After nearly a month between victories, the Smoothie King Center finally had something to cheer about Friday night as CJ McCollum went off, tying his career high with 50 points in the Pelicans’ 132-120 win over the Washington Wizards. McCollum hit 10 three-pointers, leading New Orleans to their first win in 12 games.
“It’s been a rough year for (New Orleans) sports fans,” McCollum said after the game. “Hopefully, this gives them something to enjoy for a little bit.”
CJ Goes Off
McCollum was unstoppable, shooting 18-of-27 from the floor and 10-of-16 from three. At one point, it looked like he’d tie his franchise record for threes in a game (11), but a review changed one shot to a two-pointer. McCollum said he knew he had his foot on the line when he let it fly. Still, it was a historic performance. He joined Klay Thompson as one of two players in NBA history to score 50 points and hit 10 threes while playing under 31 minutes.
Pelicans head coach Willie Green couldn’t praise the veteran guard enough. “CJ was incredible,” said Green. “He hit tough ones, easy ones, and just kept going. He’s been rock solid for us, even through all the losing. Tonight was just special.”
Rookies Stepping Up
While CJ did the heavy lifting, rookie Yves Missi quietly had a big game, posting a double-double with 12 points and 11 boards. The Western Conference Rookie of the Month, Missi leads all NBA rookies with eight double-doubles this season, and his energy was crucial in keeping the Pelicans in it early when the Wizards were hitting just about every shot they took.
“Yves just keeps working,” Green said. “He brings energy every night, and it’s contagious.”
Defense Makes the Difference
This one wasn’t pretty at first. The Pelicans trailed 68-62 at halftime, with the Wizards shooting nearly 60% from the field. But Green challenged his team to lock in defensively, and they responded.
Green joked about his halftime adjustments during the postgame presser. “I told them, ‘The first team to get three straight stops wins.’ Thankfully, we got there,” he said.
The Wizards coughed up the ball 21 times, leading to 32 points for New Orleans, while the Pelicans turned it over just eight times. New Orleans is 2-1 when they commit fewer than 10 turnovers this season. Those stops helped fuel a 20-2 run in the fourth quarter, turning a tight game into a double-digit win.
A Night to Build On
This was only New Orleans’ second win in their last 22 games, but it felt like a step forward. McCollum has been red-hot lately, averaging 25.6 points and shooting 43.4% from deep over his last 10 games. With another matchup against the Wizards on Sunday, the Pelicans have a real chance to grab back-to-back wins for the first time since their 2-0 start.
“We know it’s been rough,” McCollum said. “But we’re still working, still trying to turn things around. Nights like this remind us of what we’re capable of.”
For a team sitting at 6-29, every win feels like a lifeline. Though it has been a difficult week for residents of New Orleans, for one night at least, the Pelicans came through.
It’s not likely that McCollum will come through with another career night on Sunday, so the Pels must be better if they want this victory to become more than just an aberration on the schedule.
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