This stood in contrast to the previous regime of Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge, with the latter being more reclusive, or that of say, Rasheed Wallace and Scottie Pippen, given the Jail Blazers storyline and the subsequent temperature of the media. [62] McCollum matched his season-high on March 2, scoring 41 points in a 130107 win over the Orlando Magic. Talk about Blazers vs. Hawks First Half Here! A couple hundred tickets remain, and three days. Gabor won zero championships. I Broke My Back, Spinal! Play-In Game, 2020 vs. MEM. 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. We came out and just competed, played hard. Shooting Guard We have great human beings in here. So, why not? [19] During a first-round playoff loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Game 5, McCollum scored a then career-high of 33 points. '. A glimpse into the future Game 4, 2015 West First Round vs. MEM. us, High School: 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! As the prime of his career reaches its zenith, its likely that CJ McCollum will go down as one of leagues greatest players to never earn an NBA All-Star nomination. The Portland Trail Blazers have started the year with a steady three and two record, but CJ McCollum has been the team's best player. 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. McCollum is still finding his rhythm since returning to the Trail Blazers lineup. [6] In 2012, the Mountain Hawks beat the Duke Blue Devils, 7570, in the school's first ever victory at the NCAA Division I tournament, during which McCollum posted a game-high 30 points; this marked only the sixth time in the history of the tournament that a team seeded 15th defeated a team seeded second. CJ McCollum was drafted by Portland Trail Blazers, 1st round (10th pick, 10th overall), 2013 NBA Draft. Like Lillard, McCollum compared the experience to playing against each other in scrimmages. [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. He has made 55/114 (48%) of his three-pointers but has committed 46 turnovers. That means sometimes I might have it going, but hes the closer. That forced Green to try something different. Still, it was McCollum and the Pelicans who emerged with a key victory in the battle for spots in the Western Conference play-in, snapping a four-game losing streak and moving 1.5 games ahead of the Blazers in the standings. Christian James McCollum (born September 19, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. 1 in minutes played (15,750) with McCollum at No. Stepping Up to the Champs Game 1, 2017 West First Round vs. GSW. Knowing that if we blitz (Lillard) with Willy and (Jaxson Hayes), what if we go with Herb at the five? Pels coach Willie Green said. Blazers Play Like Field Mice Against Hawks, Get Eaten Up. He consistently made the right play and was unbothered by Portlands attempts to run double teams or zone coverages to force him into mistakes. 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. The NBA's hands are tied concerning the fan vote but making the game as a coach's selection or even an injury replacement would be a tip of the cap to what has been an outstanding, yet sometimes overshadowed, career. McCollum knows he is enough. Though, it shouldnt be forgotten what Lillard and his co-star did together in this one. When one didnt have it, the other did, as evidenced by each of them averaging 25+ over the seven-game series. My job is to take advantage of them.. 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. Gambling problem? On a contending Rockets team, Harden is one of the most popular players in the game and already a seven-time All-Star. On July 27, 2016, McCollum signed a four-year contract extension with Portland. inCanton,Ohio You know what Im saying? The loss eliminated Portland from the playoffs, the last in a four-game sweep. [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. Despite his stature, McCollum played varsity as a freshman for the Golden Eagles, relying on his athleticism. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. [84] He has his own label, McCollum Heritage 91, named after the street he grew up on and his birth year. As such, he has written articles concerning the NBA for various media outlets;[80] in one of his pieces, he interviewed the Commissioner of the league Adam Silver. McCollum deserves the honor and has time to prove it this season. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. 6. [7], Over his four collegiate years, McCollum added 30 pounds of muscle to fill out his frame. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. [82] McCollum also helps foster local youths' interest in journalists through an initiative called CJ's Press Pass; it grants aspiring journalists access to postgame news conferences and provides them the opportunity to attend events with McCollum, to receive personalized mentorship from members of the media, and to have their work published. 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. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. In tandem, they tallied up 32 second half points, resuscitating the Blazers long time postseason streak in the process. (Photo of the picture on the wall via Will Guillory / The Athletic). 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. As such, he saw his minutes increase to 34.8 per contest, and he started in all 80 games that he played. 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. 1. Last Call for Blazers Edge Night Help (Please?). Dynamic duos dont survive nearly a full decade together without learning how to reach peak performance simultaneously. Im going to be more efficient. [54] On March 1, he scored 35 points and matched a career best by making seven 3-pointers in a 119117 loss to the Toronto Raptors. [70], On September 24, 2022, McCollum agreed to a two-year, $64 million extension with the Pelicans. Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, & Rodney Hood combined for 87 PTS as the Blazers won at home last night to force a Game 7! I think we all care about each other, Alvarado said. In his season debut on October 20, he put up 28 points on 12-of-18 shooting to lead his team past the Indiana Pacers, 11496. Glen Oak in Canton, Ohio, Draft: The Last Hurrah OT Duel vs. Hardens Rockets Dec. 26, 2020. Just long, athletic guys all over the place. Damian Lillard. If its in Gods plan for it to happen, so be it, McCollum said. That lineup looked so active and disruptive together that Green almost has no choice but to consider using it more, especially if Valanciunas continues to sit with his calf issue. CJ McCollum averages 21.