76ers Lose 123-103 to Thunder in Jared McCain’s Return to Philadelphia

Shorthanded and overmatched, the Philadelphia 76ers never stood much of a chance.

Still missing six key contributors, the Sixers were run off the floor by the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder in a 123-103 loss, one that felt decided long before the final buzzer.

The 76ers came into tonight’s game as clear underdogs against one of the best teams in the NBA. The Thunder had their full starting lineup available, while the 76ers were missing a huge portion of their roster: Tyrese Maxey (finger), Quentin Grimes (illness), Johni Broome (knee), Kelly Oubre Jr. (elbow), Joel Embiid (obliques), and Paul George (suspension). Because of that, the Sixers, who are 39-33 and sitting 7th in the Eastern Conference, had a very tough challenge going up against the 57-15 Thunder.

Another big storyline in this game was the return of Jared McCain to Philadelphia for the first time since being traded. Since joining the Thunder, McCain has improved a lot and has almost doubled his points per game. Tonight served as a chance for McCain to display his true ability in Philadelphia, and he did just that, for the Thunder.

Right away, it was clear the Thunder had control of the game, as in the first quarter, they started to pull away pretty quickly. About halfway through the quarter, McCain hit a pull-up three that pushed the lead to nine points and got a strong reaction from the crowd. From there, the rest of the game followed a similar pattern. Oklahoma City stayed in control and never really let the 76ers get back into it.

McCain had a solid performance overall. In 25 minutes, which was one of the higher totals on the team, he scored 13 points on good efficiency and had a +19 +/-, which was the best of any player in the game. Even though his stats may not have resembled those of a crazy “revenge game,” his impact was felt, and he showed how well he fit in the Thunder’s system.

Another former Sixer, Isaiah Joe, also played well. Coming off the bench, he hit three important three-pointers in his 19 minutes. Joe has become a really reliable shooter for Oklahoma City, and performances like this show why he has been valuable for them. For Sixers fans, it was like salt in the wound of Philadelphia and a mockery of the management of the 76ers.

On the 76ers’ side, rookie VJ Edgecombe was the biggest bright spot. He had an impressive 35 points and carried most of the scoring load for the team. He showed that he can create his own shot and be productive even without players like Maxey and Embiid on the floor. It’s performances like this that make it clear he has a lot of potential going forward. Trendon Watford also had a decent game, finishing with 15 points. He gave the Sixers some extra offense and energy, but it wasn’t enough to keep up with a deep and talented Thunder team.

With George returning from his suspension on Wednesday, and Embiid and Maxey’s injuries healing, the 76ers should be regaining their lineup soon, and they will need it fast with the play-in games beginning on April 14.

Isaac Baranski

Isaac is a high-school senior who currently attends the Hun School of Princeton. In his free time, he has many interests, but most of all is his love for Philadelphia sports. He has watched the 76ers since the days of Sam Hinkie and hopes to watch the process be completed. He has also watched the Phillies since the days of Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, and the great crew, and hopes to see Red October finally achieve its goal. Along with that, he picked up a love for the Philadelphia Union shortly before the pandemic, and has seen them win multiple Supporters’ Shields in person. Lastly, and most importantly, he is a major football lover and an even bigger Eagles lover. Since developing his love for The Birds in elementary school, he has made it his goal to never miss a game.

Twitter

Get New Articles Emailed Right To Your Inbox: