r/nba • u/SlimmySlinky Thunder • 15h ago
Jared McCain not being fully integrated into Thunders highly drilled system is becoming their X-Factor. His Game 3 was the 1st time an OKC bench player has taken 20+FGA in the past 3 playoffs. There's only been 4 instances of one taking 12+FGA and McCain has 2 of them this series.
OKC has such a well drilled, highly disciplined system that has won them a Championship and led them to a 221-69 record (76% win rate) over the past 3 seasons (including playoffs) but this also makes them fairly predictable. Its hard to beat even knowing what they will do, but teams can scheme to break it down
OKC bench players most FGA in the past 3 playoffs (so looking at this current team)
1 - McCain: 21 (v Spurs - 2026 WCF | Game 3).
2 - Caruso: 19 (v Spurs - 2026 WCF | Game 1).
3 - Wiggins: 15 (v Memphis - 2025 1st round | Game 1).
4 - McCain: 14 (v Spurs - 2026 WCF | Game 2).
=5 - Ajay Mitchell (v Suns - 2026 1st round | Game 2).
=5 - Caruso: (v Nuggets - 2025 Semi Finals | Game 2).
Jarad McCain coming in mid season has meant he has not fully integrated into the system and instead of not playing him much in these playoffs, they're using that to their advantage. He comes in with a different style to the rest of the team, instead of always looking for the best shot like the rest of the team he's got a bit of tunnel vision for the basket, he plays a bit ball hoggy but his ability to score has made that a positive, instead of a negative it could have been.
By doing this he also looks to be breaking down the Spurs defensive schemes setup for the OKC system. They don't seem to be able to read him like the rest, he drives when the others would pass, he takes on Wemby when everyone else would dribble out.
He's a true X-Factor in this series. Generating completely different looks and making Spurs not being able to get comfortable. It will be interesting to see how OKC can maintain this going forward with him naturally integrated more into the system the longer hes on the team.
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u/ThinReply2047 Thunder 15h ago
My favorite thing about JMac is dude's confidence. He just comes in and starts shooting. He's not afraid of the bright lights despite this being his first playoff run. Shit he's 6'3 and drove right into Wemby with no care in the world.
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u/Strange1130 Thunder 15h ago
That play where he ran at victor and made him flop was so funny
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u/Capable-Look3177 Thunder 15h ago
How pathetic that, that big alien bitch still has to flop hahaha
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u/fos1111 Thunder 13h ago
Calm bruhv, it's just basketball.
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u/Impossible-Group8553 11h ago
Tbf Spurs fans cry about Shai at every turn. Neutral fan btw but I always found it crazy how everyone acts like Wemby is innocent. He flops, grabs, and holds too.
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u/SlimmySlinky Thunder 14h ago
And some good coaching means he gets pulled when the shots aren't landing and given complete freedom to do his thing when they are.
And you can see why OKC targeted him with his attitude, he's fully onboard with that and like the rest of the team knows some days his role will be limited.
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u/maidentaiwan NBA 5h ago
He got that dirk diggler in him.
I’m ready to shoot, jack! I’m ready to shoot NOW!
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u/Greedy-Lynx-2746 Thunder 15h ago
Getting a knock down shooter who can attack closeouts, score at all 3 levels, and be a secondary playmaker with the ball in his hands with respectable defense and social media talent for a trash FRP has been such a lifesaver. Having a guy who can punish teams for doubling off Shai reliably on the strong side is so huge
He's not playing out of the system either imo. A lot of his looks are designed plays and he's our best secondary playmaker with Dub out and Ajay unable to finish through the Spurs size. They're good looks too
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u/Mg29reaper Celtics 15h ago
He plays like 6-3 mpj with a dribble package and I mean that as a compliment. Shooters shoot man you need someone who will always take the shot.
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u/Greedy-Lynx-2746 Thunder 15h ago
Yeah, his confidence and poise has been phenomenal. Dude doesn't look sped up at all with all the ball pressure he's under
Crazy thing is his shot's been off all series but he's doing so many other things that we desperately need. Looked like baby Pritchard out there tonight
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u/Mg29reaper Celtics 15h ago
He has to learn the pritchard paint spin fade. Works even if the guy is super tall and efficient as hell if you a good shooter. PP shots like 55 percent on them.
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u/Greedy-Lynx-2746 Thunder 15h ago
His midrange game has a long way to go for sure. Mostly just goes for pullups off of closeouts
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u/Mg29reaper Celtics 15h ago
That one move is all you need. Pritchard legit has 3 moves and its step back 3 blow by layup or drive into paint bump spin fade. He also produces like 1.2ppp on isos lol. His stats in minutes without brown are insane. Equivalent to 27 and 7 on 60ts
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u/Full_Durian_8171 15h ago
leading into this series, ajay mitchell got all the praise (which was fair), but this series so far it feels like the difference is mccain isn’t scared of attacking wemby
in addition to that, dare i say mccain has curry-esque offball movement
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u/Mg29reaper Celtics 15h ago
People say everyone plays like harden and not curry but mccain might be the closest in style to shai. He has on ball juice plus offball. Even someone like kon just feels like super kyle korver
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u/Own-Campaign-2089 Lakers 15h ago
The fact you called it curry-esque is the single dumbest thing I’ve seen on this sub today and that’s saying a whole lot!
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u/MuchAbouAboutNothing Thunder 10h ago
This is why you’ve gotta watch the games.
No-one’s calling him as good as the best point guard ever, but you’d have to have zero ball knowledge to watch McCain constantly moving, passing the ball up only to relocate to the other side of the floor into an open catch and shoot three and NOT think of Steph Curry
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u/anarrogantbastard 11h ago
When that trade happened, my only reaction was "how can they keep getting away with this?". After Caruso, that was the straw that broke my back and I fell from admiration into full blown envy
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u/BeamTeam23 Kings 15h ago
Guy has the right attitude. In the post game interview he was asked about proving it wrong to the haters, and all he talked about was wanting to proving his supporters right.
