Jared McCain is finally starting to look like himself, and it's a welcome sight for the 76ers. After missing the first two weeks of the season with a torn meniscus, McCain has been slowly rebuilding his game, and it showed on Sunday in their home loss to the Miami Heat.
McCain scored 15 points on 11 shots from the field, including three triples, which provided an offensive spark in what was otherwise a forgettable game for most of the roster. When asked about his performance, McCain credited his growing comfort level with playing on the NBA floor, saying he's been able to take more reps and build off each game.
The key takeaway is that McCain feels good, both physically and mentally, which is a small but significant victory in his recovery journey. His next goal is to work on his defensive skills, particularly closing out on screens and using his first step to cut off opponents.
McCain's resurgence comes at an interesting time for the 76ers, who are still trying to figure out their identity despite having most of their key players back from injury. Other players, like Trendon Watford and VJ Edgecombe, have stepped up to fill gaps in the rotation, showcasing their potential as contributors.
Watford, a two-way power forward who missed training camp with a hamstring injury, had his second-best game of the season on Sunday, scoring 19 points and grabbing nine rebounds while playing impressive defense. He's been able to find a niche as a ball-handler, and when he's near his best, it's an enticing sight.
The Sixers' frontcourt depth has also become a surprise strength, with backup center Johni Broome not seeing significant time behind Andre Drummond. Two-way power forwards Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker have stepped up to handle the small-ball five role, and Nurse praises their ability to execute and adapt on the fly.
However, as long as the 76ers remain at 14 players on their standard roster, the situation with two-way players is complex. Teams can only activate two-way players on 90 occasions while sitting below 15 players, which means the Sixers have 60 games remaining of two-way availability before they fill their open roster spot.
Finally, a lighthearted moment from the media room: Bob Marley, Drummond's dog, has become the star of the show, shockingly calm during postgame press conferences. A sad exchange between Drummond and McCain revealed that McCain's dog recently passed away, but it also showed the human side of the players.
As the 76ers continue to navigate their journey, these small victories – like McCain's resurgence and Watford's impressive performance – are worth celebrating.
McCain scored 15 points on 11 shots from the field, including three triples, which provided an offensive spark in what was otherwise a forgettable game for most of the roster. When asked about his performance, McCain credited his growing comfort level with playing on the NBA floor, saying he's been able to take more reps and build off each game.
The key takeaway is that McCain feels good, both physically and mentally, which is a small but significant victory in his recovery journey. His next goal is to work on his defensive skills, particularly closing out on screens and using his first step to cut off opponents.
McCain's resurgence comes at an interesting time for the 76ers, who are still trying to figure out their identity despite having most of their key players back from injury. Other players, like Trendon Watford and VJ Edgecombe, have stepped up to fill gaps in the rotation, showcasing their potential as contributors.
Watford, a two-way power forward who missed training camp with a hamstring injury, had his second-best game of the season on Sunday, scoring 19 points and grabbing nine rebounds while playing impressive defense. He's been able to find a niche as a ball-handler, and when he's near his best, it's an enticing sight.
The Sixers' frontcourt depth has also become a surprise strength, with backup center Johni Broome not seeing significant time behind Andre Drummond. Two-way power forwards Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker have stepped up to handle the small-ball five role, and Nurse praises their ability to execute and adapt on the fly.
However, as long as the 76ers remain at 14 players on their standard roster, the situation with two-way players is complex. Teams can only activate two-way players on 90 occasions while sitting below 15 players, which means the Sixers have 60 games remaining of two-way availability before they fill their open roster spot.
Finally, a lighthearted moment from the media room: Bob Marley, Drummond's dog, has become the star of the show, shockingly calm during postgame press conferences. A sad exchange between Drummond and McCain revealed that McCain's dog recently passed away, but it also showed the human side of the players.
As the 76ers continue to navigate their journey, these small victories – like McCain's resurgence and Watford's impressive performance – are worth celebrating.
I'm loving the vibes around Joel Embiid right now 
! Jared McCann is finally getting back into form and it's awesome to see him contributing again 
. The 76ers' bench depth is looking fire, especially with Trendon Watford and VJ Edgecombe stepping up their game 
. And can we talk about Bob Marley the dog for a sec? 
Drummond's pup stealing the show is the best thing that's happened to this team all season! 
The Sixers are still figuring things out, but with McCann back and Watford killing it, I'm hyped to see what the rest of the season brings 
. And let's not forget about Johni Broome - the backup center is killing it behind Andre Drummond 
. Two-way players are going to be key for this team, so let's keep an eye on how that situation plays out 
.
! The camera is so good on this thing, I feel like I can take a great photo from anywhere. I was playing with my kid in the park and we took some awesome pics together. We even caught a couple of birds in flight 
. Anyway, back to basketball... it's cool to see McCain getting back into form 
. And oh man, I just remembered that my favorite restaurant is having a new menu out soon... have you guys tried it yet?
. He's still not playing like he was before his injury, and 15 points on 11 shots isn't exactly lighting it up 
. The Sixers have some talented players, but we can't rely on just a few guys to carry the team.
. The 76ers need to figure out their real identity, not just patch things together with a few stars 
. And Bob Marley is definitely not the star of the show – unless you count being cute when Drummond is asking about his dog 
!
. The Sixers have 60 games left to figure this out, which is just gonna lead to more drama and uncertainty. And what's up with all these activations? Can't they just make room for one already?! 
. As long as the team is getting more contributions from players like Watford and Barlow, I think they'll be fine. And hey, having a calm post-game press conference pup in the room can't hurt morale 
so i'm watching this game and mccain is finally looking like his old self but what really caught my attention was watford's performance 
he's been stepping up big time in the rotation and it's awesome to see him finding a niche as a ball-handler. plus, the sixers' frontcourt depth has become a real strength 
with barlow and walker handling the small-ball five role so well.
anyway, happy to see mccain back on the court but more importantly, watford's got some serious game 