CJ McCollum torches his former team: Explodes for 30 in New Orleans Pelicans win over Portland Trail Blazers

CJ McCollum went against his former team in this matchup and he showed them what they are missing, as he scored in bunches to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to a 126-107 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at Smoothie King Center.

The 32-year-old shooting guard out of Lehigh was drafted 10th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Blazers. He teamed up with superstar Damian Lillard and they’ve been one of the best scoring backcourts for nearly a decade. However, in their 8 years together they could never make it to the NBA Finals and the franchise decided to break up the duo.

McCollum was then traded to New Orleans in 2022 and he has made an impact with his elite scoring. He showcased that skillset tonight as he finished with 30 points and 6 made three pointers. Zion Williamson had 26 points and 10 rebounds on 11/17 shooting while Brandon Ingram scored 22 points. Trey Murphy III contributed 20 points while hitting 4 triples.

Dalano Banton scored a team-high 28 points while drilling 4 three pointers. Anfernee Simons hit 5 shots from behind the arc and finished with 25 total points. Deandre Ayton recorded 20 points and 8 boards while shooting 10/13 from the field. Rookies Scoot Henderson and Toumani Camara each scored 11 points.

New Orleans improves to 41-26 with this win and now sit just 1.5 games behind the Clippers for the 4th seed in the West. The Pelicans have been quietly successful as of late, as they are 7-3 over their last 10 games. Their next matchup will be on Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets.

Portland drops to 19-48 with this loss and has the 5th best odds to land the #1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. They are continuing to develop their young core of Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Anfernee Simons, and Deandre Ayton, and will now get to add another top prospect this off-season. They are 4-6 over their last 10 games and will face off against the Chicago Bulls on Monday.