Jarred McCain scored 12 points, made three 3-pointers and helped Oklahoma City beat the San Antonio Spurs 122-113 on Wednesday in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals.
McCain added six rebounds and three assists, then stayed on the floor through more than seven fourth-quarter minutes as the Thunder finished off the win. It was his 40th game with Oklahoma City after he arrived in a midseason trade from the Philadelphia 76ers, and he has averaged 10.8 points off the bench in the Thunder’s six games since the start of the second round.
For McCain, the night was another step in a season that has already moved through sharp turns. Philadelphia selected him with the 16th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, and he quickly showed why, averaging 15.3 points, 2.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 38.3% from 3-point range in the first 23 games of his rookie season. Then his year ended on Dec. 14, 2024, with a meniscus tear in his left knee.
McCain has also become one of the more recognizable young players in the league for reasons that go beyond basketball. He said he has taken heat for painting his nails and doing TikTok dances, habits he said he started during the COVID pandemic. But he has said basketball has always been the main thing, and he credited his parents and family for giving him the confidence to be comfortable in his own skin.
The injury was a different kind of test. McCain called it a shock and said it was his first major injury, one that was hard to handle at the time. He said he trusted God, tried to learn as much as he could while sitting on the bench and kept moving through the process even when it was tough.
Thunder guard Alex Caruso said McCain has brought a lot to the team beyond scoring. Caruso said McCain has endless energy every day, is always smiling, joking and being a great teammate, and that his energy is contagious whenever he is on the court. He added that McCain keeps moving on offense and helps manipulate the defense.
That combination of production, resilience and personality has made McCain useful for Oklahoma City at the right time. In a playoff series where every rotation matters, he gave the Thunder steady minutes, timely shooting and enough lift to help them seize control of the matchup.
