Jared McCain may be smiling all the time, but make no mistake: He will destroy you on the basketball court.
With Ajay Mitchell still out with an ankle injury, McCain remained in the starting lineup as the Oklahoma City Thunder visited the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome in the NBA Cup on Friday.
McCain wowed the crowd after drilling a 30-foot buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the third quarter, shooting over Max Strus. It gave the Thunder a three-point lead, 84-81, heading into the fourth frame.
Jared McCain sinks a 30-FOOT BUZZER-BEATER to close out the third quarter
pic.twitter.com/CWWECmzgNz— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 14, 2026
The nip-and-tuck affair continued in the final quarter, with both teams refusing to budge. But in the end, the Clippers hacked out the win, 113-112, courtesy of Darius Garland’s and-1 play, with McCain committing the foul.
The Thunder suffered their third straight loss and fell to 8-5, while the Clippers improved to 3-8.
McCain had 23 points, including 7-of-11 three-pointers, four rebounds, and two assists.
The 22-year-old guard has stepped up since Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Cason Wallace went down with major injuries. He will continue to be an option for coach Mark Daigneault amid Oklahoma City’s depleted lineup.
McCain, whom the Thunder acquired in a midseason trade with the Philadelphia 76ers in February, is averaging 18.8 points on 52.6% shooting from the field, including 45.6% from long range, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in the last five games.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 40 points, four rebounds, and five assists against the Clippers, while Isaiah Hartenstein added 21 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists.
The Thunder still had a chance to win, but Gilgeous-Alexander muffed his step-back jumper as time expired.
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