While on set for their SLAM 242 cover shoot, we had Zion, CJ and BI play Point ‘Em Out—and let’s just say, they did not disappoint. The New Orleans Pelicans trio had us cracking up.

Check it out below.

Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and Brandon Ingram, who just appeared on the cover of SLAM 242, recently opened up about the team’s pursuit this season and how they plan on taking the franchise to new heights. Read here.

SLAM 242 is available now, as well as Gold Metal Editions and Cover Tees. Shop now.

The post WATCH: Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and Brandon Ingram Play SLAM Point Em Out appeared first on SLAM.

The team’s practice facility, located in Metairie, LA, just under 20 minutes from the Smoothie King Center, has two full-size courts, with one of the sidelines leading to an open-concept weight-room area. The three players are walking through the workout area and onto the court when we spot them from afar. But they stop halfway through the weight room and decide to turn to their right, where a wall mirror stands. 

Haircut check. 

Uniform check. 

Kicks check. 

Zion Williamson is busy making sure the blinged out jewelry around his neck is properly positioned for the looming photo shoot. 

All looks set now. 

SLAM 242 featuring Zion, CJ and BI are available now. Shop here.

The guys keep walking through the weight room and onto the court, where some team staffers await. Except, there’s only two of them now. 

Zion’s here. CJ McCollum is next to him. But Brandon Ingram, who was literally just with them a few seconds earlier, isn’t. 

Zion and CJ look around for BI and eventually realize that he stayed behind in the weight room area. There he is, still in front of the mirror, doing some standing bicep curls with dumbbells in each hand, going as fast as he can.  

Laughter ensues throughout the gym, from staffers to Ingram’s teammates. Zion and CJ shake their heads. They point out that he’s just trying to get a quick pump in so that his arms look swole for the photo shoot. 

Ingram is trying not to laugh. He can hear them teasing him from about 50 feet away—especially Zion. But he just stays focused on each rep, looking straight ahead at the mirror. Eventually, though, Ingram can’t keep a straight face anymore and begins to grin from ear to ear. He puts the dumbbells down and joins in on the laughter. 

The laughs set up the perfect mood for the 60 minutes that follow. It also serves as the perfect example of how this trio, and the Pelicans team as a whole, move in general, on and off the court, and how it’s ultimately contributed to the very joyful run they’ve embarked on over the past 11 months. 

See, we weren’t even sure if this shoot would happen just hours earlier. A couple of days before we were to be on set, it was announced that Zion Williamson would miss at least three weeks with a hamstring strain, which he suffered against the 76ers at the top of the week. If the shoot were canceled as a result, it would have been understandable. After all, two of our three cover stars were currently injured—BI had been out since late November after suffering a toe injury. But despite the bad news just 48 hours before the shoot, we were told everything was still a go. Even then, we were concerned about what mood the guys would be in, considering the sudden loss of a second All-Star right when the team was playing some of its best basketball.

Again, any kind of somber or toned-down enthusiasm from the guys on set would have been very reasonable, given the circumstances. Except, there was none of that. Jokes, laughs and even an early arrival is what we got. 

The symbolism in all of this? It appears that a major reason why this team was one of the biggest surprises to the start of the 2022-23 campaign—the Pels were tied for the most wins (24-14) in the Western Conference on the day of our early-January shoot and had a home record of 17-4, despite its elite trio of Zion-BI-CJ only playing 10 games together all season up ’til then—seems to stem from an overall culture of trust and true buy-in. Trust that the plan put together by the front office has worked to a T because the roster combo works to a T. There is nothing but smiles on set because deep down they feel like the best is yet to come. 

It’s easy to see that this group genuinely clicks by the way they speak of each other. 

“CJ is like the dude that knows everything, but in a good way,” says Zion of McCollum. “Like, if you need to get plugged in with somebody or you have questions about anything, CJ, really, I don’t really know how, but he knows everybody. He has a friend or cousin for everything. I’m like, Yo, CJ, I like these bags. [He’d say,] Yo, I know this dude out in so and so, met him three years ago. I got you. And you know what? He always comes through with it. And I respect that.”

Adds Ingram of Zion: “Z, [he] wake[s] up—basketball. He ain’t gotta come to practice, he gonna have 40. Can’t nobody stop him. He in his own lane, though. He his own person. He ain’t worried about nobody else and he just stay true to his self.”

CJ finishes it off by speaking on Ingram: “BI…works hard, cares about the game a lot, loves his teammates, wants to win [by] any means necessary. Basketball junkie. Wants to be great. He’s funny. He acts like he’s quiet and shy but he not, he not at all.”

Just 11 months earlier, it was looking really bleak in The Big Easy. Their franchise player, Zion Williamson, was out for the season, and the team had a 22-32 record (they started the season 3-16) as the trade deadline approached. And then came February 8, 2022. The Pels acquired CJ McCollum from the Trail Blazers in a trade that sent Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tomas Satoransky, Didi Louzada and some draft picks to Portland, while New Orleans also welcomed Larry Nance Jr (and Tony Snell, who’s no longer in N.O.).

New Orleans went 1-4 right after the trade, sinking their record to 23-36. According to ESPN’s BPI projections, they had only a 10 percent chance of making the playoffs at that point. But it was here when things began to take a turn. The team went 13-10 to finish out the regular season, earning a spot in the play-in tournament as the 9th seed, and then beat the Spurs and the Clippers (coming back from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit) to earn the final spot in the playoffs. 

Their performance in the first round against the No. 1 seed Phoenix Suns really sent fans of the League (and in New Orleans, of course) into a frenzy. The series went six games (at one point it was tied 2-2, and kinda looking scary for CP3, Book and company), as the Pelicans made the Suns work for every last one of their buckets. And that was all without Zion, of course.

“Two things. I think when you get a taste of something, you want more of it, and being in the playoffs last year, seeing our fans come out and how important the games were, it made it better to play,” Ingram recalls. “It got me up more going into the playoff games, just going out there. And two, you just look around the room, and the players that you’re playing with—like, we know we got something special, we know we’re talented, but we know we have to come in here and work every single day and continue to learn the game, so that’s where our confidence comes from. Just being around each other every single day.”

With the Zion-BI-CJ pairing making its debut this past fall, expectations and excitement around what could be, might be, should be, all ran rampant. In his media day presser, Ingram said that a “championship” was the ultimate goal.

CJ has clarified in previous interviews that when the trade happened last year, he and his wife signed off on it because they saw the potential that New Orleans offered. Nonetheless, even he’s been taken aback by how good and how quickly the results have been. 

“I knew we were gonna be special, I just didn’t know how quickly we would get there. That’s always the hard part about figuring out roles, figuring out how to coexist, figuring out how to maneuver in game situations,” say McCollum. “You can’t script it. Like, you could practice and play together but you gotta be in the fold to really figure it out. And I think that’s what normally takes longer than what’s taken [us]. But I would say that I knew it was gonna be a great experience, I knew it was gonna be a great situation. [It’s been] probably better than I thought, honestly, in terms of how well we’re playing, how deep we are. I knew we were a good team, I didn’t know we were this deep, you know what I mean?

“Having conversations with the front office, with Willie [Green, head coach], understanding what they want to accomplish, short-term and long-term. I would say both parties, you know, for me and my family, and then from the organization, I would say that they’d probably say the same thing—it’s probably going better than we all expected because of how well I was able to assimilate into this culture, but also how well the younger guys were able to develop, and how I was able to just kind of figure out where I fit in.”

After finishing 21st in scoring last season, the team found itself at No. 3 in the League when we shot these photos 38 games into the season. And following a 6-6 start to the ’22-23 campaign, the team went on to win 12 of its next 14 games (including 7 in a row) to stamp its name among the top teams in the West early on.   

“A lot of buckets out there, a lot of buckets,” says Ingram of this year’s high scoring offense. “You know, the funny thing is we haven’t had a chance to play together, but for like maybe 10 games, at that. We got guys that just step up in roles that can really legit be starters on other teams. So, I think it’s just the culture, you know, we set an example of how to work around here and how we treat each other. So, from that, guys just come in here and work and we see the results on the floor. Everybody’s confident, 1 through 13, how[ever] many players that’s playing a night, everybody [is] confident to do what they do. So, coaches make it easy for us and the people that we’re around every day make it easy for us.”

