Jared McCain Cools Off as 76ers Continue Skid

Philadelphia rookie saw his first down shooting performance in weeks Sunday night.

Nov 24, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain (20) controls the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers in the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The 76ers are quickly becoming the NBA’s most interesting team. They own a soured MVP, his hurt co-stars and the best rookie in the league, all while boasting the second-worst record in the league.

On Sunday night, their woes continued, as they dropped their seventh game in eight tries to the hands of the surging Clippers, 125-99.

Rookie Jared McCain — who now firmly leads the Rookie of the Year race after a scorching last few weeks — saw his first off shooting night in some time. Across 28 minutes, he shot just 3-for-15, hitting only two of his 11 attempted 3-pointers.

Even those splits aren’t likely to hurt his numbers too much. In his last seven games, McCain has essentially functioned as a star in Philadelphia, scoring 26.1 points per game on 51-46-96 splits.

Miraculously, McCain still finished as the team’s leading scorer on Sunday night with 18 points, getting to the line with ease and converting 10 out of 12 free throws. Star Tyrese Maxey trailed just behind with 17.

On the season, McCain’s now averaging 16.5 points on 48% shooting, enough to earn himself some leeway, even on off-shooting nights. Even more, true to his do-it-all nature, he’s adding 2.7 assists and 2.3 rebounds, too.

With the confidence McCain carries on a nightly basis, there's little doubt on anyone's end that he'll find the hot hand again quickly.

Philadelphia will look to get back into the win column with a game against the Houston Rockets at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27. As it stands now, the 76ers hold the second-worst record in the NBA, only ahead of Philadelphia.

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