Explosive bench scoring and poise under pressure have transformed the young guard into Oklahoma City’s postseason X-factor, leaving the Philadelphia 76ers to rue a short-sighted trade
Jared McCain could have taken the easy route. He could have turned his postseason rise with the Oklahoma City Thunder into a direct shot at the Philadelphia 76ers and Daryl Morey.
Instead, when asked about Morey trading him, McCain kept the same composure that has made him such a valuable piece for Oklahoma City.
“It’s never to prove anybody wrong. I try to keep a positive outlook. I like proving my support system right. Daryl’s still the guy that drafted me, so I’ll always have love for him for that. He believed in me enough to take me at No. 16.”
McCain was essential in Oklahoma City’s 123-108 Game 3 win over the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder fell behind 15-0 early, and with Jalen Williams out because of a hamstring injury, Oklahoma City needed someone outside of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to provide an offensive spark. McCain did exactly that, scoring a playoff career-high 24 points with four rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench.
The larger story was Oklahoma City’s depth. The Thunder bench scored a franchise playoff record 76 points, outscoring San Antonio’s reserves by 53. McCain led that group, while Jaylin Williams added 18 points, and Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace helped turn the game around.
McCain is doing exactly what the Sixers needed this postseason: supplying shooting, secondary scoring, and movement away from the ball. His game fits playoff basketball because he does not need every possession to run through him. He can attack a closeout, relocate for a three, run a second unit, or punish defenses for loading up on stars.
So why was he available for what now looks like a pittance?
Part of it may have been Philadelphia’s urgency. The Sixers were built around expensive veterans and needed to manage a roster that had become top-heavy. McCain, as a young guard, may have been viewed as a future piece on a team trying to fix the present. There were also fair basketball questions: his size, defensive ceiling, and whether he was more of a scoring guard than a true point guard; these factors may have made him seem expendable.
McCain has his weaknesses, but he also has strengths that could help any team in the league. Oklahoma City benefited from those skills; without his offensive spark, the Thunder could have lost a crucial playoff game.
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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected].
