Igniting the rally, he and McCollum combined for 30 points in the second half on the way to a 114-94 win. The 2021 All Star Game in Indianapolis is still almost a year away. But he doesnt need anyones validation, acknowledgement or praise to fuel his passion for basketball. [16] On February 8, McCollum posted a season-high 19 points in a 117110 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. [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. [25] On April 5, he posted his eighth 30-point game of the season, during a 115107 win over Sacramento. If you look at the numbers, Pelicans guard CJ McCollum is easily an All-Star caliber player. He came out with the kind of desperate mindset McCollum called for pregame, but he didnt allow that to translate into recklessness. The two used to guard each other during Portland practice sessions when they wanted to light a fire under their teammates, and McCollums effort had the same effect on his new club. McCollum has averaged 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists on 119/257 shooting from the field in the last 13 games (46%). Schooling the Thunder once in Game One was to get the monkey of their respective backs; to do it again would be sending a message. [19] On November 6, 2018, McCollum scored 40 points during a 118103 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. )[23] McCollum was able to resume his starting shooting guard role on January 4 as Lillard was back on his feet, returned from injury. CJ McCollum was born on September 19, 1991, making him 28 years old as of 2019. [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. McCollum: Why I'm returning to Lehigh for my senior year", "McCollum breaks record in 9177 win at Sacred Heart", "Hulls Named Finalist for Senior CLASS Award", "Lehigh alum C.J. His teams have constantly been in the top half of the Western Conference or at least giving high seeds scares like last year against the Phoenix Suns. [70], On September 24, 2022, McCollum agreed to a two-year, $64 million extension with the Pelicans. McCollum is sinking 1.4 pull-up 3s per game this season, almost one more than the next-closest Pelican. Do you have a sports website? [19] In the season-opener on October 25, he put up 25 points to help defeat the Utah Jazz, 113104. But for the first time in his career, McCollum walked through that back hallway with the intention of beating Lillard and handing his new team a historic night of their own. There was a problem saving your notification. McCollum: 'More than just a basketball player', "Magic's Oladipo among rookie favorites to stand out in 201314", "Trail Blazers assign CJ McCollum to D-League", "Trail Blazers Exercise Team Options On Meyers Leonard And CJ McCollum", "Grizzlies advance, beating Trail Blazers 9993 in Game 5", "Trail Blazers Exercise Team Options On McCollum, Plumlee and Vonleh", "McCollum scores 37 as Blazers down Pelicans 11294", "McCollum scores 35 as Trail Blazers beat Kings 9894", "Randolph leads Grizzlies to 9178 win over Trail Blazers", "CJ McCollum to Compete in Foot Locker Three-Point Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend", "McCollum has 30 as Trail Blazers beat Kings 115107", "Playoff destination sealed, Blazers beat Nuggets 10799", "Blazers' McCollum named Kia NBA Most Improved Player", "Splash Brothers Curry, Thompson send Warriors to West finals", "Trail Blazers Sign CJ McCollum to Contract Extension", "Lillard scores 39, Blazers run home-opening win streak to 16", "Lillard hits floater, Blazers beat Nuggets 115113 in OT", "McCollum matches career high, Blazers beat Grizzlies 10094", "McCollum scores 33 points, Trail Blazers beat Nets 129109", "George has 37 points to lead Pacers over Blazers 118111", "McCollum has 43 points, Trail Blazers top Timberwolves 9589", "Vucevic's season-high 30 lead Magic past Blazers, 115109", "McCollum's winner sends Blazers past Mavs 114113", "Blazers beat Nuggets to take 1-game lead for 8th seed", "Durant shines in Warriors playoff debut in Game 1 win", "Blazers hand Suns worst loss ever in season opener, 12476", "McCollum's scores 28 in Blazers' 11496 win over Pacers", "Evans, Conley help Grizzlies hold off Trail Blazers 9897", "McCollum helps Blazers to 108105 comeback win over Wizards", "McCollum scores 32, leads Blazers over Bulls 124120 in OT", "McCollum scores 50 in 3 quarters, Blazers beat Bulls 124108", "MarShon Brooks scores 21 as Grizzlies beat Blazers 108103", "Davis' 47 points leads Pelicans to sweep of Trail Blazers", "McCollum scores 40 as Trail Blazers beat Bucks 118103", "Conley leads late rally as Grizzlies defeat Portland 9283", "Lillard scores 33, Trail Blazers top Mavericks 121118 in OT", "McCollum leads Trail Blazers in 12995 rout of 76ers", "George nets 36, Westbrook 29 as Thunder tops Blazers 123114", "McCollum has triple-double, Trail Blazers beat Hawks 120111", "Leonard hits winner, Raptors beat Trail Blazers 119117", "Lillard scores 30 points, Trail Blazers beat Nuggets 115108", "Blazers go up 21 after 140137 win in 4 OTs over Denver", "Blazers force Game 7 with 119108 victory over Denver", "McCollum leads Blazers past Nuggets 10096", "Warriors beat Blazers 119117 in OT for