Jared McCain developed a reputation among the Oklahoma City Thunder with the way he quickly integrated with the team following the trade deadline deal that brought him from the Philadelphia 76ers, and his willingness to keep shooting even through times of struggle.
Heading into Thursday’s Game 6 of the Western Conference finals against the host San Antonio Spurs, McCain’s role has grown into a crucial one thanks in part to injuries to Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell that have led to an increase in playing time.
“I think he’s a special human being,” Thunder big man Isaiah Hartenstein said of McCain. “I think just in general, no one will change the way he is. I’ve never seen someone so happy every single day.”
McCain, 22, was certainly plenty happy Tuesday, when he made his first career playoff start — and just his 12th NBA start overall — and scored 20 points on 7-of-19 shooting in Oklahoma City’s 127-114 win to take a 3-2 lead in the series.
McCain has averaged 18.7 points per game in the Thunder’s wins in the series, regularly making use of the mid-range jumper.
“It’s what the NBA is about now,” Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s spread out basketball, everybody that’s on the court has to be able to make a play, like it’s very position-less offensively and defensively. The better you are at guarding both positions, the more you play; the better you’re doing multiple things on offense, the more you play. It’s just how it is.”
The Spurs got physical with McCain late in Game 5, including on a hard foul by Mason Plumlee with less than two minutes remaining.
That foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1 foul Wednesday after league review.
After Tuesday’s loss, San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said the Spurs needed more out of Victor Wembanyama.
Wembanyama averaged more than 20 rebounds per game over the first two games of the series but has averaged just 6.0 rebounds over the last three.
He scored 20 points in Game 5 but was just 4 of 15 from the floor.
“I don’t think we screened well,” Spurs point guard De’Aaron Fox said. “And that’s for us screening for him and vice versa. … We have to be able to screen better for each other and then play with pace.”
Fox said the formula for Game 6 was simple.
“We’ve got to play like the more desperate team,” Fox said.
During last season’s run to the NBA Championship, the Thunder twice faced elimination, beating Denver and Indiana in Game 7s.
For the Spurs, who are in the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and won their first two series of these playoffs in five or six games, Thursday’s game will be their first facing elimination for this group.
“I feel like we’ve been great when we’re desperate all year,” Stephon Castle said. “I’m excited to see how we’ll respond.”
The Spurs are 5-3 at home during the playoffs, while the Thunder are 5-1 on the road, with their only loss coming in Game 4 in San Antonio.
