Seven years after his first 50-point recreation within the NBA, GlenOak Excessive Faculty graduate CJ McCollum delivered one other one.
McCollum tied his profession excessive with 50 factors Friday evening and his New Orleans Pelicans received 132-120 at house towards the Washington Wizards to finish an 11-game shedding streak.
The 33 12 months outdated man McCollum made 18 of 27 pictures from the ground, making 10 of 16 from 3-point vary.
“That was classic CJ McCollum proper there,” 24-year-old Pelicans ahead Trey Murphy mentioned, in keeping with NBA.com. “That was the CJ McCollum I noticed play after I was in elementary college. It was nice to see that. It was actually cool. After I was (on the ground), I used to be simply attempting to verify he bought the ball, that everybody understood it was time to feed this scorching man. I used to be completely satisfied for him.
The Pelicans tweeted, by way of @StatMambathat McCollum turns into the third participant in NBA historical past to have a recreation with 50 factors and 10 3-point baskets in lower than 35 minutes. The opposite two are Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
He’s additionally the primary New Orleans participant to attain 50 and make 10 3s in the identical recreation.
McCollum acknowledged his continued exhausting work, together with his current additional work on the health club.
“I’m having fun with my time,” he mentioned after the sport, in keeping with NBA.com. “I perceive find out how to play this recreation at a excessive degree.”
The 6-foot-3 McCollum wasted no time warming up, scoring eight factors within the first 3:33 of the sport as New Orleans took a 13-4 lead. He then scored eight factors as a part of a 17-4 New Orleans run within the third quarter to provide his staff a 79-72 lead.
“CJ was unbelievable,” head coach Willie Inexperienced mentioned, in keeping with NBA.com. “He was unimaginable tonight. Among the pictures he hit, he hit some robust ones, he hit some simple ones. He had completed it. We simply needed to maintain getting him the ball.
McCollum’s first 50-point recreation got here on January 31, 2018, whereas he was nonetheless taking part in for the Portland Path Blazers. That evening in Portland, he turned the second NBA participant to attain 50 factors in lower than half-hour (additionally becoming a member of Thompson on that membership), as he had 50 in 29 minutes and did not have to play the fourth quarter. a victory towards the Chicago Bulls. McCollum set a Blazers report by scoring 28 first-quarter factors in that efficiency.
In 22 video games this season, McCollum is averaging 22.7 factors per recreation. He has scored 30 or extra factors in three straight house video games.
McCollum is engaged on his tenth consecutive NBA season averaging 20 or extra factors per recreation. The 12-year Lehigh professional is approaching 15,000 profession factors. It’s at 14,731 after Friday’s match.
This text was initially printed on The Repository: CJ McCollum’s 50-point recreation leads New Orleans Pelicans to victory
