76ers 3 Thoughts

76ers 3 Thoughts: McCain Finds Groove, but Philly Gets Battered By Injuries

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Matt Gregan
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Matt Gregan Sports Editor

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Published30 Nov 2025

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Jared McCain 11/28/2025

This season has been a rollercoaster for the Philadelphia 76ers. Tyrese Maxey is putting up MVP numbers, Paul George has produced at a high level since returning to the lineup and Jared McCain is playing well after a slow start to the season. However, the Sixers are getting battered by injuries at nearly every position. The overall result has the team sitting at 10-8 with reasons for both optimism and worry with the first quarter of the season nearly in the rearview mirror.

McCain Finds Rhythm After Slow Start

It took multiple weeks and a brief trip down to the G League, but McCain is back to playing like his normal self. Over his last three games, McCain is averaging 16.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals in 26.7 minutes per contest. After being unable to play heavy minutes upon returning to the court from knee and thumb injuries, McCain is now able to produce deeper into games. He scored a team-high 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting in the fourth quarter of the Sixers’ win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.

McCain is back to knocking down 3-pointers at a high clip, including making a season-high four attempts from long distance against the Nets. His ability to relocate around the perimeter and quickly get shots up are a large part of what McCain provides offensively.

While the 3-pointer is McCain’s bread and butter, he also developed a solid interior game using a combination of strength and basketball IQ. The 21-year old has the ability to leverage his jumper to lead to open driving lanes. Against the Orlando Magic, McCain threatened to launch a step-back 3-pointer to get his defender off balance before blowing past him and finishing at the rim with his right hand.

The catalyst for McCain’s improved play over the past several games is his increased comfort and mobility on the court. When he first returned from injury, he was playing with a bulky knee brace which visibly impacted his mobility. A few weeks after returning to action, McCain exchanged the knee brace for a sleeve on his left leg. His improved mobility has been noticeable, particularly defensively. In the play below, McCain showcased his lateral mobility and quick hands to record a steal that led to an easy layup in transition.

McCain’s confidence never wavered throughout his struggles earlier this season. He is now back to playing in his typical form, something the Sixers desperately need as they battle a slew of injuries.

Embiid Continues to Miss Time, Injuries Pile Up for Sixers

George and McCain have both made their season debuts over the past several weeks after missing time due to injury. Andre Drummond, who was seen in a wheelchair in the tunnel after injuring his knee against the Nets, seems to have escaped a major injury. According to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports, Drummond had an MRI on Saturday that revealed no structural damage to his knee. He is listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest against the Atlanta Hawks with a right knee contusion. However, that is about where the good news ends on the health front for the Sixers.

Embiid has not played since Nov. 8 due to what the team has labeled as right knee injury management. The Sixers’ messaging around Embiid’s injury has often lacked a lot of detail. Head coach Nick Nurse said back on Nov. 11 Embiid is day-to-day with his right knee issue. However, Embiid, who has been ruled out against Atlanta, is going to miss his 10th consecutive game.

However, Embiid has appeared to make some progress towards returning to the lineup. He has been listed as questionable for the Sixers’ past two games. Nurse told reporters back on Nov. 25 Embiid participated in parts of the team’s shootaround and that he does not believe there is swelling in Embiid’s right knee. Despite that, Embiid continues to miss more time. On Saturday, Nurse said, via Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice, Embiid has to “get through some pain, and also some on-court activity.” The Sixers are rightfully being cautious with their superstar center, but the lack of detail and vague changes to Embiid’s injury status paint a frustrating picture.

Philadelphia has a multitude of players on the injury report in addition to Embiid. Kelly Oubre Jr. has missed the last two weeks with a left knee sprain. He will be re-evaluated in the coming days. V.J. Edgecombe missed the team’s last three games due to left calf injury management. The rookie third overall pick reported some calf tightness after the game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Imaging on the calf came back clean, but the Sixers have sat him for precautionary reasons. Edgecombe has practiced and could return to action as soon as Sunday against the Hawks. Trendon Watford suffered a left adductor strain in the loss to the Magic and will be re-evaluated in roughly two weeks.

Sixers Fail to Advance Past Group Stage in NBA Cup

The NBA Cup has been an interesting addition to the schedule over the past three years. However, the Sixers have yet to advance past the group stage in all three years the NBA Cup has been in existence. Philadelphia lost three of their four games in the group stage. Their lone victory in the group stage was a 115-103 win over the Nets.

While the Sixers are not going to get the prestige and experience of making a deep run in the NBA Cup, their failure to advance past the group stage does come with one benefit. The Sixers have a soft portion of their schedule in the middle of December. As the NBA Cup continues, the Sixers will play just two games between Dec. 8 and Dec. 18. For a team which has five scheduled back-to-backs in their first 22 games, getting a chance to have some extended rest should prove beneficial.