McCollum (thigh) will not play Wednesday against the Cavaliers.
McCollum will miss his 12th game in a row Wednesday. However, he was able to practice Monday, and it sounds like there is a good chance he will return to action Friday against the Warriors.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Will remain out Tuesday
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McCollum (thigh) has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against the Mavericks.
McCollum is nearing a return to game action, but his absence streak will extend to 11 games Tuesday. The veteran logged a full practice Monday, so it's only a matter of time before he gets the green light, though he'll presumably face heavy restrictions at first. Brandon Boston should continue to see increased playing time until McCollum is cleared to suit up again.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Goes through practice
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McCollum (thigh) was able to go through Monday's practice, Will Guillory of The Athletic reports.
The Pelicans face the Mavericks on the road Tuesday, but coach Willie Green wasn't ready to disclose McCollum's status. The veteran has missed the past 10 games for the Pelicans, but he's on the verge of a return. There should be more clarity after the Pelicans release their injury report Monday evening.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Remaining sidelined Saturday
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McCollum (thigh) is out for Saturday's game versus the Lakers.
Despite returning to practice earlier this week, McCollum is set to miss his 10th straight game due to a strained right adductor. The veteran guard's next chance to suit up is Tuesday's matchup in Dallas.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: On track for return
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Coach Willie Green said Friday that McCollum (adductor) has started to participate in some three-on-three and five-on-five action, Jim Eichenhofer of the Pelicans' official site reports.
McCollum hasn't played since Oct. 29 due to a right adductor strain, though Green said he is nearing a return to game action while ramping up in on-court activities, according to Eichenhofer. The star guard's presence has been missed in a depleted backcourt without Jordan Hawkins (back), Dejounte Murray (hand), Herbert Jones (shoulder) and Jose Alvarado (hamstring). McCollum's next chance to play will come Saturday against the Lakers, though it is unclear whether he will operate under a minutes restriction with the lengthy list of injuries to the Pelicans.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Sitting again Friday
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McCollum (thigh) won't play Friday against the Pacers.
McCollum was held out of Wednesday's clash due to a right adductor injury, and the issue will force him to miss another game. Look for Jose Alvarado to draw the start at point guard Friday in McCollum's absence.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Unavailable Wednesday
Rotowire
McCollum is inactive for Wednesday's game against Golden State due to right adductor soreness. He will undergo an MRI for further evaluation.
McCollum will miss his first game of the season after averaging 34.3 minutes throughout New Orleans' first four contests. Herbert Jones (shoulder strain) is also unavailable Wednesday, while Jordan Hawkins (back) is a game-time decision.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Struggles with shot
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McCollum closed Tuesday's 124-106 loss to the Warriors with five points (2-8 FG, 1-4 3Pt), six rebounds, five assists and two blocks over 31 minutes.
This was a nightmare showing for McCollum as the Pelicans were blown out by the Warriors, dropping the team to 2-2 on the season. McCollum had scored at least 20 points in his previous three games, so fantasy managers should chalk this up as an off night for the veteran guard.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Team-leading 27 points vs. Portland
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McCollum logged 27 points (10-21 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 4-6 FT), four rebounds, three assists and four steals over 36 minutes during Sunday's 125-103 loss to the Trail Blazers.
McCollum was the Pelicans' leading scorer Sunday, as no other New Orleans starter scored more than 14 points in the blowout loss. He also logged a game-high four steals, which he has now done in two consecutive games. McCollum has scored 20-plus points in each of the first three games of the regular season, and he will continue to be a focal point in the offense while Dejounte Murray (hand) remains sidelined.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Pops for 20 against former club
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McCollum ended Friday's 105-103 victory over the Trail Blazers with 20 points (8-17 FG, 4-9 3Pt), two rebounds, three assists, one block and four steals in 40 minutes.
With Dejounte Murray (hand) sidelined, McCollum was the hub of the Pelicans' backcourt and hit for 20-plus points for the second straight game to begin the season. His distribution numbers didn't see a boost, however -- Zion Williamson ended up leading New Orleans in assists with seven -- and while McCollum has averaged between 4.4 and 5.7 assists in each of the last five campaigns, he may not climb above that range even with Murray out for another month or more.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Hits for 23 against Chicago
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McCollum finished Wednesday's 123-111 win over the Bulls with 23 points (9-19 FG, 5-11 3Pt), two rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal in 30 minutes.
The veteran guard had a strong night on the offensive end to begin the season, picking up where he left off in 2023-24 after he shot a career-high 42.9 percent from beyond the arc. McCollum has averaged at least 20.0 points and 2.3 threes a game every season since 2015-16, but he could see more usage than usual in the first month of the current campaign after Dejounte Murray suffered a fractured left hand Wednesday.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Poor shooting display Tuesday
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McCollum recorded eight points (3-11 FG, 2-8 3Pt), five rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block across 20 minutes in Tuesday's 118-98 preseason loss to the Rockets.