The team eventually hit a slump with the absence of both Zion and BI in mid-January, eventually hitting a 10-game losing streak. They’re currently on a three-game winning streak after defeating the Hawks last night.

There’s still lots to smile about, though. And we’ll probably see a lot more of those come spring when the trio is healthy and ready to outdo last year’s playoff run. 

“I think it’s frustrating for Brandon, frustrating for Zion, that they don’t get to play more,” Pelicans GM Trajan Langdon tells us over the phone a couple of weeks after the shoot. “For us, taking a holistic view, it’s, you know, somewhat of a silver lining because you do get to see these [other] guys develop more, have them play a bigger role. There’s times when all three have been out of the lineup and other guys have to step up and play a huge role. Play 32 minutes, play 28 minutes, when [they’re] used to only playing 18. Guys that you didn’t think might be in the rotation at the start of the year now get to play 10, 15 straight games. So, I think that is going to bode well toward the end of the year when we get everybody healthy, that these guys have had bigger roles in big moments and games. And so that’s not gonna be an issue if they have to play in the fourth quarter at a crucial moment—they would have already done it. And if these injuries didn’t happen, that opportunity might not have happened for that player or players during the year. So, we’re looking at this as a silver lining and when we get these guys back, like you said, we’re deep. But it’s gonna make us even stronger in our depth, hopefully in a late March, early April playoff push.”

CJ adds: “I think for us playing in the playoffs [last year] against the high seed, having to fight in, gives you an idea of, like, OK, what can happen now if we get a higher seed? What can happen if we get home court advantage? What can happen if we win 50 games? You start to imagine what that’s like and then you go chase it. And I think that’s the stage that we’re in now—How do we win 50 games? How do we get a high seed? How do we get home court? What does that look like? What’s that experience gonna be like? And I think when you go through those moments and those experiences, it creates a growth mindset.” 

SLAM 242 is out now in this exclusive Gold Metal Edition and Cover Tee. Shop now.

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson

The post Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and Brandon Ingram are Ready to Take the Pelicans to New Heights appeared first on SLAM.

Here’s what happened across the L over the weekend. Let’s get it.

Darvin Ham Announces the Pain in Anthony Davis’ Foot ‘Has Just About Dissipated’:

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham told reporters that Anthony Davis’ foot has improved to the point that “his pain has just about dissipated” since he first suffered the injury two weeks ago against the Nuggets.

Darvin Ham, two weeks after Anthony Davis suffered the stress injury in his right foot, says “the biggest thing is, his pain has just about dissipated” and says Davis is trending in the right direction when it comes to approaching a ramp up to return to the court.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 30, 2022

LeBron James Drops 47-10-9 on his Birthday to Deliver a Lakers Win:

LeBron James showed us once again that age ain’t nothing but a number on his birthday. The four-time MVP turned 38 on Friday and celebrated this lap around the sun by dropping 47 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists to lead the Lakers to a 130-121 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

“At 18 years old, I knew how to play the game,” James said, per ESPN. “I knew I belonged in the NBA, but I didn’t know what I could become at 18. But I knew if I continued to put in the work and I continued to reach into the game, then I could be one of the greatest players to ever play this game.”

47 PTS
10 REB
9 AST@Lakers W@KingJames showed out on his 38th birthday!pic.twitter.com/33lO5BnVpo

— NBA (@NBA) December 31, 2022

CJ McCollum Knocks Down A Pelicans Record 11 Three-Pointers:

CJ McCollum was unstoppable Saturday night as he scored 42 points, four rebounds, five assists on a franchise record, and a career-high 11 made three-pointers against the 76ers.

“You don’t just fall into these types of nights,” McCollum said, per The Athletic. “It comes with preparation. It comes with a lot of different sacrifices you make in your household and things like that. Some nights I go to the gym. Some nights I’m getting treatment. Some nights I’m lifting. It’s time away from home. But I joke with my wife all the time and say, ‘I could be gone a lot and suck at basketball. Luckily, I’m gone a lot, and I don’t suck.’”

42 PTS
4 REB
5 AST
11 3PM (franchise-record, career-high)@CJMcCollum went OFF in the @PelicansNBA win. pic.twitter.com/s09E7DdoQr

— NBA (@NBA) December 31, 2022

Tyler Herro Brings in the New Year With a Buzzer-Beater:

Tyler Herro put an exclamation point on Miami’s strong offensive showing with a game-winning buzzer-beater to beat the Utah Jazz on New Year’s Eve, 126-123. Herro posted 29 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, followed by Bam Adebayo’s game-high 32 points and eight rebounds, and Victor Oladipo rounded out the final win in 2022 with 23 points off the bench.

Miami outscored Utah 54-32 in the win and shot 51 percent from the field. As a team, the Heat dished 32 assists on 45 buckets.

“The ball was flying around,” Herro said, per ESPN. “We were making plays for each other, getting stops defensively, and turning it into easy buckets on the other end.”

TYLER HERRO WINS IT FOR THE HEAT #TissotBuzzerBeater | #TimingEmotions pic.twitter.com/MqLHRlsVXL

— NBA (@NBA) January 1, 2023

Luka Doncic Makes More History After Dropping 50+ For the Third Time in 5 Games:

Luka Doncic has been on a historic tear while helping Dallas win six straight games after Doncic dropped 51 points, six boards, nine dimes, four steals, and six made triples to beat San Antonio 126-125. Luka Legend has dropped three 50+ points in his last five outings, put up the most 40+ point games in Mavs history, and became the first player ever to post 225+ points and 50+ rebounds, and 50+ assists over a five-game span.

The three-time All-Star is also the eighth player in NBA history to contribute three or more 50-point outings in a season before he turned 25-years-old. He joins James, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Rick Barry, Nate Archibald, and Wilt Chamberlain in the exclusive Hall-of-Fame club.

51 PTS
6 REB
9 AST
4 STL
6 3PM
W

Luka has dropped 50+ in 3 of his last 5 games. Unstoppable. pic.twitter.com/AFYYqmWaUb

— NBA (@NBA) January 1, 2023

The post NBA Weekend Recap: LeBron James Drops Buckets on His Birthday, and Luka Doncic Makes More History appeared first on SLAM.

Those abilities and the opposing defenses’ inability to keep him in front of them led to Williamson scoring 40 points for the first time during his three-year career. Furthermore, Williamson has a distinctive playstyle where he goes through or around defenders on his way to the rim with his incredible combination of size, strength, quickness, explosion, touch, and body control.

Simply put, Williamson is more likely to wear your ass out and break you down for 48 minutes than play like Kyrie Irving and finesse his way to the rim. Case in point, Williamson attempted 20 of his 21 shots in the paint, and only two came from outside of the restricted area. And that came against three-time Defensive Player of the Year and Timberwolves defensive anchor Rudy Gobert guarding the rim.

On Wednesday, all those unique qualities came together to help Williamson post a career-high 43 points on 14-21 shooting from the field, including 33 in the second half, as he showed off that he can close games out in high-pressure moments. He also went 14-19 from the free-throw line and contributed five assists to help New Orleans beat Minnesota 119-118.

“I’ve never seen anything like him. I’ve played with different types of players – scorers and guys who score in a variety of ways. But never someone who’s so paint-dominant,” teammate CJ McCollum said, per The Athletic. “Everything is predicated on drives to the paint. … the ability to make the right plays and be able to handle and move the way he does. The fluidity in his movements, but also the body control on the jumps. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that. I don’t think we will.”

Career night. Special moment for Z. (via @PelicansNBA) pic.twitter.com/NoG1XD6EmK

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 29, 2022

Williamson’s playstyle has helped New Orleans (22-12) take the top spot in the Western Conference. It’s a developing spot that matters a great deal to Williamson. The one-time All-Star is focused on winning and knows fans and media will “remember winners.”

“People remember winners,” the 22-year-old Williamson said, per ESPN. “When you look at some of the greatest of all time, the first thing you go to is championships, what they did in big moments.

Williamson also added that teammate McCollum urged Williamson to take over in the fourth quarter. And the former Duke Blue Devil took that advice and ran with it as head coach Wille Green told the Pelicans to “get the ball to Z and get the f— out of the way,” according to McCollum. Williamson scored 14 points over the final three minutes of the game.