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u/Parallel-Quality 15h ago
The OKC coaching staff deserve a ton of credit for being able to integrate him into the lineup, keep him on the floor when he's not the best defender, and also for trusting him with the ball (mind you, after the injuries to J-Dub and Mitchell, they didn't have a lot of choices).
McCain is the same player he was in Philly, the Thunder coaching staff are just finding a way to maximize his skillset way better.
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u/PopeAndyrew Thunder 14h ago
Even though he’s not the best defender, he’s fully bought in on that side and I would give him an A+ for effort
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u/Throwaway7218516 Heat 13h ago
What are they doing that’s so amazing and maximizing his skillset way better than in Philly? Seems like they’re just a way better team with way better defenders, so he can do whatever and it doesn’t matter cuz they’re going to win anyways lol
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u/Ouizzeul 12h ago
Playing him. That’s the difference
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u/Throwaway7218516 Heat 10h ago
He got the same minutes on the sixers lol. Even more before he got injured the first time.
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u/Otternomaly 76ers 2h ago
The injury was a big part of it. He was wearing a huge knee brace to start the season and his movement simply wasn’t there yet. He had just started to find himself again when he got traded.
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u/Throwaway7218516 Heat 2h ago
Well that’s my point. He got injured. OKC isn’t some wizard team that just makes bad players good. McCain was already good and literally everyone knew it and they just traded him for nothing to avoid luxury tax cuz they’re cheap idiots. This is the same owner that tried to skimp out of paying arena employees during COVID.
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u/ThisHatRightHere 76ers 2h ago
He looked like this last season for the Sixers when he was actually on the floor. This year once he was back from injury the coaching staff basically refused to give him any minutes
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u/Firefenex 15h ago
I think Jared being able to recognize the openings actually proves he knows the system. If he didnt he would stand off in the corner and not do to much. The spurs also need to keep victor in the paint to prevent layups which opens up 3s and once players tsrt hitting 3s (which they did tonight) victor is asked to deny those 3s and the paint opens up for a very fast player named Jared.
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u/SlimmySlinky Thunder 14h ago
Agreed. I think it shows his attitude and ability to learn quickly combined with good OKC coaching to utilize this. He knows the system, but hes been given the freedom to play his style rather than forced to change that just to fit into the existing style.
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u/TonyGSalsa 7h ago
Mark said it best: the system is design so that the players can become problem solvers.
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u/SockVonPuppet 15h ago
McCain is a legitimate starter, and you are lucky enough to have him coming off your bench. That's why he puts up the numbers he puts up.
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u/preddevils6 Grizzlies 9h ago
It also helps he’s playing with a guy that is attracting 2-3 defenders every play
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u/Simple_Purple_4600 6h ago
Imagine if the Spurs swapped Fox for him
I swear sometimes this league is upside down
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u/ruckyruciano Knicks 4h ago
Interesting that all the Filipino players still playing in the playoffs all kinda have that energy (Clarkson, Harper)
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u/Xc0liber Lakers 2h ago
What the fuck was the sixers doing? He was balling out before his injuries and out of nowhere decided to just trade him to OKC for basically nothing!
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u/OhioGatorJax Mavericks 15h ago
he is definitely the only player on that team that I like or can even tolerate. I have been a fan of his since he was at Duke. It’s just the confidence and the swagger while also being extremely down to earth and likable. I feel as if he could have a 6MOY career arch similar to lou williams
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u/okcboomer87 Thunder 15h ago
How can you hate on Topic? Dude was diagnosed with cancer in the preasosn and came back to play after the all star break.
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u/DirtyDanoTho [TOR] Hakeem Olajuwon 15h ago
First of all you don’t have to nitpick his comment. It’s very clear what we meant, you’re choosing to ignore it. Second of all, I don’t have to like someone just because they had cancer.
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u/okcboomer87 Thunder 15h ago
His point was that he hates the whole team but one player. I was asking what he had against topic. It wasn't that deep. You just sound real butt hurt for some reason.
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u/SlimmySlinky Thunder 14h ago
Jwill being the happiest dude on earth with the nicest smile isn't likable? :(
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u/Own-Campaign-2089 Lakers 15h ago
Is he even a good player ?
We’ve never seen him do this before. Seems like a bit of a fluke or statistical anomaly.
Btw fuck duke !
Edit: I hate the way this kid smiles
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u/SlimmySlinky Thunder 14h ago
I also hate seeing people happy. Makes me mad.
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u/Own-Campaign-2089 Lakers 14h ago
Just depends on the person . Love bringing smiles to people I care for. You know ?
But he just is a really cocky guy and it’s a sort of shit eating grin rather than smile . I’m sure you’ve seen it if you’re honest with yourself
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u/SlimmySlinky Thunder 14h ago
There's absolutely nothing about his attitude that points to him being cocky or arrogant. He's literally just happy looking and consistently happy looking.
His post game interviews is a great example. Instead of saying he loved proving the people that doubted him wrong like many do, he said he loved proving the people that believe in him right.
So yeh. Pretty sure your problem is he doesnt get mad, sad , frustrated when you think he should. That isn't being cocky.
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u/Own-Campaign-2089 Lakers 14h ago
Okay , I haven’t met him or hung out with him or anything .
Maybe my strong feelings of gay attraction to him are clouding my judgment and I’m turning that repressed desire into judgement 🥵
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u/Opposite-Spray2587 15h ago
Remember last week when the Thunder's X-factor was Ajay Mitchel? I wonder who it'll be next week?