So, why not? [67], On February 8, 2022, Portland traded McCollum, Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tom Satoransk, Didi Louzada, a protected 2022 first-round draft pick, the better of New Orleans' and Portland's 2026 second-round draft picks and New Orleans' 2027 second-round draft pick. When the NBA on TNT crew asked the Trail Blazers star about his mentality and supporting his teammates despite not getting an All-Star nod, McCollum said he doesnt need others to validate his body of work. "Obviously, that's a tough matchup," McCollum said. Over the first 11 games, McCollum averaged 28.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game on 47-44-84 splits. The Most Valuable McCollum leads the MVP chants for Lillard Feb. 2, 2020. Every ticket you donate goes to someone who wouldnt have been able to see the Blazers play without you! Meanwhile, Anthony has been playing fairly at 36-years-old with the Blazers. That forced Green to try something different. Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, They said it! March 4, 2023, 12:40 AM. New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (left) high-fives CJ McCollum (right) during the second half of a preseason game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Oct. 4, 2022, in Chicago. [2] On August 7, 2021, he was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association, replacing Chris Paul. [20], Exercising their fourth-year team option on September 30, 2015, the Trail Blazers extended McCollum's rookie scale-contract through the 201617 season. McCollum knows he is enough. The list of things going right for Portland is pretty small. Over that span, Lillard averaged 45.1 points, 9.6 assists, and 5.5 rebounds on 53-53-88 splits (no, there are no typos there), with the sub-.500 Blazers needing every ounce of it to keep their fledgling postseason aspirations alive. He is a New Orleans native. Twitter: To get his team over the hump, Ingram must consistently play at a superstar level the rest of the way. Maybe, the former Most Improved Player will finally get the first All-Star nod of his career. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. pic.twitter.com/fI7cgRCzYK. Even beyond the emotional stakes of McCollum and Lillards first meeting as opponents, New Orleans needed this win to hold off a team now neck-and-neck with them in the playoff race. If its in Gods plan for it to happen, so be it, McCollum said. A large black-and-white photo of McCollums late fadeaway jumper in a Game 7 win over Denver in the 2019 playoffs hangs on a gray, tiled wall about 10 feet away from Portlands locker room. The two provided multiple avenues for which the fanbase could connect. McCollum is still finding his rhythm since returning to the Trail Blazers lineup. 1991 It remains the biggest shot of his career. [75][76] In a March 2020 episode of the podcast, McCollum was recording when he received news that the NBA was suspending the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He knew the Pelicans plan was to wear Lillard down throughout the game. [8], On November 25, 2012, McCollum scored 26 points in a 9177 win over Sacred Heart to pass Rob Feaster as the Patriot League's all-time leading scorer. For everything thats changed, much has also remained the same: both players remain tasked with the expectation of leading the offensive charge for their respective franchises, each of which remaining heavily invested in this seasons Western Conference postseason race. To begin the night, the Pelicans had McCollum guarding the red-hot Lillard, who entered the game averaging 38.7 points over the previous 20 games. He has still played in 38 of a possible 43 games. Bleacher Report Floats Bridges, ONeale Trade to the Trail Blazers. McCollum is not an out-of-the-blue candidate either. But desperation also provides a much-needed opportunity to think outside the box and generate positive results. The teams record since then, including play-in tournament and playoff games, is 44-35. [72] On December 30, McCollum scored 42 points on 11 three-pointers in a 127116 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. [39] The Blazers finished the regular season with a 4141 record and entered the playoffs as the eighth seed. The only thing holding CJ back from being an allstar is Dame. McCollum named Kia NBA Most Improved Player", "C.J. His shooting percentages dipped to 39.9 percent from the field, as did Lehigh's record, and McCollum was edged out for conference Player of the Year honors by Mike Muscala of the Bucknell Bisons. [18] For his sophomore season, he played 15.7 minutes per outing while averaging 6.8 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1 assist across 62 games. Sports Illustrated's 38th-best player last season has also been humble in the biggest moments since joining the New Orleans Pelicans, both collectively and individually. Mar 27, 2022 4:52 PM EDT. That spring of 2019 was something else, was it not? As such, he saw his minutes increase to 34.8 per contest, and he started in all 80 games that he played. 