Joel Embiid, Paul George, and the Philadelphia 76ers are enduring their third-worst start since the dawn of The Process era. Rookie Jared McCain has surprisingly been the team’s most reliable performer so far, but the Sixers continue to squander prime opportunities to turn their season around.
In a recent episode of Podcast P presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment, Paul George mentioned McCain’s consistency and the level of energy he brings to the team.
Jared McCain’s consistency with the Philadelphia 76ers
“Jared’s been awesome, he just plays with such a swag. He knows he belongs, it don’t matter who’s on the floor, he knows he belongs and he plays like it. To be quite frank, he’s been our most consistent player on the team so far,” said the newly acquired 76ers forward.
“Rookie of the year?” George’s co host chimed in.
“He should be a candidate. We definitely got to step our s*** up. He can’t be our most consistent player. We all gotta step our s*** up and match that energy. He’s got a great future,” George continued.
76ers underwhelming performance against the Grizzlies
Unsurprisingly, the 76ers delivered another underwhelming performance. Despite holding a players-only meeting aimed at sparking a turnaround, the team stumbled on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies, suffering their 12th loss of the season.
For the first time this season, the Philadelphia 76ers rolled out a starting lineup that included Joel Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, and standout rookie Jared McCain. With such a strong group, they appeared poised to dominate a Memphis Grizzlies team playing without Ja Morant. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as expected.
The Grizzlies built a double-digit lead in the second quarter, leaving the Philadelphia 76ers scrambling to catch up. Their struggles were compounded by a lackluster effort on perimeter defense, which hindered any comeback attempts.
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To make matters worse, an all-too-familiar setback struck just 17 minutes into the game—Paul George re-aggravated his knee injury, the same one he hyperextended a month ago, sidelining him for several games earlier in the season.
Silver lining in the 76ers’s abysmal season
Philadelphia rookie Jared McCain has been a rare bright spot for the struggling 76ers. Chosen 16th overall in the 2024 draft, McCain has delivered impressive performances, scoring 20 or more points in six straight games. His 20-point outing against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday further solidified his reputation, making him an early contender for Rookie of the Year recognition.
McCain’s performance has been nothing short of remarkable. Since earning a spot in the starting lineup, he’s averaged an impressive 25.8 points and 5.8 assists over 36.6 minutes per game while maintaining efficient shooting splits of 50 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from beyond the arc.
The 20-year-old will need to keep stepping up for the 76ers as the season progresses. So far, he has been the team’s most dependable player, and it seems his contributions will remain crucial until the Sixers can find better synergy with their Big Three of Embiid, Maxey, and George.
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