The Philadelphia 76ers traded Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the deadline, and the young guard stepped into the starting lineup in Game 5 of the conference finals. McCain dropped 20 points, including sinking multiple key baskets, to put OKC up 3-2 in the series. Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell are out, but McCain is filling in admirably. Sixers fans were upset Daryl Morey traded him, and that move looks even worse now.
Morey was confident that the 76ers sold high, but that statement was absolutely foolish. McCain started three games all season before Tuesday night. It was Oklahoma City’s biggest contest of the season, with the series tied at two games apiece. They needed someone to step up, and it was McCain.
The 76ers looked even smarter for firing Daryl Morey after Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. McCain showed his special talent as a rookie. The 22-year-old needed time to find his role this season with the addition of VJ Edgecombe. Instead of giving it to him, Morey sent him packing. The Thunder were eager to get McCain, and he just played a key role in putting them on the doorstep of a second straight NBA Finals appearance.
Jared McCain rubs salt in 76ers’ wounds with 20-point Game 5
The 6’3 guard finished with 20 points and three rebounds on Tuesday night. It took him 19 field goal attempts to get there, but the Thunder won his minutes by three points. They needed someone to step up with their second and third best scorers injured. McCain was happy to fire away, and his 33 minutes were the second-most on the team behind only reigning two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The 76ers could have used McCain in the playoffs. Head coach Nick Nurse never wanted to take Tyrese Maxey off the floor because Philly got destroyed in his minutes on the bench.  Sixers fans certainly missed McCain even more in those moments, and nobody was upset to see Morey get fired after Philadelphia’s second-round playoff exit.
There has been a whole new level of pain watching McCain play a key role in the Western Conference Finals. Most experts think the Thunder and Spurs are the two best teams in the NBA. The winner of Game 5 took a massive edge in this series. OKC doesn’t get the victory without McCain’s 20 points.
The Sixers want to win a championship with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. They had a young and talented role player on a cheap contract and traded him for draft capital. McCain was the exact player Philly needed in the playoffs, but Sam Presti wasn’t missing his chance to snag the 6’3 guard. Now, the pressure is on the 76ers to nail the draft capital, or this trade hits rock bottom.
Jared McCain just scored 20 points in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s biggest game of the season so far. This was just months after the Philadelphia 76ers foolishly traded the 22-year-old guard for draft capital. The Sixers are supposed to be contending, but they dumped a talented role player on a rookie contract. It made no sense at the time and keeps looking worse. The only good news is that it finally got Daryl Morey out of town.
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