In the NBA playoff, it's difficult to not overreact. Every game is so momentous that even a singular performance can turn the tides of an entire championship run.
Jared McCain's performance for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers likely won't take on that magnitude. But it was a highly encouraging sign for a team who will need as much shooting as it can get down the stretch of this series and, hopefully, into the Western Conference Finals.
McCain saw his most extensive run of the playoffs to this point, earning nearly 15 minutes on the court and scoring 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc. The Thunder likely would've won the game without him, and they can also afford to sacrifice some of his minutes in favor of their more experienced rotational pieces.
But McCain's continued hot shooting begs a pair of serious questions. How long can McCain continue to force his way into the Thunder's playoff rotation, and is there a world where they must choose between him and Isaiah Joe?
Jared McCain's shooting could force the Thunder to keep the door open for him a bit longer
Near the end of the regular season, it seemed as though a decision had been made on McCain's spot in the playoff rotation. Neither he, Aaron Wiggins, or Kenrich Williams sat with the rest of the normal rotational players over the Thunder's final two games.
Outside of Game 3 against the Phoenix Suns, this omen proved to be correct. McCain largely rode the bench, with the injury to Jalen Williams opening up minor opportunities over the course of the four-game sweep.
But the Lakers' particular defensive weaknesses, combined with Joe's relatively sub-par shooting , have opened a door for McCain to contribute again. Joe missed Game 3 of the Suns series (in which McCain played 12 minutes) due to personal reasons, but he's shot just 34.8% from beyond the arc in the four playoff games he's appeared in.
In a small sample size, that mark is fine. But Oklahoma City will need all the shooting they can get if they advance to a Western Conference Finals matchup against either the San Antonio Spurs or the Minnesota Timberwolves. If Jalen Williams' return tightens the rotation again, it's wholly possible that Mark Daigneault goes with the hot hand.
Right now, that would be McCain. If he continues to maximize his opportunities over the next couple of games, he could soon force the Thunder into an uncomfortable decision between him and Joe.
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