McCollum had a rough showing offensively Tuesday, though to be fair, the entire New Orleans squad struggled on offense since they racked up 98 total points -- and 20 of those came off the bench via Jordan Hawkins. That said, it's only a preseason game, and McCollum isn't at risk of losing his role in the starting lineup once the regular season begins against the Bulls on Oct. 23. The veteran guard will slot at shooting guard alongside newcomer Dejounte Murray in the backcourt.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Paces scoring effort
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McCollum amassed 20 points (9-16 FG, 2-7 3Pt), six rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in 37 minutes during Monday's 97-89 loss to Oklahoma City in Game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
McCollum didn't have his best shooting night from beyond the arc, but he still led the Pelicans with 20 points and also managed to stuff the stat sheet. The 32-year-old averaged 17.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.5 steals in the opening-round series loss (four games).
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Rough night Saturday
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McCollum produced 16 points (7-22 FG, 2-8 3Pt), five rebounds, seven assists, one block and two steals across 35 minutes during Saturday's 106-85 loss to the Thunder in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
McCollum went just 7-of-22 from the field, summing up another rough night for the Pelicans. After falling behind early, New Orleans was never able to get back into the game, shooting just 38.1 percent from the floor as a team. Game 4 will be Monday, when the Pelicans will look to restore some pride by avoiding a sweep.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Scores 20 in tight loss Sunday
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McCollum supplied 20 points (9-22 FG, 2-9 3Pt), three rebounds, six assists, one block and one steal in 39 minutes during Sunday's 94-92 loss to Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
McCollum didn't have his best shooting display Sunday, an issue that has been plaguing him for some time now. He also executed poorly in the final play of the game, where the Pelicans could've gone for a tie or a win. The veteran guard still ended as one of the top scorers for the Pelicans -- a positive sign after he scored a combined 16 points while shooting 7-for-23 in his two Play-In Tournament appearances.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Scores seven in victory
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McCollum supplied seven points (3-8 FG, 1-2 3Pt), two rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal over 36 minutes during Friday's 105-98 Play-In Game win over the Kings.
McCollum scored a total of only 16 points across the two Play-In contests, but the Pelicans were still able to press on to the playoffs. The combo guard should bounce back, as he averaged 25.9 points on 47.4 percent shooting over his final 16 regular-season games.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Scores 25 points in loss to Lakers
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McCollum recorded 25 points (9-19 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 3-4 FT), four rebounds and seven assists across 34 minutes during Sunday's 124-108 loss to the Lakers.
McCollum's touches on offense might decrease once Brandon Ingram is back at full speed, but that wasn't the case Sunday, and the veteran guard responded by extending his streak of games with 25 or more points to seven appearances. Plus, McCollum has scored at least 20 points in all but one of his outings dating back to March 22, so there's no question he figures to have a prominent role when the Pelicans take on the Lakers in the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Converts nine from downtown
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McCollum produced 31 points (11-18 FG, 9-12 3Pt), four rebounds, seven assists and two steals in 40 minutes during Thursday's 135-123 victory over Sacramento.
McCollum rained down three-pointers with abandon in the win, improving the team's chances of nailing down the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. Although McCollum is an essential part of the offense, his seasonal scoring average is on pace to fall short of 20 points, which last happened nine years ago in his sophomore campaign. The Pelicans hope to have Brandon Ingram (knee) back for the playoffs, who will give McCollum another assist target.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Drops 29 on former team
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McCollum had 29 points (10-19 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 4-4 FT), five rebounds, three assists and two steals over 34 minutes during Tuesday's 110-100 victory over Portland.
Facing the franchise he spent the first eight-plus seasons of his career with, McCollum continued a scoring surge that has seen him score at least 29 points in four straight games and more than 20 in nine of the last 10. Over that stretch, the 32-year-old guard has averaged 26.7 points, 5.6 assists, 5.2 boards, 4.5 threes and 0.9 steals as New Orleans tries to lock up the last guaranteed playoff spot in the Western Conference and avoid the Play-In Tournament.
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Pelicans' CJ McCollum: Extends impressive scoring run
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McCollum chipped in 31 points (12-22 FG, 7-12 3Pt), four rebounds and five assists over 42 minutes during Sunday's 113-105 victory over Phoenix.
McCollum reached the 31-point mark for a third consecutive game, and the veteran guard looks extremely comfortable in a more prominent offensive role with Brandon Ingram (knee) still sidelined. McCollum will aim to keep the momentum going as the Pelicans fight for their seeding in the Western Conference, continuing with a trip to Portland on Tuesday.