NBA Finals berth", "Trail Blazers vs. The Bombs Away Game Game 2, 2019 West First Round vs. OKC. McCollum played high school basketball for the Golden Eagles at GlenOak High School in his native city of Canton, Ohio. Lillard joked that he knew McCollum's full-court pressure against "wasn't going to last." 1 in the Western Conference had become more of an unfortunate What If story. I am going to make shots and am going to help us win.. The long-term highlight of that Game Two was the play above, with Lillards back-and-forth with Westbrook serving as an entertaining backdrop of this series. McCollum knows what its like to play in big games at Moda Center. And of course, its well-known how this series ended. Indeed, New Orleans later switched to defensive stoppers Herbert Jones, Dyson Daniels and Josh Richardson against Lillard, denying him the basketball in an effort to force other Portland players to beat them. While Lillard did get the best of him in their individual matchup, McCollum got what he needed most in his return to Portland: a win. Beyond Zion Williamson, who remains out with his hamstring injury, Jose Alvarado will miss at least the next weeks with a right tibia stress reaction and Larry Nance is out at least the next two weeks with an ankle issue. averaging 26.7 points, 5.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 44.1% from three, all career highs, McCollums name was missing from the list of reserves for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. Now McCollum has the opportunity to step into a bigger role at least until Ingram returns and the pair can build off of their playoff chemistry. CJ McCollum attended Glen Oak in Canton, Ohio and Lehigh. [19] During a first-round playoff loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Game 5, McCollum scored a then career-high of 33 points. McCollum looked like a bonafide All-Star before suffering a left mid-foot fracture that sidelined him for nearly two months. New Orleans is in the midst of a season-long five-game road trip. CJ McCollum with 25 Points vs. Golden State Warriors, 03/03/2023 If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. McCollum moved into the starting lineup for good in 2015-16, joining Lillard in the backcourt, and they teamed to lead Portland to playoff appearances each of the next five seasons, highlighted by a trip to the 2019 Western Conference finals. That means sometimes I might have it going, but hes the closer. CJ McCollum Christian James McCollum Twitter : CJMcCollum Instagram: 3jmccollum Position: Shooting Guard Shoots: Right 6-3 , 190lb (190cm, 86kg) Born: September 19 , 1991 in Canton, Ohio us More bio, uniform, draft, salary info 2015-16 Most Improved 3 3 SUMMARY 2022-23 Career G 52 642 PTS 21.1 19.4 TRB 4.3 3.5 AST 5.9 3.7 FG% 43.5 45.4 March 4, 2023, 12:40 AM. A few other Pelicans joked about the effort McCollum put in guarding Lillard full court early in the game. That spring of 2019 was something else, was it not? Stepping Up to the Champs Game 1, 2017 West First Round vs. GSW. Locked in on defense! from a few chairs down. [3] By graduation, McCollum had become the leading scorer in Golden Eagles history, with 1,405 career points, and was named Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year for his final campaign, the 200809 season. Towards the climax of that stretch, Lillard, in the middle of the 51-point game against Utah (of course), stepped to the free throw line, awaiting the ball before a familiar chant orchestrated by McCollum and Carmelo Anthony broke out: The entire arena gives Dame MVP chants after his 51-point game pic.twitter.com/kUZ4Fpv692. And he didn't even spend his whole time with that team wearing the number they retired in his honor. During the Pelicans win against the Wizards, Alvarado kept telling McCollum what he was seeing on the court during stoppages in play. We came out and just competed, played hard. You could argue I should have made it in previous years. Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum top NBA quotes of the week, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus series, Formerly a consultant with the Indiana Pacers. Long before they teamed up in Portland, McCollum (Lehigh University) and Lillard (Weber State University) took turns leading the nation in scoring. McCollum led New Orleans in scoring with 25 points, but the team's offense floundered in the second half. Fighting merely to avoid being swept at the Moda Center, the Blazers brought pride and energy, largely through their talented guard grouping. He is averaging 21.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists. If the Portland Trail Blazers guard continues in this vein of form, he is a surefire All-Star selection. For nearly a full decade, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum shared the backcourt for the Portland Trail Blazers, staking their claim as one of the NBAs most potent 1-2 punches. [51] On December 30, he broke out of a six-game funk by hitting 13 of 18 shots in a 35-point performance as the Trail Blazers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 12995. [41] McCollum would play in 80 games and start in all of them while averaging 21.4 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists a night. Gabor won zero championships. To two undersized mid-major guards who had made a career out of outpunching their weight, though, odds meant little. As such, he saw his minutes increase to 34.8 per contest, and he started in all 80 games that he played. Ive got to set the precedent on how we got to compete on both ends. 