43 last night. Most points Zion has scored so far. pic.twitter.com/FyEYdlLKuQ

— SLAM Kicks (@SLAMKicks) December 29, 2022

He’s a relentless player that doesn’t take his foot off the pedal, especially when attacking the paint. Williamson doesn’t settle for jumpers; among his 422 shot attempts, 396 of them have been in the paint. That constant aggressiveness helped Williamson average 30.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game in December.

New Orleans can build on their West-leading schedule when they play the 76ers on Friday.

The post CJ McCollum Has ‘Never Seen Anything’ Quite Like Zion Williamson’s Career-High 43-Point Outing appeared first on SLAM.

Despite having versatile weapons like Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, the Pelicans’ defense has been responsible for the team’s early success. In particular, it has been the highly criticized Zion Williamson at the forefront of it.

Williamson has averaged a career-high 1.3 steals a game to go with 0.6 blocks. According to ESPN, the acrobatic sensation has held opponents to 37.4 percent shooting as the contesting defender, which ranks fifth amongst players contesting 10 shots per game this season.

Looking back at New Orleans’ defense last year, they were 18th in the League in defensive rating without Williamson, who was out with a broken bone in his right foot. This season, the Pelicans are No. 3 in the League defensively, thanks to their 107.6 defensive rating.

Although Williamson’s impact and improvements defensively have surprised many this year, Ingram noticed the change before the campaign started and highlighted this aspect of his teammate’s game during the preseason.  

“You know what I’ve seen differently, especially on ball, is his defensive awareness,” Ingram told ESPN before the Pelicans’ preseason game versus the Miami Heat. “It looks like he has it in the back of his mind to have the effort on that end. That’s going to be something big for our team – We know we can score the basketball. But if everybody is defending and setting examples for everybody to go out there and defend, then that’s going to be much more difficult to beat us.”

As the 22-year-old’s defense continues to thrive, don’t let this distract you from what he is capable of offensively. This season, Williamson has still managed to put up 23.9 points and 7.2 rebounds on his regular impressive, efficient shooting from the field at 59 percent. The Pelicans forward will look to continue his all-around form with New Orleans again on Friday when they takes on the Phoenix Suns on Friday.

The post Zion Williamson’s Improved Defensive Play Raises the Pelicans’ Ceiling appeared first on SLAM.

“I told him tonight in the locker room that he was a monster. He carried us. He continued to make the right plays over and over again,” Pelicans head coach Willie Green said, via The Athletic. “He was flying around on both ends of the floor … It’s just impressive. Impressive to see.”

The Pelicans were without Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, the second and third leading scorer on the team. Williamson was expected to perform and he did just that, showing not only a return to form but a new peak of sustained excellence since he’s returned from his nagging knee injuries. 

“When you have players like BI and CJ out, you’ve got to pick up where they affect the game,” Williamson said. “I just want to thank Coach [Green] for trusting me to be myself, and the rest of the coaching staff and my teammates. If they don’t trust me, it may look a little different for me.”

His teammates showed that same level of trust in Williamson’s game. 

“He was a monster today. It was probably one of his best all-around games that I’ve seen,” said Pelicans forward Trey Murphy. “I’m super proud of him and the work that he’s put in. I know you guys criticize him a lot on his defense. Hopefully, he got more than a B+ today.”

Williamson’s defensive effort and conditioning have been called into question throughout his career but he exhibited the full repertoire on both ends last night, he was everywhere. He even had a key steal and bucket after a Toronto run that cut their lead from 31 to 11, to officially put the game away. 

Zion Williamson is a player always on the verge of improvement, it would be no surprise at all if he tops this showing the next time out. 

The post Zion Williamson’s ‘Monster’ Performance Lifts Pelicans to a Win Over Raptors appeared first on SLAM.

“Twitter already did its thing,” Williamson said jokingly, per ESPN. “They are the doctors, apparently.”

Williamson avoided serious injury and is expected to be day-to-day moving forward, according to him and Coach Willie Green. Green added that Williamson isn’t expected to miss an extended period of time and clarified that he removed Williamson from Wednesday’s game against the Miami Heat for precautionary reasons after he rolled his ankle early in the second quarter while he drive to the rim.

Williamson tweaked his ankle after he planted his left foot trying to get into the lane around Heat center Dewayne Dedmon. He played another three minutes before checking out for good with 11 points, two rebounds, and four assists on 3-7 shooting from the field and 5-6 from the free-throw line.

“It was one of those things where it happened, and I popped back up, like, ‘Yeah, I’m straight,'” Williamson said. “Played a few minutes after that, it felt fine. Then they sent me to the back just to double-check. We wanted to look at it, had a doc look at it, and he just said a little day-to-day soreness. And, but outside of that, I personally feel fine. Wasn’t bad news from the docs.”

Going into Friday’s preseason finale against the Atlanta Hawks, the Pelicans hope they can play their projected starting lineup. The group hasn’t played together yet while Brandon Ingram recovers from left fifth toe soreness. CJ McCollum has only played in two preseason games after Wednesday. Ingram told ESPN that he “felt good” and that his rehab has put him in a position to play on Friday.

New Orleans starts the season with an Oct 19. matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.

The post Zion Williamson Listed as Day-to-Day After Tweaking Left Ankle appeared first on SLAM.

Preparation Award: LeBron James 

LeBron is LeBron because of his insane work ethic. This summer, if a workout was scheduled for 10 AM, LBJ would walk in early at 9:15 AM. He’d then do a workout routine that included stretching, balance, and core for about 40 minutes. Once he was done with that, he’d go back to his post workout routine—stretching, some cool down and then balance exercises. For a player going into his 20th season, his body sure doesn’t look like it but he moves on the court like he’s 31, not 37.

Early Bird Award: Jimmy Butler 

Jimmy and I travelled the world this summer. From time zone to time zone, we worked out in New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Miami, the Hamptons, Switzerland, Paris…the list goes on. No matter where we were, we would always start our workouts at 6 AM—I’m not going to lie, but sometimes, depending on the time, I would be super tired when my alarm rang at 5 in the morning. But it was always a great feeling to be done with his first workout by 7:30 AM. In Europe, we even did double sessions. Jimmy had a great summer and I’m excited for him to show off his work this season. 

Biggest Black Ops Surprise (Non-NBA Player): Ian Jackson 

Over the years, I’ve had many elite high school players play in the summer Black Ops Runs: Donovan Mitchell, Obi Toppin, Cole Anthony, Adrian Griffin to name a few. But no high school player had a summer like Cardinal Hayes’ Ian Jackson. His first Black Ops Run was a learning lesson—the pace of the game was very fast for him and he struggled. However, he did come back the next day and played great and had eight threes and a series of nice dunks and passes. After that day, he was comfortable and he surprised NBA players all summer.

The Record Holder: CJ McCollum

There are a few drills each summer that I keep track of, specifically the player shooting 50 threes off the dribble or 100 threes off of the move. Well, CJ McCollum holds the record in almost all of them. He has an incredible work ethic and a very consistent jump shot. He made 92 out of 100 threes in one of the drills and also broke a few other records. 

Viral Sneaker Moment: LeBron James 

LeBron came to a workout one time with a light brown box in his hand. But there was no writing on the box. It wasn’t until after he did his pre-workout stretching routine that he laced up his sneakers and revealed that they were the LeBron 20s. It was the first time anyone had seen them. Within minutes of me posting a picture of them, the photo was everywhere and the top story on every sneaker blog across the world. Definitely a special moment. 

Breakout Season: Dre Hunter 

Dre Hunter worked out with me for the first time this summer and he was hungry! He learned very quickly and always pushed himself. I was very impressed with his professionalism and his skill level, too, and I think this year will be a huge year for Dre. 

Best 1 Day Performance in a Black Ops Run: Jaylen Brown

Jaylen Brown came to NYC during Fashion Week and pulled up to a Black Ops run. He dominated the run offensively and defensively, even hitting a series of game winners. He couldn’t be stopped and the entire gym saw how talented he was that day. On top of dominating the game, he had asked me to put Ian Jackson on his team so he could mentor him. He’s truly a great leader. 

What People Don’t Know: Drake’s Jumpshot

Everyone knows about Drake’s new gym at his house in Toronto but not everyone knows about how he’s improved his jumpshot. His form looked completely different from when I saw him last—he even played in a run at the Summit and hit 13 threes. The video went viral. 

