Feb. 28, 2026, 5:01 p.m. CT
Quickly locating to the left-wing spot, Jared McCain caught Joe’s pass. OKC stole a possession and a bucket when the 22-year-old knocked down an outside jumper. Can’t get more exclamatory than that to start a fourth quarter where you’re looking for a spark.
The Oklahoma City Thunder won a drama-filled 127-121 overtime win over the Denver Nuggets. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic were the headliners, almost everybody from both sides had their own moment under the spotlight.
McCain finished with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, two rebounds and one assist. He shot 2-of-3 from 3. He also had one steal.
Welcome to the Thunder-Nuggets rivalry, McCain. He added his first moment to it with eight points in the fourth quarter. He was part of OKC’s second-unit lineup that absolutely blitzed Denver from the jump of the final frame. The jumper was on point as he quickly felt more confident with each swish.
“That was crazy. It was one of those moments where literally you can’t hear anything anybody is saying. You’re just out there. That’s the most present you can be, just feeling the emotions in the crowd,” McCain said. “Being able to feel the emotions when that shot was going in. I love it here in OKC and the fans. They do an amazing job. So very grateful for them.”
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Playing alongside Gilgeous-Alexander for the first time, McCain learned firsthand how the halfcourt’s dimensions completely change. The attention he demands allows for other Thunder players to get plenty of open looks. That’s playing with fire with the second-year guard. Ask Denver about it.
McCain continues to stack positive outings. The longer that time goes by, the more comfortable he looks. In a pseudo-playoff matchup, he was able to be the bucket-getter the Thunder likely envisioned when they added him at the trade deadline. Now it’s about doing the same thing at that next level.
“I’ve never been in a playoff game, but that seemed like it was a playoff game. Just the physicality and how the game was going. But I love it. It was really fun to be part of,” McCain said. “As a kid, it’s all you want to be a part of. Those big moments, big games and a dream of taking that last shot and taking big shots like there in the second half. I was prepared for it, but definitely didn’t know the level that it was going to be. But it was super fun.”