The NBA has begun to game plan for Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain. After the young guard caught the attention of the league when he scored 20-plus points in seven straight games, McCain has been held to 9-for-34 shooting combined over the previous two games.

The “Knecht” mania from last week morphed into a more sober stretch with the Lakers’ little skid and his recent 42.9% shooting. Lakers coach J.J. Redick was asked about his defense, and TheRinger.com ran a lengthy piece questioning his ceiling as a 23-year-old newbie and justifying his slide to No. 17 in the Draft. Welcome to the NBA, rook.

The rookie has been one of the bright spots in the Sixers' dark season: "It's a great feeling having this kind of an impact on the team."