With 13 wins in 23 games after the All-Star Game, the Pelicans managed to snatch the “play-in” against the Spurs, insisting until the end, in the face of the difficulties of the Lakers and the collapse of the Blazers.
If they managed to keep this 9th place in the West, it is largely thanks to the arrival of CJ McCollum a few days before the cut of the star game. Without him, the end of the season would have been very different.
“They needed leadership, someone to guide them, and also a player who could really be good”recalls the back for The Athletic. “I was the perfect person. It was a blessing. They needed me and, at the same time, I could show everything I was capable of. »
Zion Williamson absent, Brandon Ingram often injured, CJ McCollum instantly becomes the leader of the Pelicans. He goes from a situation of lieutenant of Damian Lillard to the Blazers to that of the first offensive option.
“It’s different when you have the ball from the start of the action”
With 24.3 points, 5.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds on average in his new colors, the back simply played his best basketball. If they referred to a full season, the three stats would all be his career highs! For his ninth season in the NBA, he has clearly taken a step forward.
“I had control of the attack, the tempo, the cadence. It’s different when you have the ball from the start of the action. I hadn’t known that since college. I had to play a role where my responsibility is to orchestrate, to organize, to make sure that we apply the right systems. I have to constantly be that player for the team, night after night, and I have to score like I did in Portland.” he details as well.
This domination of CJ McCollum on the game is obviously facilitated by the absence of Zion Williamson this season then by the minor injuries of Brandon Ingram, who missed 12 out of 26 games with the back. When the three are together on the floor next year, the balance will be different and everyone will have to find their place.
“I can survive any environment,” warns the ex-Blazer. “I can play with or without the ball. I can use the screens or pass. I can lead the game. I’m a much more complete player. To win, you have to know how to make sacrifices. I’ve already done it. I’m playing at a high level at the moment, and with the full group, when everyone has adapted to the others, I think I could do even better. I am impatient. »
| CJ McCollum | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2013-14 | ORP | 38 | 13 | 41.6 | 37.5 | 67.6 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 5.3 |
| 2014-15 | ORP | 62 | 16 | 43.6 | 39.6 | 69.9 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 6.8 |
| 2015-16 | ORP | 80 | 35 | 44.8 | 41.7 | 82.7 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 4.3 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 20.8 |
| 2016-17 | ORP | 80 | 35 | 48.0 | 42.1 | 91.2 | 0.8 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 23.0 |
| 2017-18 | ORP | 81 | 36 | 44.3 | 39.7 | 83.6 | 0.7 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 21.4 |
| 2018-19 | ORP | 70 | 34 | 45.9 | 37.5 | 82.8 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 21.0 |
| 2019-20 | ORP | 70 | 37 | 45.1 | 37.9 | 75.7 | 0.7 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 22.2 |
| 2020-21 | ORP | 47 | 34 | 45.8 | 40.2 | 81.2 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 23.1 |
| 2021-22 * | All Teams | 62 | 35 | 46.0 | 38.8 | 68.2 | 0.9 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 22.1 |
| 2021-22 * | ORP | 36 | 35 | 43.6 | 38.4 | 70.6 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 20.5 |
| 2021-22 * | NOP | 26 | 34 | 49.3 | 39.4 | 66.7 | 0.7 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 5.9 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 24.3 |
| Total | 590 | 32 | 45.5 | 39.6 | 81.0 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 19.2 | |