Most Focused: Ty Jerome 

Ty Jerome’s work ethic this summer was on 1,000. He came to the gym all summer long to workout; he would jump into others players workouts to learn and he really improved. Every player that came to the gym consistently improved their games but Ty improved the most. I’m excited that he has landed on the Warriors. I think that’s a great fit for him. 

Efficiency Award: Kevin Love 

Kevin Love had a very productive offseason. Coming off of getting runner up for Sixth Man of the Year, he had an extra pep in his step this summer. We would shoot 100 threes after each workout and Kev would never get below 75; he’d average between 80 and 85. That is what I call efficient shooting. 

Best Conditioned: Julius Randle 

By the end of the offseason, Julius would come to the gym and workout for 90 minutes straight with no water break and free throws. He would ask me to push him as much as possible and most of the drills would be full court, too. He has to be one of the best conditioned athletes in all of the NBA. 

Biggest Surprise in a Black Ops Run: Paolo Banchero

Paolo came to a run after he was drafted No. 1 and people didn’t know what to expect at first. Well, when they left that day, they knew that Paolo was going to be a very special player. He scored in a number of ways: slashing to the hoop, mid post, offensive rebounds and threes. Funny part about his performance was that after the first game, I went up to him and said, “Can you please be aggressive!” He definitely listened and after a slow start, he stringed off about eight great games. 

Viral Moment: Donovan Mitchell’s Dunk

The angle of the video did not do the dunk justice, but when Donovan blew by his opponent and raised up for a two-hand dunk, he dunked it so hard that the entire backboard shifted. We had to stop the game and shift it back into center. The video went viral and the funny part was that one of the players had yelled out to Paolo Banchero, “Welcome to the NBA.” Unfortunately, Paolo was the one Donovan had blown by.

King of the Hill Award: Kevin Porter Jr.

During the course of the summer, one of my favorite things to do is have the players play 1-on-1. Kevin Porter Jr. was unstoppable in that setting and it didn’t matter if there was a three dribble limit or a single dribble limit. Kevin won every 1-on-1 matchup that summer.

Point God Award: Darius Garland and Cole Anthony

We’ve had some incredible performances by point guards this summer, but both Darius Garland and Cole Anthony played tremendously. The game looked so easy for them: not only do they make their teammates better, but they can get to anywhere they want on the court and make tough shots. Both of those guys have bright futures in the NBA.

Watch Out For: Kiyan Anthony 

Kiyan Anthony, who will be a sophomore at Christ the King, had one of those summers where you say, Man he got so much better! Not only did he grow about four inches this summer, but his game has really developed. He already has a handful of Division I offers and he’s nationally ranked.

The post The 2022 Black Ops Basketball Summer Recap and Awards appeared first on SLAM.

“I feel like I’m at my best right now — Moving faster, jumping higher. I feel great.”

The first overall pick of the 2019 Draft appeared at Media Day to remind everyone just how special basketball is to him; and the matter of transforming his body. Williamson broke down how he has been able to keep his body at a satisfactory level for him on Monday.

“I’ve learned a lot from a nutrition standpoint… how long I need to be in the gym and the most efficient way to work out.

Williamson has only played in 85 games for the Pelicans in his four-year career, but his dominance from his days at Duke University still transferred to the pros.

Williamson averaged 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game in the 22 games he played during his rookie season. The following year showed many why he went number one in the 2019 Draft, increasing his points per game average to 27 while also adding 7.2 boards and 3.7 assists. In both seasons, he was taking smart and efficient shots jumping from 58.3 percent shooting in 2019 to 61.1 percent shooting from the field in 2020.

“I found true resolve within the game of basketball. Something mentally in me shifted; the game of basketball is it for me. It’s my love. It’s what I want to do.”

Hearing words like the ones Williamson used at Media Day is certainly encouraging for the city of New Orleans. However, with that comes high expectations, and Williamson should be expected to prioritize being that potent, freakish athletic scorer the Pelicans took their chances on. With Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, and several key players at their position, the team adding back their superstar player with a killer mindset can reach high destinations.

The post Zion Williamson at His “Best Right Now’ After Rigorous Offseason appeared first on SLAM.

Take Flight @ZionWilliamson | #Pelicans pic.twitter.com/SSPhYaj9AG

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) June 13, 2022

Talking to New Orleans media on Saturday, Williamson spoke with reporters about his current situation.

“I do want to be here. That’s no secret. I feel like I’ve stood on that when I spoke,” Williamson said via ESPN. “Currently, this does not really have anything to do with that. This is just me wanting to be a pillar in my community.”

Williamson is eligible to sign a five-year, $186 million rookie extension with the Pelicans this coming offseason. He said he would sign the extension as quickly as possible to remain with the team.

Zion on the Pelicans playoff run pic.twitter.com/90EtyX0vJV

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) June 11, 2022

Given the current state of the roster, New Orleans is on an upward trajectory following the success of the last playoffs. They pushed the top-seeded Phoenix Suns to six games under first-year Coach Willie Green. With a core of CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, and Brandon Ingram, New Orleans has a roster that can go to the next level if Williamson re-signs.

“It sucked watching from the sideline, but I got to see our potential,” he said via CBS. “We’ve got a lot of great pieces, and I’m excited to get on the court with those guys — You saw it on the court. We have a special group. I truly believe that — I’m one of those people that believes the more your team wins, the more individual awards will come. So, with a special group, a coach like Willie [Green], I think a lot of great things will happen.”

The post Zion Williamson on Signing Extension: ‘I Want to Be Here’ appeared first on SLAM.

With the win, the Pelicans get the right to face the Los Angeles Clippers in Crypto.com Arena on Friday night. The winner qualifies as the eighth seed in the Western Conference and will play the No. 1 seed, Phoenix Suns, in the first round.

Before the game, all of the attention was on Zion Williamson and his pregame workouts that featured this acrobatic 360 masterpiece.

Zion casually ripping down a 360 pic.twitter.com/JnhoU0bdjZ

— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2022

But when the game started, the sellout crowd in the Smoothie King Center focused their attention on their newest franchise player CJ McCollum, who was the difference in keeping a very balanced Spurs team at bay.

“He was great,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said of McCollum’s importance, per ESPN. “He set the tone early. He understood the moment, and it sort of calmed the rest of the guys down. We just got the ball to him, and he made play after play, score after score, and then the rest of the guys that just started to feed off CJ.”

Nothing illustrated that point more than when Brandon Ingram went to the bench with three fouls in the first half. McCollum spearheaded a 14-4 run over the final 3:36 of the half with two three-pointers and two layups to put the Pelicans up 61-50.

McCollum made 10 of his first 12 shots, including 2-3 from long range, to drop 27 first-half points and finished the night with a game-high 32 points.

@CJMcCollum was RED HOT in the first half scoring 27 points on 10/12 FGM! #WBD

The @PelicansNBA will now advance in the #MetaQuestPlayIn to face the LA Clippers with the 8th seed in the West on the line!

PELICANS vs. CLIPPERS
Friday, April 15th at 10pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/cllyfGpdFH

— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2022

New Orleans counts on the Lehigh product for his veteran leadership, which he acknowledged after the game in his press conference.

“I was just trying to be locked in and aggressive early,” McCollum said. “The playoffs is a lot of antics, a lot of momentum plays, a lot of back and forth. You’ve got to be stable and mentally locked in to withstand a certain level of (chaos). … There’s going to be a lot of winning in our future.”

McCollum had plenty of help as well. When San Antonio made their late run, Ingram shook off his early foul trouble to finish with 27 points, including two huge jumpers. He started the Pelicans’ in-game dunk contest with this monster dunk over Zach Collins.

THE CROWD WENT ABSOLUTELY WILD FOR THIS B.I. POSTER

: @ESPNNBA
: @ESPNRadioNOLA pic.twitter.com/oco71BIHWd

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 14, 2022

Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds.

By the end of the game, the only dunk that the crowd was going crazy over was Herb Jones’ baseline slam matching Ingram’s to put the game away.

.@_hoopinglife got UP!

: @ESPNNBA
: @ESPNRadioNOLA pic.twitter.com/WiZ7H4RozG

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 14, 2022

This victory ends New Orleans’ postseason drought that started back in 2018.

The post CJ McCollum Shines As the New Orleans Pelicans Eliminate San Antonio appeared first on SLAM.

It was a reminder to both Williams—the youngest VP of the National Basketball Players Association—and women across the sports landscape of why the efforts of organizations like the NBPA are so vital. 