3 First Team All-Patriot League (20102012), 3 Patriot League All-Tournament team (20102012), Patriot League's all-time leading scorer (2361 points), Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 03:34. [63], On December 26, 2020, McCollum scored a season-high 44 points, along with a game-winning three-pointer, in a 128126 overtime win against the Houston Rockets. I just work extremely hard and I dont need validation from outsiders, I dont need validation from other people, because I know what I have and what I bring to the table., "I don't need validation from other people, because I know what I have and what I bring to the table. '. Decade-long rulers of the Western Conference, the Warriors and more specifically, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson became the litmus test the Lillard-McCollum pairing would be based judged against. [68] Two days later, McCollum made his Pelicans debut, putting up 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in a 11297 loss to the Miami Heat. us, High School: But as long as we remain solid and be us, then we are going to be all right.. [5] Also, he was an Associated Press honorable mention All-American. McCollum checked Haynes for being among those who didnt expect the pairing to work when they first started, highlighting some of the chip on their shoulder approaches that Portland fans have come to know all too well. Remembering Damian Lillard and CJ McCollums Greatest Blazers Hits, Blazers Cant Stop Hawks Guards, Fall in Atlanta, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors Make Transactions as Season Concludes. He hit a franchise-record 11 3-pointers in a Dec. 30 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, and he is now up to 40.3% shooting from distance on 7.4 attempts per game. "Me knowing him the way I know him, I wanted to make sure we set the tone early.". On December 27, McColllum put up 35 points to go along with 11 rebounds and 9 assists during a 9894 win over the Sacramento Kings. If not, I am treated very well on the 1st and the 15th. I am going to make plays. Describing life as a score-first backcourt, and how to manage when one player is hot, how to take a step back, and how they stacked up amongst NBA historys top backcourts. The Thunder opened up a double-digit lead midway through the second and a 70.6 percent win probability at that before the Blazers star duo did what expectations suggested they should: This sequence by Damian Lillard is still iconic pic.twitter.com/yZfuiLLfWx. Its difficult to argue that Damian Lillard isnt, at the current moment, playing some of the best basketball of his career. During his third year in the league in 2015-16, he was named the NBA Most Improved Player [1] . Lillard helped bridge the gap between award-winning hip-hop artist and one of the faces of Adidas. I am going to make shots and am going to help us win.. Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant (2001-02), Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant (17, 18, 19), and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown (2020-21). once 30-8 and No. So I was just trying to take it all in.. While accolades are great, McCollum values being a good person and helping his team win over making it to the big game. Despite averaging 26.7 points, 5.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 44.1% from three, all career highs, McCollum's name was missing from the list of reserves for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. . Austin Reaves and Russell Westbrook are All-Stars but the Los Angeles Lakers only have a 17-21 record? Staying confident in everything that Im doing. The Last Hurrah OT Duel vs. Hardens Rockets Dec. 26, 2020. He consistently made the right play and was unbothered by Portlands attempts to run double teams or zone coverages to force him into mistakes. But its more about team success.. He just doesnt know if he will be there solely to take meetings as the president of the NBA Players Association or if his trip to Salt Lake City will serve a dual purpose. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. [3] McCollum would eventually benefit from a late growth spurt, gaining five inches by his second year and another four inches by his third year of high school; it proved enough to put him on the radar for college recruitment. 