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. Taking care of business for the players. When Dame was out this year, his usage spiked and he put up great numbers. [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. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. To open the 2020-21 campaign, the talented two-guard played as if that stat was on his psyche. [42] He recorded as many as 36 points during a 9897 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on November 7. Because so many special moments followed each other, one after another in the 2019 Western Conference Semifinals, well cheat. He smiled, folded his hands together, and took a bow of appreciation. He also missed the Blazers' Nov. 10 trip to New Orleans because of injury management, meaning it took a while for the two longtime teammates to play as opponents. For Lillard and McCollum, that cohesion was at its most prolific in the spring of 2019. [25] On April 5, he posted his eighth 30-point game of the season, during a 115107 win over Sacramento. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Tonight marks the first-ever game between Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. If McCollum makes his first All-Star appearance next month, he would happily play. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. During his third year in the league in 201516, he was named the NBA Most Improved Player.[1]. 7. It has been almost one year since the Pelicans traded for McCollum and Larry Nance Jr. For reference: the Blazers had gone 1-12 in the 13 postseason games prior, leaving them short on confidence among the national media. Lillard and McCollums relationship actually started because they both dealt with the same foot injury. Once Williamson and Ingram are back in the lineup, he should get more quality looks off of kick-outs. Shoots: Zion Williamson (9) and Brandon Ingram (23) have missed a combined 32 games and counting. There was a problem saving your notification. [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. Combining for 62 PTS, @CJMcCollum (33p/8r/5a) & @Dame_Lillard (29p/4r/6a) propel the @trailblazers to a 2-0 series lead! The Pelicans (26-17) still sit in third place in the West. Lillard finished with 29 points and six assists, McCollum with 33 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Buthe is the only member of the Trail Blazers to make the cut. I know this is something that doesnt last forever, McCollum shared after the victory. [14] McCollum sat out the first six weeks of the regular season with a foot injury. CJ McCollum is getting snubbed in the NBA All-Star Game fan vote. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. In that game, Lillard played a 60-minute-and-one-second game, McCollum at 57:59 prompting his This is what Im built for quote on the way to one of the greatest games in league history. Of those most high-profile, Game Four against the Grizzlies proved to be the most enticing. [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. On defense, the lead guard has snatched 13 steals and even gotten 8 blocks. Things got even more difficult as Lillard repeatedly roasted Willy Hernangomez, forcing the replacement Pelicans center to move his feet out in space. "Just like practice, only a longer game, a couple more foul calls and fans there," he said. 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. 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. He attended Glendora High School in Glendora, California, where he played basketball. Michael Reaves/Getty Images) I would say this is the most unique position we've been in probably since I was traded here, to be honest. McCollum began last season playing the best basketball of his life for the Portland Trail Blazers. [66] On January 17, 2022, he made his return from the injury, logging 16 points in a 9888 win over the Orlando Magic. CJ is big on that, backup point guard Jose Alvarado said. It was the second time hes scored at least 40 points in a game without logging a turnover. Christian James McCollum (born September 19, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). There will be no Jamal Murray jokes today. The Pelicans star forward finished the win with a season-high 40 points while also chipping in six rebounds and five assists. Despite 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. [30] McCollum would start in all 80 games that he played and would average 23 points as well as 3.6 rebounds and as many assists. That's what the game is about. [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. Data Provided By A few other Pelicans joked about the effort McCollum put in guarding Lillard full court early in the game. [32] During a 10094 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on November 6, he matched his earlier career-high by racking up 37 points. He has nine years of those experiences working alongside Damian Lillard. 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. 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. 8. "Obviously, that's a tough matchup," McCollum said. Defense for offense typifies this fantasy trade. His consistency is part of why teams value him. It's also available for football, hockey and baseball. [5] Also, he was an Associated Press honorable mention All-American. Circumstances are undoubtedly different since that culture-changing Feb. 6, 2022 deal that sent McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans. All eyes were on McCollum and Lillard going into this game as they shared the court for the first time since last Februarys trade. 