Mar 18, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) drives to the basket towards Brooklyn Nets ahead Chaney Johnson (31) throughout the first quarter at Barclays Middle. Necessary Credit score: Brad Penner-Imagn Photographs After his season-high 26-point efficiency, it is easy to give attention to the offensive facet of Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder guard Jared McCain.
Heading into Saturday’s highway matchup with the Washington Wizards, nonetheless, Oklahoma Metropolis coach Mark Daigneault is focusing extra on the defensive facet of McCain’s recreation since he was acquired in a Feb. 4 commerce with the Philadelphia 76ers.
“I do not know the way a lot he is developed however he is positively built-in effectively. He is studying his teammates, he is studying our system, the basics that we emphasize,” Daigneault mentioned. “… He is carried out a very good job of committing to our fundamentals and the issues that we have to do on the defensive finish of the ground.
“Clearly he is a really potent offensive participant, however he provides up some dimension and must be actually elementary and feisty (defensively) and he is carried out that, particularly recently.”
The Thunder are 15-3 since buying McCain after going 11-7 of their 18 video games previous to the commerce.
McCain has been significantly necessary to Oklahoma Metropolis throughout the absence of Jalen Williams, who together with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is without doubt one of the Thunder’s major ballhandlers.
Williams hasn’t performed since Feb. 11 as he recovers from a hamstring pressure.
Oklahoma Metropolis (55-15) comes into the Saturday recreation on a 10-game profitable streak and is working to carry off San Antonio for the highest seed within the Western Convention.
The Thunder come into the competition with the Wizards three video games forward of the Spurs.
The Saturday recreation is the final of two between the Wizards and Thunder this season.
Oklahoma Metropolis received the primary assembly by 19 on Oct. 30 within the third of what grew to become a 14-game dropping streak for the Wizards.
Washington is as soon as once more on a 14-game dropping streak, with their final win coming Feb. 20. The Wizards have misplaced by a mean of practically 15 factors per recreation throughout the streak.
The Thunder lead the NBA in web ranking, outscoring opponents by 10.9 factors per 100 possessions, whereas the Wizards are final at minus-11.1.
Oklahoma Metropolis is holding opponents to a league-low 43.4% from the sphere.
Within the earlier assembly, the Thunder scored 26 factors on Washington’s 23 turnovers whereas Oklahoma Metropolis turned the ball over simply six occasions for 5 Wizards’ factors.
In Thursday’s 117-95 loss to Detroit, the Pistons scored 23 factors on Washington’s 19 turnovers for a plus-10 benefit off turnovers.
Very similar to Daigneault when speaking about McCain, Wizards coach Brian Keefe has been happy with the latest defensive progress from third-year reserve middle Tristan Vukcevic, who has had the 2 greatest offensive video games of his profession over the previous 4 video games.
“He is one of many higher bigs within the league when it comes to disruptions — disrupting the ball, getting his arms on issues,” Keefe mentioned.
The Wizards stay short-handed, with Anthony Davis nonetheless but to make his D.C. debut after not enjoying since early January. Moreover, Trae Younger has missed the final two video games with a quadriceps contusion and has performed in simply 5 since being acquired from Atlanta in February.
In an replace Friday, the Wizards introduced Davis continues to progress, however that he would stay out at the very least till being evaluated later within the month. On Saturday, the workforce mentioned Younger has a proper quadriceps contusion and decrease again irritation and the “accidents are being handled conservatively.”
The Wizards mentioned Younger won’t require surgical procedure however gave no timeline for his return to the courtroom.
–Area Degree Media
