In the closing moments of Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain received a hard hit, reportedly influenced by Spurs star Victor Wembanyama’s earlier actions. It was observed that Wembanyama, standing at 7 feet 4 inches, urged his teammates Bismack Biyombo and Mason Plumlee to commit “hard fouls” while trailing by 14 points with just over two minutes remaining, as highlighted by NBC announcer Mike Tirico during the Game 6 broadcast.
A new clip surfaced during Game 6, revealing Wembanyama seemingly instructing Plumlee to deliver a “hard foul.” Tirico commented that this foul was intended to send a message to the opposing team, specifically aimed at Plumlee and Biyombo. Interestingly, the Spurs secured a convincing 118-91 victory in the end.
Following Wembanyama’s ejection from the game, about a minute later, Plumlee and Biyombo both fouled McCain aggressively. The initial foul saw McCain elbowed by Plumlee, which led to him hitting the floor; after review, the league elevated it to a flagrant 1 foul, as confirmed by an NBA announcement.
Biyombo followed up with another foul while McCain was making a move towards the basket. Analyst Reggie Miller remarked that McCain likely shouldn’t have returned to the floor after being subjected to two fouls in quick succession.
Reflecting on the incident after the Thunder’s 127-114 victory in Game 5, McCain expressed surprise at Plumlee’s aggressive tactics. He shared, “It was crazy. I certainly didn’t expect it… I was really wondering what was going on.” Notably, McCain, in his first start in this series, managed to score 20 points with three rebounds.
The Spurs’ win on Thursday led to a decisive Game 7 showdown in Oklahoma City this Saturday, where the victor will advance to battle the Knicks in the upcoming NBA Finals starting on June 3.
