3 observations after the Sixers lost to the Cavs 13-0 despite McCain’s 34-point performance originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Jared McCain played Wednesday night for a Sixers team among all his All-Stars.
The rookie guard was fantastic, scoring 34 points and dishing out 10 assists.
However, the short-handed Sixers didn’t have enough firepower to hand the Cavs a stunning opening loss. Cleveland improved to 13-0 with a 114-106 victory at the Wells Fargo Center.
Darius Garland scored 25 points and six assists. Donovan Mitchell had 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.
The 2-9 Sixers were without Tyrese Maxey (right hamstring tension), Joel Embiid and Paul George (left knee injury management). Andre Drummond was also ill.
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said before the game that Embiid and George would be available for the team’s Friday night game against the Magic. He also noted that the restriction on George’s minutes had been lifted.
Here are some observations from the Sixers’ Wednesday loss to Cleveland:
McCain’s hugely impressive first start
McCain immediately felt comfortable in his first NBA start, scoring a three-pointer to get the Sixers on the scoreboard.
Although he came up empty on his next four shots, McCain’s decision-making was strong. He looked comfortable with and without the ball, often pushed the pace and regularly put pressure on the Cleveland defense. McCain drove and kicked to Caleb Martin for a corner three that gave the Sixers a 21-17 lead.
“Instead of reading my defender, I read the fullback,” McCain said of his playmaking progress. “Or I don’t even read the first help (defender) side, I read the second on the back. And see if the big one stops, see if the help crashes into the base person or goes up to the wing. … It’s just some things that are slowing down.
“Every time I jump, I can even make a decision in the air. But that will come with time. I think reading the defenses will come with time and watching a film about it.
The 20-year-old finished with 16 points, four assists and no turnovers in the first half.
One reason McCain tends to be less turnover-prone than most rookies is his willingness to shoot all kinds of jumpers, especially in transition. With a 6-for-13 night, McCain is now 20-for-52 (38.5%) from three-point range. And as he racks up NBA reps, it’s becoming increasingly clear that McCain can reliably create bread-and-butter shots for himself in the mid-range.
The Sixers offense as a whole looked much different without their stars. They attempted 26 threes before making their first free throw. Alongside McCain, Martin (18 points) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (20 points) hit tough shots.
Sixers go to Bona, deep bench players
The Sixers faced major size disadvantages defensively. As a quasi-necessity, rookie Adem Bona played at backup center.
Bona’s inexperience was apparent at times. He committed a turnover in the backcourt when he grabbed a defensive rebound, then threw a shaky pass that George Niang recovered. The UCLA product had to learn the nuances of NBA pick-and-roll coverage on the fly — positioning, footwork, timing — and gave up some easy layups.
However, he ran the floor hard, competed for rebounds, and effectively took on Evan Mobley inside on several occasions. Bona finishes with four points — a tip-in dunk and put back — and nine rebounds in 17 minutes.
“He did very well,” the nurse said. “I thought he was sharp. He didn’t really make many mistakes, did he? This is always an important starting point: not doing things that could harm us. … He played hard and did a good job.
KJ Martin, Eric Gordon and Reggie Jackson all joined the Sixers rotation after DNPs Tuesday night’s loss to the Knicks. Ricky Council IV also had 11 minutes
Jackson’s score (13 points on 5 out of 7 shooting) was a significant plus coming off the bench. He made three jumpers early in the second quarter, including a corner three that put the Sixers up 39-32. They went into halftime with a surprising six-point lead.
No shock in the cards
Cleveland’s Isaac Okoro guarded McCain to start the second half and played high-quality, physical defense well beyond the three-point line.
McCain struggled at first. He rushed, tried to pass through traffic and committed three turnovers in the first four minutes of the third quarter. The Cavs made a run and took a 69-64 lead on a three by Okoro.
However, McCain and the Sixers continued to get closer. An Oubre layup with 3.1 seconds left in the third quarter cut the Cavs’ advantage to 82-78.
“I think he just kept playing,” Nurse said of McCain. “He’s probably seen some of these things in his career. They even threw him a box possession and one, which was pretty interesting. I thought, “Man, that’s some pretty high-level respect to throw that at a rookie.”
“But he succeeded. Again, I just think he’s creative enough with the ball, he’s strong enough off the ball to get free, and he can shoot deep and he can drive it. He has many skills and he uses them all.
Cleveland scored steadily early in the fourth quarter, but McCain answered steadily on the other end. The Sixers also stayed close thanks to hustle and timely offensive rebounds. McCain was excited after hitting a catch-and-shoot three that cut the Cavs’ lead to 98-96, shouting in celebration.
“I just attribute it to my work,” McCain said of his latest standout performance. “I work so hard, so I feel like I need these games. I’m starting to learn more as a senior guard. In college, I was off the ball more, so it’s definitely a learning process there – cutting down on turnovers and just reading the game a little slower.
“But I feel like I’m finding my shot, whether it’s from mid-range, getting to the rim or shooting threes. I just try to continue what I can and always keep working hard.
Ultimately, a shocking victory for the Sixers was not in the cards. Mitchell made three three-pointers, including a step-back dagger over McCain, and Cleveland earned the 13th victory.
