(Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images)
The New Orleans Pelicans head into the final game of the NBA season with a chance to solidify the No. 6 seed in the loaded Western Conference and are one of the young teams on the rise that nobody will be excited about seeing in the playoffs.
Veteran guard CJ McCollum has been a stabilizing force all season as he has stayed healthy once again and put up the best 3-point shooting season of his career at 42.9 percent on 8.4 attempts per game.
McCollum shared a simple message on Twitter ahead of the playoffs yesterday, saying he is “grateful” for how this season has unfolded in New Orleans.
Grateful pic.twitter.com/NTlc5UXbOm
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) April 13, 2024
McCollum often takes a back seat to a pair of young stars in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, but he is quietly averaging 20 points per game for the ninth straight year.
He has made a career-high 235 threes this season after making 211 last season.
He never made over 200 threes in a season during his 8+ years with the Portland Trail Blazers.
New Orleans is a scary opponent for anybody in the first round, as their depth, versatility, and ability to split playmaking duties evenly between its top 3 players is a matchup nightmare.
The Pelicans have a chance to win their 50th game in their season finale, something the franchise has only accomplished once since moving to New Orleans when they won 56 games in 2007-08.
New Orleans will need to rely on CJ’s veteran presence and playoff experience if it intends on advancing in the playoffs, as the West is brutal and this young team will need all the help it can get against the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, or Minnesota Timberwolves.
The post CJ McCollum Has A Message After Big Season With Pelicans appeared first on The Cold Wire.