The New Orleans Pelicans finally put an end to their brutal 10-game losing streak with a 140-133 overtime victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night. Heading into the All-Star break, the team desperately needed a morale boost, and CJ McCollum was more than able to provide, pouring in 43 points to propel the Pelicans to victory.
CJ didn’t come out of the gates firing, he had just six points in the first half. But after halftime, CJ turned it on. The veteran guard exploded for 21 points in the third quarter alone, just three shy of tying the franchise record for points in a quarter. And after missing a floater at the buzzer that would have won it in regulation, McCollum was in full takeover mode in overtime, dropping a franchise-record 11 points in the extra frame to seal the win.
After the game, McCollum didn’t hold back when talking about his mindset.
“I gotta be more aggressive. I was out there bullshitting honestly… I work too hard to just run corner to corner and not be involved in the action,” McCollum said.
| Player | Games |
| Anthony Davis | 30 |
| Brandon Ingram | 7 |
| CJ McCollum | 5 |
| Chris Paul | 5 |
| David West | 5 |
McCollum, who finished 16-of-25 from the floor (7-12 3P) collected his third 40-point game of the season and pulled into a tie for third in franchise history for games with 40 or more.
Sacramento made things interesting, especially in the closing seconds of regulation. With the Pelicans holding a late two-point lead, Domantas Sabonis missed a crucial free throw, Malik Monk grabbed the offensive rebound, got fouled by Bruce Brown, and sank two free throws to tie the game. Pelicans had to be thinking that the team was once again about to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
But when it mattered most, the Pelicans were able to get stops, limiting the Kings to six points on 2-of-8 shooting in the overtime period. Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan combined to miss all five of their attempts from the floor.
While McCollum stole the headlines, it took a team effort to push the Pelicans across the finish line. Head coach Willie Green made sure to highlight that after the game.
“Literally, everyone who played tonight contributed in a big way,” Green said. “We needed that effort, that togetherness.”
Trey Murphy III flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 18 points, nine rebounds, and a career-high 11 assists. The frontcourt, which was already thin to start the night, took another hit when rookie Yves Missi left the game with a right knee injury. That left a bigger role for Karlo Matkovic, who responded with a career-high 13 points, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, who chipped in 16 points—including two clutch free throws with eight seconds left in regulation.
Jose Alvarado had a second quality start at point guard, scoring 18 points and handing out eight assists with just one turnover. Jordan Hawkins also gave a big boost off the bench, scoring 16 points as part of a 50-point effort from the Pelicans’ reserves.
While the win doesn’t erase the struggles of the past month, it at least sends the Pelicans into the All-Star break on a high note. With injuries and roster changes shaking up their season, the second half will be about building for the future, whatever that may be. But for now, they can finally breathe a little easier.
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