CJ McCollum says he loves basketball too much to allow fatigue or a broken routine to keep him from doing what he can to lead the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans in back-to-back games.
He even found a moment during a second-quarter stop against Detroit on Thursday night to play rock-paper-scissors with a young fan.
“I actually owe that kid some shoes,” McCollum said, exhausted but smiling. “We need to find the child. I lost.”
The Pelicans, however, beat the Pistons, 125-116, thanks in large part to McCollum with his 33-point night.
“He did everything we asked him to do and more,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said of McCollum, who scored 29 points Wednesday night in a win at Oklahoma City. “It’s a credit to his state of mind, his character and the work he does.”
New Orleans faced Detroit without power forward Zion Williamson and starting wing Brandon Ingram, who are also two of their top scorers.
Williamson, who was injury-prone during his first four NBA seasons, had an off night as the Pelicans played the second of three games in four nights.
Ingram missed his third straight game with tendinitis in his right knee.
The Pelicans also had to take an unusual game day flight home due to mechanical issues with their plane Wednesday night, after New Orleans completed the greatest road comeback in franchise history by obliterating a deficit of 22 points.
“The most important thing is the mental strength it took to overcome all the types of obstacles we faced over the last 24 hours,” Green said. “It’s a credit to the character in this locker room. It’s a total moment of preparation and opportunity and the guys stepped up.
Matt Ryan, a third-year pro from Chattanooga, got his first career start and scored a career-high 20 points, hitting 6 of 8 3-pointers.
“I feel like I’m just getting started and I’m still making a name for myself,” Ryan said. “I’m not used to playing that many minutes in the NBA. … I love it.”
Jonas Valanciunas had 23 points and 13 rebounds, while Herb Jones added 21 points and had a career-high four blocked shots.
Cade Cunningham had 22 points and 11 assists for Detroit, which lost its third straight. Marcus Sasser hit five 3s and finished with 19 points, while Ausar Thompson scored 16 points.
Trailing by as many as 25 in the second quarter, Detroit got back to within single digits when Sasser’s 3 made it 111-103 with 4:03 left, but Jones made a layup as he fell victim of a foul on New Orleans’ next trip down the field. .
“We have a number of guys who just said, ‘Enough, we have to keep the ball, we have to push hard,'” said Pistons coach Monty Williams, whose team was also playing a second game in two evenings.
McCollum scored 25 points in the first half on shots ranging from scoops set up by a Euro step in the lane to chasing floaters off the glass or 3-pointers. His early production helped New Orleans build its largest lead at 70-45.
It was around this time that McCollum engaged with a young fan holding a sign inviting players to a game of rock-paper-scissors for their shoes.
“I was a child. I have children. So you see the joy, the excitement in the kid, to go to a game,” McCollum said. “Just a moment where it made sense.” He had a nice sign. It was very clever and I think he wore a jersey. So why not?”
FOLLOWING
Pistons: Host Phoenix on Sunday.
Pelicans: Host Atlanta on Saturday.
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