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Jared McCain of the Oklahoma City Thunder during an NBA playoff game.

Jared McCain erupted for 20 points, 18 of which were in the second half, to steer the OKC Thunder past the San Antonio Spurs in the all-important Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday night. 

However, late in Game 5, McCain was on the receiving end of some rough fouls from Spurs’ third-string players Mason Plumlee and Bismack Biyombo. 

The fouls were hard enough that McCain was jolted in both instances. The first came off a running elbow from Plumlee towards McCain’s back with under two minutes left in the game. The next was a solid body-to-body shot from Biyombo, which left McCain on the floor for a solid 10 seconds. 

These shots came after Spurs’ star Victor Wembanyama whispered a message for Plumlee and Biyombo before heading to the bench. The messages were never revealed.

McCain did not retaliate for the hard fouls, but he tried to confront them while taking free throws. 

Jared McCain Asks Spurs Player About Their Cheap Shots

Jared McCain asked a Spurs player why they did the cheap shots on him late in the game. He received a stern warning from him with mere seconds left in the game. 

“Yeah that was crazy I didn’t expect it,” McCain said when asked about the hard fouls late in Game 5. “We were at the free throw line and I was like ‘why’d you do that man.’ I was just asking a question and he was like ‘I got another one for you too.’”

McCain did not name the player he talked to, but his statements indicated that the Spurs could have been deliberately trying to hurt him late in Game 5. 

Fortunately for the Thunder, McCain did not sustain any major injury in the game, which could have added to a massive dilemma for OKC. 

The team has been missing two of their best on-ball creators, namely Jalen Williams, who has been out since the second quarter of Game 2 with a re-aggravated left hamstring strain, and Ajay Mitchell, who has had a calf strain since Game 3. 

If McCain was hurt in Game 5’s nasty fouls, the Thunder would have lost three terrific ball handlers who have played key offensive roles throughout the playoffs. 

McCain was told by the Thunder staff to just stay in the corner for the final minutes of Game 5 to avoid any more dirty plays. 

“It’s all competition, but gotta respect it. My team told me after to just get to the corner at the end of the game,” he said. 

McCain started the game for the Thunder in Game 5, his first-ever playoff start in his career. 

Thunder Has A Chance To Clinch An NBA Finals Ticket in Game 6

GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MARCH 23: Jared McCain #3 and Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder talk to the media after a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 23, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Jared McCain’s offensive production will again be relied upon as the Thunder looks to close out the series in Game 6 on Thursday, May 28. 

A win by the Thunder would set up an NBA Finals series between them and the Eastern Conference champions New York Knicks. If the Spurs win, there would be a Game 7 in OKC. 

Game 6’s tip-off is scheduled at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time.