Rookie guard's knee injury continues 76ers' woes

McCain took a hard fall Friday night in Philly's 121-107 loss to the Indiana Pacers, which led to him entering the concussion protocol. He was cleared and returned to the game, but the next day, the team announced McCain had a torn meniscus, which will require surgery.

It's typical of this season for Philadelphia that a player hit his head and ended up with a knee injury. Joel Embiid left the same game after suffering a sinus fracture in only his sixth game of the season. In an injury-plagued season, McCain was one of only three Sixers, along with Kelly Oubre Jr. and Guerschon Yabusele, to play in every game. Now, McCain is out indefinitely.

McCain was one of the bright spots before Friday. He's averaging 15.3 points and shooting 38.3 percent from three-point range and seemed on track for a first-team All-Rookie berth. 

As the No. 16 pick in June's draft, McCain was exceeding all expectations, stepping up as a scorer with Philly's other stars out. He scored 20 or more points in eight different games, including a 30-point effort in a comeback win over the Brooklyn Nets, where he declared, "I'm the Rookie of the Year!" after hitting a late three-pointer.

It's yet another setback for a 76ers team that targeted this season as their time to make a run at a title. The team patiently waited for all of last season to create cap space, lure free agents and restock its roster around Joel Embiid. So far, all it has to show for it is an extended injury list and a 7-16 record.

But even though they need McCain on the court, the Sixers would be wise to be patient with their 20-year-old guard. Lonzo Ball, James Wiseman and Robert Williams III all had meniscus tears that turned into multi-season knee problems.

After all, the 76ers are still only two games back of the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference, and the team in 10th place just traded its starting point guard. In a season with so much misfortune, the 76ers can still consider themselves lucky that they play in the East.