'Felt like practice': Lillard, McCollum square off, 'Not going out this way': Nets, down 28, stun C's, Kerr touts 5-0 homestand: Dubs 'turned a corner', KD: Mavs tilt, Kyrie meeting 'just another game', Owner: Snyder, Fields will bring Hawks success, Isaac has surgery on adductor, done for season, Clips' Powell out at least a week to treat shoulder, LeBron to have tendon injury checked in 3 weeks. '. Talk about Blazers vs. Hawks Second Half Here! Theres: (1) The Rodney Hood Game, the 4OT thriller in Game Three, (3) The CJ McCollum Game, the Game 7 comeback. 1 in minutes played (15,750) with McCollum at No. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Glen Oak in Canton, Ohio, Draft: "@CJMcCollum speaks with the crew after Portland's win. Damian Lillard spoke about the Blazers trading CJ McCollum pic.twitter.com/KGgKUasAex. [65], On December 7, 2021, McCollum was diagnosed with a pneumothorax and was ruled out indefinitely. So I was just trying to take it all in.. In sickness and health, McCollum rains jumpers. [43] On the 25th of that month, McCollum had 26 points and scored 7 straight in the final quarter, as he helped Portland stage a 100 scoring run to overcome a 17-point deficit and defeat the Washington Wizards, 108105. New Orleans 10-year veteran guard CJ McCollum was sidelined during Monday's win at Oklahoma City due to a right ankle sprain, and is listed as questionable to play Wednesday against the Los. CJ McCollum has started the 2021 season on a high. Given the mounting pressure, Manfred believed the least political solution was to . McCollum scored a season-high 42 points to go along with a franchise-record 11 made three-pointers. Lillard, ultimately named the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Restart in the Orlando bubble, wasnt lacking in motivation. If McCollum makes his first All-Star appearance next month, he would happily play. 20 of ESPNs analysts made picks for this series, 19 of them siding with Oklahoma City. My teammates did a good job of finding me and giving me those opportunities. The peak of that stretch came in a 128-126 thriller over the Houston Rockets, in which McCollum poured in 44 points, eight assists and nine 3-pointers, and Lillard provided reinforcement with 32 points, five rebounds and nine assists, the last of which proved to be the most important. The ball was in his hands down the stretch, I had no problem with it win or lose. Once Williamson and Ingram are back in the lineup, he should get more quality looks off of kick-outs. I mean. Lillard could offer some advice on how to deal with it. We look back on their greatest moments together. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? [37]) On February 7, McCollum scored 32 points; the last two of which, on a runner from the top of the lane, clinched the 114113 win over the Dallas Mavericks with 0.9 seconds left. One of the most durable scorers in the game, he finished second in west guard voting last year. September 19, 1 in the Western Conference, 51-point performance against Golden State, 41-point second half takeover from Lillard and McCollum, McCollums comments about load management. But we just care about each other. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports. pic.twitter.com/xg2mvYWjBX. 2. 1 / 23 CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 19: CJ McCollum #3 of the New Orleans Pelicans shoots a three point basket during the game during the MTN DEW 3-Point Contest as part of 2022 NBA All Star. Things got even more difficult as Lillard repeatedly roasted Willy Hernangomez, forcing the replacement Pelicans center to move his feet out in space. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. A small-market team and a mid-major star: There's no more perfect union in the NBA. [64] On August 7, 2021, McCollum was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association, succeeding Chris Paul who had served since 2013. You can get full details here or simply visit the Trail Blazers ticket site and click Buying Options to donate a ticket or two! McCollum put together the first of what would become a long list of elite performances in win-or-go-home games, many of those shots illustrated here: Ive got this odd suspicion that CJ McCollum is bounce back with one of his greater games tonight in Game 6. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Like most every other team in the NBA from 2014-15 to 2018-19, performances didnt hold the same value unless you did it against the Golden State Warriors. His 11 three-pointers were a Pelicans franchise record for the most three-pointers made in a game. The Pelicans handled that pressure and played like the more desperate team, withstanding a 41-point outburst from Lillard to hold on to a 121-110 victory.