rediscovered his usual shooting stroke, but he’s started driving the ball, and done it with a turnover-free streak that set a league mark.
Johnson hasn’t turned the ball over in any of the past seven games, making him the first player in NBA history to log at least 30 minutes without a giveaway in seven straight tilts.
On Monday in New Orleans, he’ll get a chance to run his record to eight straight — and keep boosting his value both to the Nets and around the NBA.
“Some of it is just how the game goes. Just not putting the ball in jeopardy, making the simple play,” said Johnson, who had 23 points and hit 4 of 7 from deep in 31 turnover-free minutes Saturday at Cleveland. “But if you come back and have a couple turnovers in a game, just going to shake it off.
“And it’s not something I’m thinking about out there. It’s not [thinking] ‘I can’t turn the ball over at all. I can’t turn it over at all.’ I’m just trying to play the right way, and it’s going to happen sometimes. But I’m not even focused on turnovers, honestly. Trying not to, but I’m not dwelling on it.”
One of several Nets veterans mentioned in trade reports, Johnson had been the first in NBA history with multiple 3s, assists and no turnovers in six straight games.
Johnson hasn’t committed a turnover since Oct. 27, when he lost the ball out of bounds with 8:44 left in the third quarter of the win over Milwaukee. He has dished out 25 assists since then without a single giveaway.
Johnson has been attacking closeouts and driving the ball hard, enjoying his best stretch since arriving in Brooklyn.
“It’s him being a very good basketball player,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “He knows one of his superpowers is to shoot the basketball. He makes a few shots, they start closing out really hard to him, and he’s making the right read every time.
“He’s not forcing the issue, shooting tough or when he’s heavily contested. Then he’s driving, he’s scoring at the rim, or he can make the next play for his teammates. So it’s just him being a very good basketball player.”
Good and getting better.
Johnson averaged 14.5 points through the first six games of the season on .408/.360/.846 shooting splits. But over his past four he has taken his game to a different level, pouring in 21.8 points on white-hot .554/.419/.857 shooting splits.
“A lot of it is what goes on around offense. The defense, getting into the game, picking up, guarding, and feeling that energy circulate throughout the team,” Johnson said. “And that way it makes it easier. Pressure is taken off of offense. You play in flow. You find a rhythm.
“But I just try to come in and do my job every game, no matter what that looks like. And somebody who shoots 3s a lot, some days can be better than others. So you just ride the waves while you can and focus on that next play, the next shot, and your results will be the results.”
Johnson has taken a similar approach to trade rumors, logical with the Nets rebuilding.
He is making $23.6 million this season, or 16.8 percent of the salary cap. But Johnson’s deal is team-friendly and actually de-escalates, making it even more valuable as the cap rises.
It dips to under $21.6 million next season, just 13.95 percent of the cap; and he’ll earn $23.6 million in the final year for a modest 13.89 percent.
Some criticized Nets general manager Sean Marks for not moving Johnson in the summer and sticking to a reportedly high asking price of two first-round picks.
Johnson has done nothing since but increase his value.