2. Dame Lillard (34) & CJ McCollum (41) combine for 75 @TrailBlazers points. A glimpse into the future Game 4, 2015 West First Round vs. MEM. McCollum, who is in his 10th season, has never been named an All-Star. If it happens, thats great. During the Pelicans win against the Wizards, Alvarado kept telling McCollum what he was seeing on the court during stoppages in play. On the box score, Game Threes 140-137 win would likely suffice. The championship window seemed shattered on the ruptured Achilles of Wesley Matthews, and within weeks, the talented two-guardalong with fellow starters Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, and Robin Lopezwould become a thing of the past. Zion Williamson is sitting fourth in the Western Conference frontcourt tallies. It wasthe main reason they were able to close out this win. If the Portland Trail Blazers guard continues in this vein of form, he is a surefire All-Star selection. Both Anthony and McCollum deserved to be reserved in the All-Star game this year if we look at the output both of them have put out. In celebration for those, we look back at eight-and-a-half of their greatest moments in tandem. No Blazer had recorded numbers on par with McCollum's near triple-double in the last 29 years (Clyde Drexler posted 34 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists or more on five occasions. Over the season, McCollum has averaged 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.0 steals, and 3.0 three-pointers on 43/40/79 shooting splits, providing some much-needed veteran leadership as well. Before joining The Athletic, he was a writer at The Times-Picayune/NOLA Media Group, and he's been on the Pelicans beat since 2016. McCollum is sinking 1.4 pull-up 3s per game this season, almost one more than the next-closest Pelican. Bucks - Game Summary - November 21, 2019 - ESPN", "McCollum, Anthony carry Blazers past Pistons, 107-104", "Trail Blazers' CJ McCollum: Lights up Magic for 41", "VIDEO: CJ McCollum's game-winning three spoils James Harden's OT heroics", "Portland Trail Blazers' CJ McCollum elected NBPA president", "CJ MCCOLLUM DIAGNOSED WITH A PNEUMOTHORAX", "Portland Trail Blazers vs Orlando Magic Jan 17, 2022 Game Summary", "TRail Blazers Complete Trade With New Orleans", "Pelicans winning streak snapped by Heat in McCollum's debut, lose 112-97", "CJ McCollum, Pelicans Beat Dejounte Murray, Spurs in 2022 NBA Play-in Tournament", "CJ McCollum agrees to 2-year extension with Pelicans", "CJ McCollum etches name in Pelicans history with monster game vs. Spurs", "Pelicans star Zion Williamson reveals what made CJ McCollum's 42-point explosion 'beautiful', "CJ McCollum in favor of playing out the rest of the season at a single site", "C.J. [53] On January 26, he recorded his first career triple-double with 28 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds in a 120111 win over the Atlanta Hawks. I mean. [69] On April 13, during the NBA Play-In Tournament, McCollum recorded 32 points, six rebounds, and seven assists leading the Pelicans past the San Antonio Spurs 113103 and advancing New Orleans to the eight seed game. Christian James McCollum (born September 19, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). If Im going to be an elite guard, Ive got to pick up full court sometimes and do whatever it takes, McCollum said. 1 all-time for players never making an appearance in the star-studded exhibition game.. [4] He was the leading freshman scorer in the nation and the first player in Patriot League history to be named conference Player and Rookie of the Year. In a considerably superior environment with more talent, the Warriors often got the better end of the stick. And of course, its well-known how this series ended. We believed in the gameplan, and it wasnt about who gets the credit. inCanton,Ohio Major League Baseball announced Friday that this season's All-Star Game and draft will not be held in Atlanta in response to Georgia's recently passed laws that placed new restrictions on voting. Depending on your preferred story arc, its likely that everyone has a different favorite. 