“We have to support our players because we want the best products on the court,” Williams tells us via Zoom. “See how it goes and see that the value of not only the W but how the value of the brand of the WNBA will grow.”

From the moment Williams stepped into the League out of Tennessee, the 23-year-old has been devoted to making the landscape easier to traverse for future players while growing their individual brands at the same time. 

As a rookie during the Players Association’s annual winter meeting during the 2019-20 season, Williams ran for a VP role in the executive committee against Karl-Anthony Towns and Kyrie Irving. Ultimately losing out to the now Brooklyn guard, Williams’ run planted the seeds within the minds of the Board of Representatives of the unique vision he could bring to the role. 

CJ McCollum, Andre Iguodala and Chris Paul all came up to Williams at the end of the meeting, expressing their support for the youngster and for his passion. “Don’t stop running, we would love to have you on this exec committee,” he recalls them saying.

Next thing he knew, Paul’s three-year term had come to an end, with McCollum consequently filling his shoes as the PA’s next president, leaving his VP seat vacated. 

This time around, Williams received five nominations: CP3, CJ, Andre, Jaylen Brown and one other vote. 

Since last August, Williams has been directly involved with the setup and installation of the social justice committee, which came out of the 2020 Bubble’s social movements and protests. Grant’s focus isn’t on what he can do for the players now. “It’s, What can I do for you when your career is done? What can I do for you when you first get into the League?”

“I’ve just been trying my best to learn and absorb all the information possible, but also impact and speak on my opinion and voice the issues of not only the younger players, but also players who are not in a position of the superstars, and the ones that make millions of dollars already,” Williams adds. 

He’s relatively new to the inner workings of the NBA, like dealing directly with the League office and the players he doesn’t yet have relationships with, but this new landscape has provided Williams opportunities to grow as a leader.

“If I can’t figure it out myself, I’m gonna find someone who can,” he says. “If I can’t help you out today, I’m gonna find a way to help you tomorrow. I feel like servant leadership. I feel like as a man, I’ve really embraced it.”

“Whether it’s the NBA, whether it’s mentoring, I feel like these are all things that are very valuable for the next generation. Because we’ve set ourselves up well as NBA players to make generational wealth,” Williams says. “Now it’s about helping those around us to do the same.” 

Photo Credit Richard Brooks NBPA and via Getty Images.

The post How Celtics’ Grant Williams is Making His Voice Heard as VP of the NBPA’s Executive Committee appeared first on SLAM.

Those absences have opened the door for one of the G League’s top scorers to get an opportunity in the NBA.

On Thursday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Pelicans had signed Tyrone Wallace to a 10-day contract with the team.

Wallace has been applying his trade in the G League with the Long Island Nets, where over 16 games, he’s averaged 21.1 points, 5.2 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. As Wojnarowski notes, over his last 11 games, he’s averaged 27 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game.

This won’t be Wallace’s first shot in the League, as he has played three seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers since being drafted out of Cal in 2016. Wallace has played in 106 career games over three seasons, two with the Clippers and one with the Atlanta Hawks, and has averaged 5.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.

Wallace hasn’t played in the NBA since 2019, though, last suiting up for the Hawks on Dec. 4, 2019. Since then, Wallace has been applying his trade exclusively in the G League for the Nets, Agua Caliente Clippers, and the College Park Skyhawks.

The Pelicans (27-39) are a team on the fringes of the playoffs at the moment, holding on to the 10th seed and the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, just 1.5 games ahead of the 11th place Portland Trail Blazers.

Wallace will get his first chance to help his new team on Friday night when the Pelicans take on the Charlotte Hornets (32-35) at home.

The post REPORT: Pelicans Sign Tyrone Wallace to 10-Day Contract appeared first on SLAM.

McCollum spoke again on Thursday after practice to defend his new teammate, saying Williamson is just taking time to rehab and that people need to “Leave the young fella alone.”

McCollum is a new arrival in New Orleans, getting sent south by the Portland Trail Blazers at the NBA’s trade deadline. The trade was a big one, as Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell joined McCollum in New Orleans. The Pelicans sent back Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada, a 2022 first-round pick, and two future second-round picks.

Since joining the Pelicans, McCollum has put up tough numbers, averaging 28.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game in his first five outings for New Orleans. McCollum spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Blazers, putting up 19.0 points and 3.4 assists per game over his career.

Williamson has yet to join McCollum on the court, as he has spent the season out injured, recovering from a foot injury suffered during the preseason. In his brief appearances for New Orleans thus far, Williamson has been dynamic, averaging 25.7 points, 7.0 boards, and 3.2 dimes per game to go along with an All-Star appearance last season.

The Pelicans will need him back soon, too, as they make a final push for a play-in spot. New Orleans sits at 12th in the Western Conference with a 23-36 record.

The post CJ McCollum Backs Zion Williamson: ‘Leave the Young Fella Alone’ appeared first on SLAM.

After a heartbreaking series of trades involving longtime backcourt partner CJ McCollum and a few other important star role pieces apart of the Blazers team, Dame made it known that his loyalty remains with the Blazers.

The star duo had been together since 2013-2014 but hadn’t reached the peak of their potential until McCollum’s MIP season back in 2015-2016. Despite making the playoffs every season since acquiring McCollum, hardships always presented themselves in the postseason.

Following the trade that sent McCollum, Larry Nance Jr, and Tony Snell to the Pelicans, Trail Blazers insider Casey Holdhal spoke with Lillard about the current state of the franchise and how he is handling his surgical recovery on his abdominal injury.

“For me, my heart is Portland Trail Blazer. I want to win it. I know that I have a plan that’s going to put me on my best level when I come back to play. And I want our team to fit that,” Lillard said per Blazers.com. “I’m just waiting patiently to let things unfold and allow him to execute his plan. Once we get there and we see what that looks like and what that is, then I’ll have, I guess, more feelings than I have now, but you’ve got to allow him to do his job and see what that finished product is. That’s just where I am.” Blazers.com.

Lillard told Holdahl that he and McCollum had had conversations in the past about how their breakup could be imminent.

“This is something that me and C, we talked about it over the years, like, this being a possibility,” Lillard said. “But time went on, we both knew that it’s going to come a point where we might not be a backcourt anymore, whether that was him getting traded or me getting traded.

Being that the six-time All-Star has been in and out of the lineup this season with an abdominal injury, it is still unclear when, or if, Lillard will return this season.

The post Damian Lillard: ‘My Heart Remains With the Trail Blazers’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Trail Blazers are waiving center Cody Zeller, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA. Blazers needed to clear one roster spot to make room for players acquired in New Orleans trade. Zeller had surgery on his right knee on Jan. 25 and was scheduled to be evaluated 8-10 weeks after.

— Jason Quick (@jwquick) February 9, 2022

Zeller had been out since January 25th after undergoing surgery to repair a right patellar avulsion fracture, which has cost more than 20 games this season. After signing a free-agent contract with Portland last offseason, he’s played 27 games with averages of 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds off the bench.

Before coming to the Blazers, Zeller was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft of the Charlotte Hornets and averaged 8.7 points and 6.0 rebounds in 22.7 minutes. He averaged double figures three times, with his best season coming in 2019-20, when he averaged a career-high in points (11.1) and rebounds (7.1).

However, Zeller’s injury issues have stunted his career, costing him substantial playing time in several seasons. Since playing every game as a rookie, he has never played more than 62 games in a season while averaging just 50 games in his last five seasons.

The post REPORT: Portland Trail Blazers Waive Veteran Center Cody Zeller appeared first on SLAM.

On Tuesday night, the NBA announced the eight players participating in the All-Star weekend three-point contest.

It’s a list of participants all seeking a first three-point contest championship, with most of the players participating in the event for the first time in their careers.

CJ McCollum and Zach LaVine are the veterans of the contest, with each having participated in two prior three-point contests. Trae Young is the only other player of the eight to have participated in a previous three-point contest, and this will be his second.

Karl Anthony-Towns, Fred VanVleet, LaVine, and Young, will also be playing in the All-Star Game the following night.

Patty Mills is the oldest player in the group at 33 years old, and there’s no question he can shoot the rock as a career 39.2 percent three-point shooter and is shooting 42.4 percent from distance so far this season. On the flip side, Desmond Bane – who is in his second NBA season – is the contest’s least experienced player but is shooting 42.1 percent from deep over his career.

