Jared McCain told the media that he felt like himself again after the Philadelphia 76ers’ 121-102 win against the Washington Wizards on Monday – and he was correct.
Although McCain tallied just 14 points on 6-11 shooting from the field yesterday, his impact was pivotal, finishing with a game-high +/- of 37. His ability to operate on and off the ball lessened Tyrese Maxey’s offensive burden, giving way to the 76ers securing their 11th win of the season.
Inside McCain’s performance
McCain dissected Washington’s 30th-rated defense with his on-ball brilliance and perimeter shooting.
The guard struggled to attack off the dribble in his first few games, but had little issue doing so last night. McCain got on the scoreboard by beating CJ McCollum to the rim in isolation, but his most impressive drive came late in the first quarter.
Paul George set a fake on-ball pick for McCain – otherwise called a ghost screen – to get Will Riley, McCain’s defender, off balance. The Duke product used Riley’s moment of hesitation to venture to the rim for another layup, which he accumulated more of in transition.
Philadelphia totaled 24 fast-break points and McCain scored seven of them. He benefitted from the 76ers’ increased tempo, especially when Maxey was the driving force. The one-time all-star used his defensive attention to create spot-up opportunities for McCain as he assisted on 10 of his 14 points.
The sophomore also shared the wealth, recording five assists with variety.
McCain effortlessly attacked a baseline closeout, which collapsed the defense, creating an open three for Justin Edwards at the opposite corner. The guard assisted on two of Edwards’ three-pointers on the night. McCain intrinsically created advantages for teammates probing off pick-and-rolls.
He initiated a dribble handoff with Maxey too, yielding the Texas native a switched McCollum, who he exploited off the bounce. Philadelphia smartly exploited Washington’s lack of perimeter defenders by using guards like McCain to screen for Maxey, with the intention of giving him an easier matchup.
What this means
Trouncing the Wizards is no cause for celebration, nevertheless, but McCain’s recent play is.
He notched 13.8 points on 56.9% true-shooting, an 8.5% increase from his season average, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals in his last five games. If McCain shoulders more ball-handling duties as he did against Washington, his assist numbers will not only increase, but decrease Maxey’s usage as well.
Maxey rested in the fourth quarter versus the Wizards and logged just 29 overall minutes – a season low. As Philadelphia strives to stay afloat through Joel Embiid’s (knee), Kelly Oubre Jr. 's (knee), and Trendon Watford’s (adductor) continued absences, McCain’s resurgence will be crucial.