In yet another contest where they faced a huge deficit, the Philadelphia 76ers, true to their form so far this season, mounted a furious comeback in the fourth quarter to come out with a tight, two-point win over the visiting Clippers. That improves their record to 8-5, which is good for a tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
The biggest narrative for the 76ers in this game was the fact that Paul George finally made his long-awaited season debut, but another storyline which fans were closely monitoring was the return of Jared McCain, who had just finished his brief stint with the Delaware Blue Coats in the G-League. Unfortunately, he barely even saw the floor.
The sophomore guard logged just five minutes in the entire game, not even registering any entry in the boxscore. He did not even attempt a single shot, nor did he handle the rock in his cameo appearance. Put simply, he was very forgettable, and the 76ers definitely ensured that he remained one.
Having said that, McCain’s lack of opportunities on the hardwood is rapidly becoming a concerning tidbit for this team — and people have definitely noticed.
The 76ers seem to not trust Jared McCain just yet
After he missed nearly an entire calendar year due to a couple of injuries that both prompted surgery, McCain was always going to be very rusty in his return. It would — and should — not surprise anyone if he immensely struggles with his shot, and true enough, that has been the status quo for him early on.
However, there is no other way to help him regain his mojo but to give him the platform to actually play. So far, the 76ers have implemented a strict minutes restriction with him, but he has been getting much smaller doses of court time than the supposed limit enacted by the coaching and medical staffs.
If the 76ers are not even confident about McCain getting his rhythm back, this season will quickly become a lost one for the sophomore, which absolutely sucks given that his skill set is still badly needed for the team to be a more well-rounded and dynamic offensive unit. Instead, he has been relegated to spectator duty so far, and there is not a lot to indicate that the worm will turn for him in that regard sooner than later.
The Philadelphia 76ers need to give Jared McCain more playing time and reps to showcase his talents — that is a non-negotiable. Otherwise, he might not be able to regain his confidence this season as he works his way back from those brutal injuries.