Luke Kennard, though, maintains the highest three-point percentage of the eight players this season, knocking down 40.8 percent of his shots beyond the arc this season. Every player on the field is shooting better than 38 percent from three this season.

In addition to the three-point contest, the NBA also announced the dunk contest participants and skill challenge participants.

The NBA All-Star weekend begins on Friday, Feb. 18, with the three-point contest taking place on Saturday, Feb. 19, and the All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 20.

The post NBA Announces Three-Point Contest Participants appeared first on SLAM.

Full trade, per sources:
Blazers: Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Walker-Alexander, Didi Louzada, 2022 protected first-round pick, two second-round picks.
Pelicans: CJ McCollum, Larry Nance, Tony Snell.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022

According to multiple reports, the Blazers add Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tomas Satoransky, Didi Louzada, and a protected 2022 first round draft pick. The Pelicans receive McCollum, Larry Nance, and Tony Snell.

The Blazers were active in the trade market recently after moving Norman Powell and Robert Covington but remain in the mix to improve their team. The McCollum deal comes hot off the heels of reports coming out that the Trail Blazers were considering options from the Knicks as well as the Pelicans.

Acquiring McCollum can be a positive addition to their offense thanks to his sublime shooting and underrated playmaking abilities as a passer and shot creator. It’ll help alleviate the pressure of scoring and playmaking on not only Brandon Ingram but Zion Williamson once he completes his rehab from a foot injury he suffered in the offseason.

Removing McCollum would also open the door for Anfernee Simons, who has broken out in his fourth year with Portland. The 22-year-old guard averages 15.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. Moving Powell helped open up more minutes for Simons, and doing so with McCollum would help create a spot in the starting lineup that Simons could fill.

A Lillard-Simons backcourt could help inject the energy that Blazers need to make a run for a play-in spot similar to what they did in the 2020 Orlando Bubble.

The next time Portland plays is Tuesday against the Orlando Magic at home.

The post Update: Pelicans and Trail Blazers Agree to Blockbuster CJ McCollum Deal appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s top NBA insider, Adrian Wojnarowski, Damian Lillard is unavailable. New interim general manager Joe Cronin plans to execute the franchise’s goals of building around their All-Star.

Lillard has repeatedly expressed his commitment to want to remain in Portland on his current long-term contract, and interim GM Joe Cronin has also expressed a strong commitment to continue building the franchise around the All-NBA guard.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 10, 2021

Instead, the Blazers tried to discuss another deal that included possibly moving guard CJ McCollum instead but were quickly rebuffed.

Simmons has not suited up to play for the Sixers this season after requesting a trade shortly after last year’s playoff loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Then after initially refusing to show up for training camp and being fined, he told the team he did not feel mentally ready to play. The Sixers, however, continued to fine Simmons at times throughout this period while refusing any deal that they believed would be a fair return. A hard stance that Philly executive Daryl Morey stated could go on for a long time.

What is being factored in all of the potential Simmons trade talks is the options Philly has on Wednesday. As of December 15, free agents who signed new contracts over the summer are considered eligible to be traded. All told, that’s an additional 106 players or almost 25 percent of the league. According to ESPN, 84 percent of the 446 players are eligible. This potential flexibility explains why Morey and the Sixers were content to play the waiting game. 

The post REPORT: Blazers Remove Damian Lillard From Ben Simmons Trade Talks appeared first on SLAM.

Portland was out three key players; Damian Lillard (abdominal tendinopathy), Norman Powell (right quad contusion), and Nassir Little (left ankle sprain).

In their stead, McCollum bore the weight, dropping 28 points, six assists, four rebounds, and two steals in the Blazers 110-92 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. In his 22nd game with Portland this season, McCollum surpassed Clifford Robinson to become the organization’s 5th all-time leading scorer.

McCollum has now scored 10,425 in his career, needing to score 905 points to overtake Terry Porter, who holds down fourth place with 11,330 points.

Congratulations, @CJMcCollum! pic.twitter.com/x7xIDLYCMC

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) December 1, 2021

McCollum is averaging 20.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game this season. He’s shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from beyond the arc. The Trail Blazers will host the San Antonio Spurs Thursday night.

The post CJ McCollum Becomes 5th All-Time Leading Scorer in Trail Blazer History appeared first on SLAM.

In an interview with Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, McCollum says that the current Blazers roster could absolutely win an NBA Championship.

“I think whenever we step on the court, we have a chance to win a championship,” McCollum says. “If you don’t have that mindset and that mentality, then you shouldn’t play.”

The future of the Blazers has an air of uncertainty heading into the 2021-22 season, after an offseason of rumors surrounding both Lillard and McCollum potentially being traded out of Portland.

Nothing has come of these rumors so far, and it currently looks as though both of them will remain on the team for the start of the season.

The Blazers finished sixth in the Western Conference last season, with a record of 42-30, and were eventually bounced out of the NBA Playoffs in the first round by the Denver Nuggets. Portland has only managed to get past the first round once out of the past five years.

Now under new head coach Chauncey Billups, the Blazers will look to prove McCollum right in the 2021-22 season.

The post CJ McCollum Says Current Trail Blazers Could Win Championship appeared first on SLAM.

McCollum succeeds 16-year veteran Chris Paul, who was the president of the NBPA for the previous two terms, beginning in 2013. Prior to being elected, McCollum was already an integral member of the NBPA, serving as a vice president on the NBPA’s executive committee since 2018.

“I am grateful for this opportunity to take over as the new president of the NBPA,” McCollum said. “Chris has done an incredible job over the last 8 years, strengthening the voice of the players as a whole and using his platform to make sure our membership is taken care of on and off the court. I look forward to stepping into this role and to further growing the game so that future players can continue to learn and benefit from the Union’s work.”

Some of Paul’s major accomplishments were transferring the players’ group licensing rights back to the union and the birth of THINK450, the for-profit section of the NBPA that handles those rights for the players. He also was a key figure in the creation and maintenance of the Orlando bubble in 2020 and the subsequent 2020-21 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among McCollum’s major projects will be finding a replacement for Michele Roberts, who has been the Executive Director of the NBPA since 2014. He will have Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams, elected as vice president, at his side. 

The post CJ McCollum Elected As President of National Basketball Players Association appeared first on SLAM.

Fortunately for Portland — who has managed to notch a 22-16 record (sixth in the Western Conference) in the absence of McCollum, Nurkic, Zach Collins and Harry Giles — All-Star point guard Damian Lillard will have his backcourt mate back soon.

As first reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, McCollum will return to the Blazers’ lineup on Tuesday as Portland faces off against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Additionally, according to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes, Nurkic intends to return to the team in “approximately two weeks.”

Prior to his foot injury, McCollum was having a career season, averaging 26.7 points, 5.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting .441 from deep. In 12 games, Nurkic was averaging 9.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.9 steals per contest in what was a down season but still one in which he demonstrated his versatility..

With the addition of McCollum and Nurkic, a steady Portland squad has a chance to surge up the Western Conference standings as their starting lineup and bench will improve significantly.

The post Blazers Starters CJ McCollum, Jusuf Nurkic Nearing Return appeared first on SLAM.

Initially, team doctors reported McCollum’s injury as a foot sprain and he didn’t return after halftime. Additional imaging revealed that he has both a mid-foot sprain and a small hairline fracture “to the lateral cuneiform in his left foot,” possibly from when Hawks center Clint Capela stepped on his foot in the first quarter.

McCollum will be fitted with a walking boot and subsequently be re-evaluated in four weeks.

Now in his eighth NBA season, McCollum has gotten off to a sizzling hot start this season, averaging 26.7 points and 5.0 assists on .473 percent shooting from the field and .411 percent shooting from 3-point range. All career-highs.

After getting off to an 8-5 start, the Trail Blazers have dropped to sixth in the Western Conference in their first game without McCollum. They lost to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday in a 21-point drubbing.

The post CJ McCollum Fractures Left Foot, To Miss At Least 4 Weeks appeared first on SLAM.

Many athletes have unapologetically rejected the notion of “sticking to sports” and have been using their platforms to not only speak out on the litany of issues that came attached to the hip of the new decade, but to also inform the world around them.

Blazers guard CJ McCollum is one of many players who has been actively utilizing his platform.

