Jared McCain Does His Best to Explain Hilarious Showdown With MVP Teammate
Jared McCain has absolutely nothing to apologize for after his stellar performance in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals. McCain led a heroic effort from the Thunder bench, contributing a playoff career-high 24 points to OKC's win over the Spurs.
But thanks to his breakout game, McCain found himself in front of a microphone, and decided it would be best to try and explain his viral interaction with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 2 of the series.
McCain was calling out to his reigning two-time MVP teammate, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as he was going up for a shot, which he drained. After the ball went through the basket, Gilgeous-Alexander turned to his teammate and said, clear enough for any amateur lip reader to translate, "Calm the f--- down."
"Jared was yelling at me while I was shooting and I was just like, bro, I'm shooting. Don't distract me," explained Gilgeous-Alexander after Game 2. "That's all. ... I was literally just telling Jared to calm down. But that's what great shooters do when they're open."
On Friday night, McCain explained his side of the story.
"I was telling him there was a double coming," McCain said with a smile after his monster performance in Game 3. "But I should know that he's taking that shot, and he's knocking it down. But being able to manage his emotions and manage that-we're all trying to win."
Jared on Shai telling him to calm down in the previous game:
- Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 23, 2026
"I was telling him there was a double coming. I should know he's taking that shot and he's knocking it down" https://t.co/K6uRKvVL0dpic.twitter.com/nkEZto0Uao
There weren't any lingering feelings after the callout in the immediate aftermath, but even if their were, the game McCain had on Friday night would have put him all square with his MVP teammate.
McCain has emerged as one of the brightest young stars of the postseason for the Thunder. A midseason acquisition from the 76ers, McCain has fit perfectly in the rotation of the reigning champions and proven himself as a versatile piece off the bench, able to knock down catch-and-shoot threes and even run the offense when called upon.
His former teammate, 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, was proudly watching as McCain stole the show Friday night.
JMAC
- Tyrese Maxey (@TyreseMaxey) May 23, 2026
McCain and the Thunder will have the chance to go up 3–1 in the Western Conference finals vs. the Spurs on Sunday.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jared McCain Does His Best to Explain Hilarious Showdown With MVP Teammate.
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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 10:13 PM.