'I get paid like an All-Star. By the time the year is over, he will have collected close to $180 million in career earnings. McCollum has a podcast studio in his home and brings portable recording equipment with him when he is out of town. The Bulls add by subtraction while the Raptors bring on a sneaky good addition to their second unit. Just staying consistent in playing super hard all the time, forward Herb Jones told The Athletic. [16] On February 8, McCollum posted a season-high 19 points in a 117110 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson have combined to miss 42 games. authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. I want him to be the best version of himself, McCollum said of his backcourt mate. [71] On December 22, McCollum put up 40 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists in a 126117 win over the San Antonio Spurs. 7 in minutes played (15,030). McCollum, who is in his 10th season, has never been named an All-Star. For the first time in 16 months, that pairing this generations most impactful Blazers duo will share the floor together once more in what promises to be an emotional outing. He is one of the best players of his generation to have never earned a nod. 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. 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. Although McCollum has only played 13 games and has been sidelined dealing with a foot injury, he was averaging 26.7 points, 5.0 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game for the Trail Blazers. Averaging 21.3 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game on 40% shooting from three,. Lillard joked that he knew McCollum's full-court pressure against "wasn't going to last." Will Guillory is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering the New Orleans Pelicans. As New Orleans continues to scrounge for ways to win games amid its injury woes, Green discovering this lineup could be a significant development. [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. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. [26] By the end of the regular season, he averaged 20.8 points per game, while Lillard did 25.1 points, making the first backcourt to average 20 or more points apiece in Blazers' history. The ball was in his hands down the stretch, I had no problem with it win or lose. But we just care about each other. Throwing different looks, scrambling (and) multiple efforts.. 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. NBA.com is part of Warner . We believed in the gameplan, and it wasnt about who gets the credit. 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. Austin Reaves and Russell Westbrook are All-Stars but the Los Angeles Lakers only have a 17-21 record? From a group standpoint, the best of it came during Game One of the First Round of the 2017 Playoffs, in which Lillard and McCollum combined for 75 points, just shy of the record shared by Aldridge-Lillard and Drexler-Porter groupings. [10] McCollum went on to graduate from Lehigh University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.[11][12]. #RipCity #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/gx5FvsyBgy. 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. Ingram admitted after the win that he knows the margin of error is small for the Pels as they attempt to stay above water with all the injuries popping up. You could argue I should have made it in previous years. McCollum played college basketball for the Lehigh Mountain Hawks and was named the Patriot League Player of the Year in both 2010 and 2012. 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. McCollum scored a season-high 42 points to go along with a franchise-record 11 made three-pointers. Find out more. For those who can remember at the time, it offered a look into sides of the Blazers duo that hadnt been seen as often. If the Portland Trail Blazers guard continues in this vein of form, he is a surefire All-Star selection. 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. [28], McCollum helped the Blazers claim victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, 42, in the first round of the playoffs. [27] McCollum would subsequently earn NBA Most Improved Player honors for his breakout 201516 season. And he didn't even spend his whole time with that team wearing the number they retired in his honor. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. If Im going to be an elite guard, Ive got to pick up full court sometimes and do whatever it takes, McCollum said. [24] On February 12, he was named among the invites to All-Star Weekend's Three-Point Contest. Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant (2001-02), Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant (17, 18, 19), and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown (2020-21). The Chris Haynes Interview on ESPN March 2018. That spring of 2019 was something else, was it not? Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. On January 1, 2014, he was assigned to the Idaho Stampede of the development league. Twitter: Igniting the rally, he and McCollum combined for 30 points in the second half on the way to a 114-94 win. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 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. 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. And of course, its well-known how this series ended. He has been a marquee name for over a decade and since becoming a starter in 2015 McCollum has averaged over 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists on 40% shooting behind the arc. While Lillard ended up scoring 41 points, he was less effective as the game progressed. The "Midsummer Classic" was set for July 13 at Truist Park, home . The peak of the powers game, simultaneously, would likely be Game Six, in which McCollum (30 points, six rebounds) and Lillard (32 points, five assists, six 3-pointers) matched both efficiency and a feel for the moment, the former of which they sometimes struggled with. [2] On August 7, 2021, he was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association, replacing Chris Paul. [46] On March 28, McCollum had a 42-point effort, which came in a 108103 loss to the Grizzlies. Sports Illustrated's 38th-best player last season. McCollum's own teammate Damian Lillard is a four-time All-Star who is also at the height of his ability. 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. 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. CJ McCollum was born on September 19, 1991, making him 28 years old as of 2019. From 2015-16 to 2020-21, Lillard was No.