After undergoing surgery to repair a vertebral fracture, McCollum decided to hone in on his journalistic passion by starting his very own show, “ReMaking America.”

The first episode features Sixers forward Tobias Harris and Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell. The three are rivals on the court, but they teamed up together to have a sit down with California senator and vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

The first episode of “ReMaking America” discusses a slew of topics ranging from voting, police brutality, education reform, and the importance of investment in underserved communities.

The post CJ McCollum Interviews Kamala Harris on ‘ReMaking America’ appeared first on SLAM.

Utah took control in the second half, led by 28 points from Bojan Bogdanovic; Rudy Gobert added 20 points and 9 rebounds. Collin Sexton put up 32 points in the loss.

Rockets 123 (39-21), Knicks 125 (19-42)

Houston had a chance to tie the game with the final possession, but New York locked up on defense to shut down the Rockets’ comeback attempt. Rookie RJ Barrett tied a career high with 27 points, including the bucket that put the Knicks ahead for good. James Harden scored 35 points for Houston.

Blazers 130 (27-25), Magic 107 (27-34)

Portland overwhelmed Orlando in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Magic 38-19 to take home the win. CJ McCollum did it all for the Blazers, leading them with 41 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Magic center Nikola Vucevic posted a double-double of 30 points and 11 rebounds.

Grizzlies 127 (30-31), Hawks 88 (19-44)

Nine Memphis players hit double digits in the victory over Atlanta. Gorgui Dieng paced the Grizzlies with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Bucks 89 (52-9), Heat 105 (39-22)

Miami’s defense held the reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to only 13 points as the Heat overwhelmed the Bucks. Jae Crowder and Jimmy Butler each chipped in 18 points to Miami’s winning effort.

Mavericks 107 (37-25), Bulls 109 (21-40)

Chicago outscored Dallas 33-17 in the third quarter, a turning point for the game. Six Bulls put up double-digit scoring, led by Coby White’s 19 points. Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 26 points for Dallas.

Pacers 116 (37-24), Spurs 111 (25-34)

Indiana stormed back in the final minutes to leave San Antonio with the win. Malcolm Brogdon scored a team-high 26 points. Patty Mills contributed 24 points in 23 minutes off the bench.

The post Post Up: CJ McCollum Scores 41 Points as Blazers Snap Losing Streak appeared first on SLAM.

With the game close down the stretch, Lebron James (29 points) hit a clutch turnaround to give the Lakers the lead as they escaped with the W on Sunday afternoon.

Anthony Davis finished with 32 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Kyle Kuzma was huge off the bench, scoring 16 points.

Raptors 127 (41-15), Pacers 81 (33-23)

Pascal Siakam scored a game-high 21 points, Kyle Lowry had 16 points and Serge Ibaka finished with 15 points to give Toronto its 17th of 18th win. Matt Thomas (17 points), Terence Davis (13 points) and Rodae Hollis-Jefferson (12 points) combined for 43 bench points.

Nuggets 128 (39-18), Timberwolves 116 (16-39)

Four of Denver’s starters finished in double figures with Paul Millsap scoring 25 points in 26 minutes. Monte Morris had 13 points off the bench.

Thunder 131 (35-22), Spurs 103 (24-32)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with a team-high 22 points, Steven Adams finished with 21 points and Luguentz Dort went 6-for-6 from the field, adding 15 points in the win.

Bulls 126 (20-38), Wizards 117 (20-35)

Zach LaVine put up 32 points in 36 minutes in the home win. Coby White had an impressive performance, too, scoring 33 points off the bench.

Pelicans 115 (25-32), Warriors 101 (12-45)

Zion Williamson scored 28 points, scoring 20-plus points for the eighth-straight game. Jrue Holiday finished with 23 points and dished out 15 dimes in the Bay.

Trailblazers 107 (26-32), Pistons 104 (19-40)

CJ McCollum had a 41-point performance in the W. Carmelo Anthony was the Blazers’ second-leading scorer with 32 points.

The post Post Up: LeBron Hits Clutch Basket to Lead Lakers Past Celtics 👑 appeared first on SLAM.

“We never really consider ourselves underdogs,” says Collins, adding that they’re focused on winning a title.

The big fella credits All-Star teammates Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum with fostering a winning culture in Portland.

Per HoopsHype :

Would you agree that you guys have embraced that underdog role and approach everything with that us-against-the-world attitude?

ZC: “Yeah. Like you said, every year since I’ve been here, the analysts say that we’re not even going to make the playoffs, and then we get the two-seed and three-seed back to back. So, to us, it’s just white noise. I mean, we don’t really pay attention to it. And if we do, it’s just motivation, like you said, embracing that underdog role. But we never really consider ourselves underdogs. We always consider ourselves the best team in the West, one of the best teams in the NBA. So for us, it’s not really ever like a conversation about how they’re counting us out and how we’ve got to prove them wrong. It’s always about how this is the year and we have the guys in the locker room to compete for a championship. So what they say about us, we don’t really converse about – we’re on our own path. Inside that locker room, we’re all together and we’re going into this season with one goal and that’s to win a championship, regardless of what everybody else is saying.”

There are quite a few teams that seem like legitimate contenders and it feels more wide open than in recent years. Would you agree with that?

ZC: “Absolutely. I think both conferences got a lot better. It’s been a while since there wasn’t – according to other people and analysts and talk shows and websites and everything – a clear-cut favorite. I know a lot of people are talking about the Clippers and Lakers. But again, those are two teams that, in the past, weren’t really up for talks about a championship. So even that right there just tells you how much has changed over the summer and how much better the entire league is going to be, not just one part of it.”

Related Portland Won’t Load-Manage Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum

The post Portland’s Zach Collins: ‘We Always Consider Ourselves the Best Team in the West’ appeared first on SLAM.

McCollum adds that the Trail Blazers can’t load-manage their two stars the way the Toronto Raptors successfully did with Kawhi Leonard last season.

Portland’s braintrust will focus instead on giving Dame and CJ as much rest as possible in-between games.

Per The Oregonian:

“We’re not some big super team,” Lillard said. “So I don’t think we have the luxury to sit out, especially with how competitive the West is going to be.”

Added McCollum: “The race in the Western Conference is extremely tight. I don’t know if we can afford to Kawhi it, so to speak. You’ll Kawhi your way out of the playoffs.”

That said, it sure wouldn’t hurt the Blazers’ postseason aspirations to manage their stars. McCollum led the NBA in total distance run from 2015-18, a three-year stretch that saw him run a combined 634.20 miles during games. A late-season knee injury was the only thing preventing him from “defending his title” a year ago. And Lillard, who ranked fifth in the NBA last season in distance run (202 miles), looked gassed late in the 2019 Western Conference playoffs, a byproduct of playing longer than ever and carrying the Blazers after McCollum and [Jusuf] Nurkic suffered late-season injuries.

“We got to the Western Conference finals and I felt it,” Lillard said. “We hadn’t been that far and my body was tired. I was fatigued to the point where it was a real challenge. How I manage myself leading up to that point is going to mean everything.”

Related Damian Lillard: ‘Our Focus is to Win a Championship’

The post Portland Won’t Load-Manage Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum appeared first on SLAM.

Lillard says they need to embrace championship expectations.

The Portland front office believes this is the “deepest, most talented, most experienced” squad they’ve assembled to date.

Per The AP:

“On one side we’re not coming into this season saying, ‘Oh we made it to the Western Conference finals last year so that’s automatically going to happen.’ We’ve got a completely different team, a lot of building to be done,” Lillard said. “But this year we’re coming in and our focus is to win a championship. I think our mentality has to shift to that.”

Blazers President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey said [former team owner Paul] Allen’s sister, Jody Allen, wants to win a “couple of championships,” with the Blazers, reiterating her commitment to the team. Olshey said she was just unanimously approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors.

“This is the deepest, most talented, most experienced team we’ve had since we’ve been here. … Clearly when Nurk gets back, it’s the biggest team we’ve had. I like the fact we brought in guys like Pau with a championship pedigree, who have been to where we’re trying to get to,” Olshey said. “And I think coming off the heels of last year’s run, it’s given these guys a springboard. Instead of finishing on a negative, we finished really strong and it has really inspired the guys.”

Related Damian Lillard: ‘What is the Challenge or the Fun’ in Joining a Superteam?

