Jalen Williams was out. Ajay Mitchell was out. And that led the Oklahoma City Thunder to give Jared McCain his first career playoff start, almost out of desperation.
It turned out to be a genius move.
McCain scored 20 points — 18 of them coming in the second half — and the host Thunder beat the San Antonio Spurs 127-114 in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday night, a victory that put the reigning NBA champions one win away from a return trip to the NBA Finals.
“We just thought he could give us some good stuff, just based on where we are right now with a couple guys out,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “He was really good. … Great mental toughness. I never take it for granted when somebody steps into a role like that in a game like this, but certainly not surprised. He’s got great moxie and confidence and he showed that tonight.”
Williams was downgraded to out by the Thunder for Game 5 about an hour before game time Tuesday. after being listed as questionable throughout the day because of his ongoing issues with a strained left hamstring.
Mitchell, who typically starts in Williams’ place, was ruled out earlier by the Thunder with a strained right soleus.
And that created a moment for McCain — who delivered. He wasn’t shy, either, with his 19 shot attempts in Game 5 tying Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the most on the Thunder.
“Coming into this game, I just literally wanted to play as hard as I can on the offensive end and rebound and everything else will flow,” McCain said after the game on NBA TV — where he disclosed that Daigneault hinted Monday that he’d be the starter, then confirmed it to him Tuesday. “Everything else comes together.”
McCain was making the first playoff start of his career. He averaged 8.8 points in 12 playoff games off the bench for the Thunder entering Tuesday.
It’s unknown how long he’ll remain in the starting five. Game 6 is Thursday in San Antonio, but his effort Tuesday certainly was one heck of an audition.
Williams returned for Game 1 of the West finals, scoring 26 points in 37 minutes in Oklahoma City’s 122-115 double-overtime loss. He had four points in seven first-quarter minutes in Game 2, including an alley-oop dunk with 2:12 left in the period, and hasn’t played since.
Williams has now missed 58 of the Thunder’s 95 games this season, including playoffs. Of those absences, 19 were for a right wrist issue and the other 39 were related to his hamstrings — the right one costing him 30 games during the regular season, the left one now costing him nine during the playoffs.
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