3jmccollum, Position: [21] With four of Portland's previous startersLaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews, and Robin Lopezhaving departed, only star point guard Damian Lillard remained; thus McCollum was elevated to starting shooting guard to join Lillard in the backcourt for the 201516 campaign. Lillard could offer some advice on how to deal with it. Talk about Blazers vs. Hawks First Half Here! In these cases, the average was taken. If McCollum makes his first All-Star appearance next month, he would happily play. Among players to log at least 500 games, McCollum's 19.4 points per game scoring average ranks No. [24] On February 12, he was named among the invites to All-Star Weekend's Three-Point Contest. Not just great basketball players. On the NBA 2K series, this would lead to a 10 percent increase in teammate chemistry. Sure, there were bigger on-court moments, but it proved full-circle for two teammates who always seemed to root on one anothers successes. Keeping both highlight-reel makers and opposing defenses awake and working late in the night, the duo injected a jolt of energy into the Portland fanbase, lacing up for over 500 games together from 2014 to 2022. The epitaph on this partnerships life cycle had started in the lead-up to their First Round meeting against Russell Westbrook, Paul George and the Oklahoma City Thunder. For Lillard and McCollum, that cohesion was at its most prolific in the spring of 2019. I think that was the desperation we need to play with moving forward. The 3.9 pull-up jumpers hes making per contest are the 10th-most in the NBA. By this point, the Blazers, once 30-8 and No. [36] In a game on January 13, a 115109 loss to the Orlando Magic, he posted 26 points to extended his streak of games with 25-plus points to eight in a row, the third-longest in Blazers' history (only Geoff Petrie with 11 and Clyde Drexler with 9 games have had longer among Blazers players. You have permission to edit this article. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Yet the closest McCollum's come to the All-Star courts were the 2016 and 2017 three-point contests. The other names on the list are questionable at best. Before Wednesdays matchup, McCollum said the Pelicans were desperate for a win after losing four in a row amid an epic nosedive in the standings. [42] He recorded as many as 36 points during a 9897 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on November 7. Per ESPN Stats & Information research, that pushed him past Michael Jordan in 1997-98 (12) for the most ever in a single season by a player age 32 or older. [22] After injury decommissioned Lillard in late December, McCollum filled in as the primary point guard. 1 in minutes played (15,750) with McCollum at No. The Bulls add by subtraction while the Raptors bring on a sneaky good addition to their second unit. [3] Even though he was already considered virtually destined to be a top NBA draft pick by his third year, he decided to finish his final year of college instead of leaving sooner for the NBA. Find out more. On defense, the lead guard has snatched 13 steals and even gotten 8 blocks. Latest on New Orleans Pelicans shooting guard CJ McCollum including complete game-by-game stats on ESPN. You could argue I should have made it in previous years. [70], On September 24, 2022, McCollum agreed to a two-year, $64 million extension with the Pelicans. Damian Lillard. The ball was in his hands down the stretch, I had no problem with it win or lose. While Lillard ended up scoring 41 points, he was less effective as the game progressed. The days and weeks to come wouldnt be as celebratory. CJ . [17], On October 27, 2014, Portland exercised their third-year team option to extended McCollum's rookie scale contract through 201516. New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3), shown here driving against Brooklyn Nets forward TJ Warren at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, will be back home with his teammates Wednesday night following a five-game road trip, as the Pels take on the Miami Heat. Given McCollums comments about load management, and how the players were supposed to agree to which games they would sit, its clear that both fought to be on the floor as much as possible. Unfortunately CJ McCollum has fallen victim of being one of the outsiders looking at the All-Star Game through a pane of glass unfairly. [74] It is co-hosted by ESPN analyst Jordan Schultz. Vote for New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum and the rest of the team to help bring real jazz to Utah for the 2023 NBA All-Star game. In 2022, McCollum was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, ending his nine year run with the Blazers. "Obviously, that's a tough matchup," McCollum said. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. McCollum finished the night with 24 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, but it wasnt his offensive performance that left his teammates giddy after the buzzer. Listed as out for the Pelicans are Zion Williamson (right hamstring strain), Dyson Daniels (right ankle sprain) and E.J. He has nine years of those experiences working alongside Damian Lillard. Taking care of business for the players. Ingram put on a shot-making clinic against a Portland defense that could not prevent him from getting anywhere he wanted.
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