Scheduled Loss: Sixers fall to OKC 123-103 in Jared McCain’s return to Philly

This game had scheduled loss written all over it. Nobody expected the shorthanded Sixers to beat Oklahoma City on Monday night. OKC came to South Philly as the best team in basketball and left on a 12-game winning streak at 57-15.

The Sixers were missing Embiid, Maxey, Oubre, George, Grimes, and Johni Broome. The final score was 123-103 and it was not even that close.

The story is Jared McCain checking in with 5:56 left in the first quarter.

The building gave him a warm reception. He immediately hit a corner three on his first shot. On OKC’s next possession he buried another one from the top of the key and celebrated like he had been waiting months for exactly this moment.

Great to see ya, Jared McCain

JARED MACCAIN HITS BACK TO BACK 3PM IN HIS RETURN TO PHILLY —

Tyrese Maxey’s reaction says it all. 🤣🔥

pic.twitter.com/l5Pte4F8BM

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 23, 2026

McCain finished with 13 points on 5-for-11 shooting in 25 minutes. He is good. He is likable. He plays for a team that is going to win a championship this season. The Sixers gave him away to duck the luxury tax. No other way to put it.

VJ Edgecombe had 35 points, six rebounds, and four assists and set new career highs in three-point makes and attempts. He was carrying this offense against the best defense in the NBA without a single star teammate and never once stopped competing.

VJ Edgecombe was on a heater last night:

VJ Edgecombe 35 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 14/28 FG, 7/15 3FG, 0 FTS, 62.5% TS vs Thunder pic.twitter.com/TXsvdo95uy https://t.co/ukJSyeAZKG

— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) March 24, 2026

The rookie is genuinely something special and this stretch he has been asked to shoulder is going to define how people look back at his development for years.

VJ Edgecombe over the last 3 games:

• 31.7 PPG
• 8.7 RPG
• 6.3 APG
• 52.0% FG
• 42.3% 3P
• 85.7% FT
• 39.1 MPG

The Sixers cut the lead to 13 in the third quarter. Then OKC did what OKC does and it was over. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 22 in a completely controlled performance. The Thunder did not even need to be good to win by 20.

10 Games Remaining: Sixers 7th Seed

The one gift Monday night gave Philadelphia was that the Magic and Heat have now each lost five straight. The Sixers remain in the seventh seed, one game behind Atlanta in sixth and 1.5 games behind Toronto in fifth with ten games left.

Injury Updates:

Embiid worked out after shootaround Monday morning with heavier on-court activity scheduled for Tuesday. Paul George returns Wednesday against the Bulls and according to Nick Nurse, does not need any ramp-up period before slotting back into the lineup.

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