Shorthanded Sixers destroyed in Cleveland, Ghost of Jared McCain haunts the team on the scoreboard

Nobody expected the Sixers to win Monday night in Cleveland. Missing Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe, and Paul George, while starting Cameron Payne, who just rejoined the team after the trade deadline, for the first time all season, playing their second straight game on the road against one of the best teams in the East.

This was always going to be ugly and surprise, surprise, it was ugly.

They lost 115-101, trailed by as many as 25, and the final margin was generous.

Cleveland won all four games in the season series. James Harden had 21 points. Quentin Grimes led the team with 17. Cameron Payne scored 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the floor and Justin Edwards dropped 14 points off the bench in the losing effort. As a team, the Sixers went 11-for-38 from beyond the arc.

Speaking of three-point shooting….

The Sixers entered Monday ranked 23rd in three-point frequency and 19th in accuracy. They shot 28.9 percent from deep against Cleveland. While all of that was happening, Jared McCain was probably somewhere in Oklahoma City having another big game for the Thunder.

Correction: Jared McCain was actually on the scoreboard last night. Just great.

The Ghost of Jared McCain Still Haunts the Sixers

That is NOT Cam Payne 😂 pic.twitter.com/LUsW241Cfq

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) March 10, 2026

We literally can’t shake Jared McCain but I totally understand why. This is an unserious basketball organization and that move at the deadline by Daryl Morey will inevitably define another disappointing season.

That’s just how it works around here. Showbiz, baby.

That’s showbiz baby https://t.co/k6Qjnb9xv6

— Drew Smith (@drewmsmith) March 9, 2026

The Sixers are 34-30, in 8th place, clinging to a Play-In spot with 18 games left.

They play the Grizzlies at home Tuesday night on the second night of a back-to-back with the same injury report. Grimes will be asked to carry the offense again. Nick Nurse will be forced use every player on the roster. We’ll see how that works out… again.

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