Jared McCain's stellar opening-night performance played a major role in the OKC Thunder pulling away with a dominant revenge win over the Spurs.
His plus-20 plus-minus led all players on the night, while his lights-out long-range shooting, especially in the second half, kept San Antonio at bay even as they gained momentum and cut their deficit to 13 by the end of the third period.
Without question, McCain's efforts certainly are deserving of the praise and adulation they've been receiving since the Thunder officially downed the Spurs 116-104 this past Tuesday. Of course, for those who have been paying attention, this is merely the norm for the guard when squaring off against Victor Wembanyama and company.
At least, this has been the case ever since he landed in the Sooner State.
Even under the bright lights and immense pressure of last year's Western Conference Finals, McCain proved to be one of OKC's most impactful weapons against the Spurs, as he wrapped up the seven-game series with averages of 13.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while registering two separate outings with 20 or more points scored and finishing with the team's third-best plus-minus.
Right out of the gate, the junior appears to have carried this streak of success into Tuesday's opener with his impressive 20 points and six made threes.
Hopefully, this is a sign of what could be to come as McCain embarks on his first full season as a member of the Thunder.
Cason Wallace quietly shined in his new starting role with Thunder
Just as McCain made the most of his new role with the Thunder following the departures of Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins this past summer, so too did Cason Wallace, albeit in a much quieter manner.
While taking on the role of primary two guard in place of the departed Dort, he may not have posted the high-end scoring numbers that McCain did (finished with just six points), but he displayed his all-around impact in virtually every other facet of the game.
From his quick hands in the passing lanes to reliable dribbling skills that provided stars like Jalen Williams and the now off-ball Shai Gilgeous-Alexander much-needed help in the ball-handling department, Wallace was a key contributor in OKC's dominant opening-night win, even if his efforts may not have been highlighted in the stat sheet.
Assuming his shooting stroke will get more into a rhythm as the season progresses (missed all four of his long-range attempts), the newly-minted $139 million man could realistically have yet another remarkable year for himself in 2026-27.
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