McCain starts his first playoff game, scoring 20 points to help the Thunder win.

May 28 - In Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs 127-114 despite missing several players, bringing them one step closer to returning to the NBA Finals.

Before the game, the Thunder confirmed that Jalen Williams was downgraded from questionable to out due to a left hamstring injury, and Ajay Mitchell, who was originally scheduled to start in his place, was also unable to play due to a right calf muscle strain. This forced head coach Mark DeGnott to start rookie Jared McCain.

McCain scored 20 points in this game, 18 of which came in the second half, and he scored several crucial points to stabilize the situation. He took 19 shots, tied for the team lead with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

“Given that we have several players out right now, we thought he could help,” Degnot said after the game. “He played exceptionally well, showing great mental strength and confidence. It’s not easy to take on a role at this level, but his performance tonight was impressive.”

McCain revealed after the game that the head coach had hinted at his potential starting position the day before and confirmed it before the game. He stated that he was only focused on offense and rebounding, and would let the rest take its course.

So far this season, McCain has mostly come off the bench in the previous 12 playoff games, averaging 8.8 points per game. In this game, he made his first playoff start and delivered a standout performance.

Image source: Internet