The post Damian Lillard: ‘Our Focus is to Win a Championship’ appeared first on SLAM.

The 29-year-old, four-time NBA All-Star says his excellence both on and off the court in Portland put him “right there” in the conversation.

Teammate CJ McCollum adds that winning a championship would “cement” Lillard’s legacy in Rip City.

Per Billboard:

What are your goals to become one of the best Trail Blazer in the franchise? What’s your criteria for being the best and what do you want to achieve?

Lillard: “I want to be the best Trail Blazer ever. And I think, it’s bigger than basketball to me. I think, obviously, you have to have the numbers to back it up which I am already on track for. I’m second in points. I think I am top three in assists. Free throws made, three pointers made, I’m No. 1. Like I’m up there as far as the stats. I think just continue to win. We’ve had three 50-plus win seasons in my seven seasons, one that wasn’t a 50-win season was a 49-win season. I’ve been All-NBA four times. I was first team All-NBA. I’ve been on four All-Star teams. Played in the Western Conference Finals this past year. I hold the [team’s] single-game scoring record. All these records, like everything. I just think an MVP, a championship.

“But what I do around the city, I am actually heavily involved in the hip-hop scene in Portland. All the communities in Portland from the suburbs to the hood. I’m involved. And it’s not like I’m paying for stuff, I’m giving my time. I think when we talk about the best Trail Blazer ever, all of those things should be taken into account. And I’m on top of it in every area.

“I’m representing the city. A lot of the best players that played here, that are considered the best players, didn’t want to play here and eventually left. Once I got on, I wanted to play here. I enjoy living here. I think I’m right there. I just got to continue doing what I’m doing and finish it off right.”

Related Damian Lillard: Western Conference ‘Definitely Not’ Wide Open

The post Damian Lillard: ‘I Want to Be the Best Trail Blazer Ever’ appeared first on SLAM.

McCollum, who became eligible to sign the extension over the weekend, is under contract through the 2023-24 season. Damian Lillard, who recently inked a super-max extension, is under contract through the 2024-25 campaign, though the last season of his deal is a player option.

The Blazers selected McCollum with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2013 draft out of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The shooting guard helped the team get to the Western Conference Finals last season.

The post CJ McCollum Signs Three-Year Extension With Blazers appeared first on SLAM.

Lillard says his team showed the world “who they are” during their playoff run, which ended after four games in the Western Conference Finals.

Dame, playing through a rib injury since Game 2, finished with 28 points and 12 assists in the 119-117 overtime loss. Meyers Leonard added 30 ponts and 12 assists, and CJ McCollum had 26 points and 7 assists for Portland.

Per The Oregonian:

“In the past, a lot of people … didn’t really believe this was a real possibility,” Lillard said. “It’s like, ‘Oh, they’re going to make the playoffs. They’re going to make some noise. Second round. Blah, blah, blah, blah.’ But now it’s like, ‘OK, this the Western Conference finals.’ I think we’ve shown we’re capable. We can get it done. And I think our route here was as hard as anybody’s. We played the Thunder. Great team. We played Denver. A great team. It wasn’t like we just eased our way in and mistakenly got here. We earned this.

“We showed that this is who we are.”

Lillard has long said he thought the team was poised for greatness, that it had the potential to challenge for NBA Finals berths and compete for championships. And while many scoffed, dismissing his determination as stubborn and silly dreaming, it turns out he was right all along.

And, of course, it all ended with two surreal games from Meyers Leonard, who silenced seven years of doubters by helping the Blazers push the three-time NBA champions until that last-second shot in overtime fell short.

“I’m glad about the fight,” [Rodney] Hood said. “We’re resilient. We just kept fighting. We have a team full of fighters.”

Related Damian Lillard: Blazers ‘Really Confident’ vs Golden State

The post Damian Lillard: ‘We Showed That This is Who We Are’ appeared first on SLAM.

Lillard says the Warriors are “much better matchup for us” compared to the more physically-bruising Denver Nuggets, which Portland eliminated in seven games in the previous round.

Dame, an Oakland native, adds that facing the Dubs in their final season at Oracle Arena is “a storybook moment.”

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

Eyebrows were raised Monday morning when a quote from Damian Lillard started circulating in which the Portland Trail Blazers star supposedly told a Denver Nuggets ball boy that the Warriors were “due” to be beaten in the playoffs.

“I didn’t say that, for one,” Lillard said. “He was ear hustling on a conversation that I was having with someone and I wasn’t even talking about the Warriors. That’s unprofessional and I was disappointed by that just because you don’t try to ear hustle and then quote me as saying something that I didn’t say, especially when you’re standing right next to me and you could have just asked me.”

Needless to say, Lillard likes the Blazers’ chances in their first conference finals since 2000.

“I’m really confident,” Lillard said. “Like Casey said, we split the season series with them. We’ve won on their floor and on our floor. So, I think that shows we know we are capable of winning. We know we are capable of beating them. We just have to go out there and do it. Put it on the floor.”

The post Damian Lillard: Blazers ‘Really Confident’ vs Golden State appeared first on SLAM.

McCollum’s heroics pushed the Portland Trail Blazers to a dramatic 100-96 road win, and into the Western Conference Finals.

An emotional Damian Lillard said this was their reward for staying the course following a humiliating first round playoff sweep at the hands of the lower-seeded New Orleans Pelicans last season.

Per The Athletic:

“I like big moments, man,” McCollum said afterward. “I make my name off big moments. That’s how I got here. Playing big in high school (Canton, Ohio), big games in college (Lehigh), and playing big in games as a younger player in the NBA.

“But this is what I live for. This is when I play my best basketball,” McCollum said.

He also had the game’s biggest defensive play, chasing down Jamal Murray and blocking the fastbreak layin attempt by the Nuggets’ star guard.

McCollum credited Seth Curry for cutting off Murray’s lane to the basket.

“Then (Murray) just put it right there for me and I just went and got it, ‘Bron style,”’ McCollum said. “Shout out to my guy Bron (LeBron James). It was a mini-version of LeBron’s block on (Andre Iguodala) a few years ago (in the NBA Finals). It’s something I will remember forever. I might have to get a picture of that one.”

The post CJ McCollum: ‘I Make My Name Off Big Moments’ appeared first on SLAM.

Portland is heading to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. CJ McCollum had himself an afternoon, finishing with a 37-point performance and putting on a clinic in the pick-and-roll.

Damian Lillard struggled to get it going in the first half and finished with 13 points. Evan Turner had 14 points off the bench. The Blazers will face the Warriors on Tuesday night.

Raptors 92, Sixers 90 (Toronto wins series 4-3)

Trailing two, Kawhi Leonard received the inbounds pass and dribbling to the right corner and hitting the game-winning bucket to take Toronto to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Leonard finished the night with 41 points in 43 minutes. Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry were the only other starters to finish in double digits with 11 and 10, respectively. The Raptors will face Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.

The post Post Up: Kawhi Leonard Hits Game-Winner as Raptors Advance to Eastern Conference Finals 🔥 appeared first on SLAM.

CJ McCollum added 30 points for Portland, which forced a decisive Game 7.

Nikola Jokic led the way for the Nuggets with 29 points and 12 rebounds, and Jamal Murray had 24 points (on 7-of-20 shooting) and 10 assists.

Per The AP:

“I think over the course of the series, at least after Game 1, I just haven’t seen the ball go in consistently enough,” Lillard said. “My job is to stay aggressive, keep doing what I do, and tonight, shots fell.”

The series now shifts to Denver, where the Nuggets will have a chance to make it to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2009. Denver has been to the conference finals three times in franchise history.

“We’ll go back home, regroup, like we did for San Antonio, come back with energy and just be ready to play,” Murray said.

Lillard was reminded after the game that he’s never played in a Game 7 in his career.

“It’s basically a game where only one team is going to make it out,” he said. “It’s your last opportunity to play, so facing elimination is what it is to me, and that’s going to be my approach, just like it was tonight. The only thing is that it’s going to be on the road. It’s for our season. All the marbles.”

Related ‘Our Chemistry is at an All-Time High’: Nuggets Take 3-2 Lead on Blazers

The post Damian Lillard Pushes Blazers to Game 7 vs Denver appeared first on SLAM.

The big fella finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds in the loss, adding that it was a “weird game.”

CJ McCollum led the way for Portland with 20 points, and Damian Lillard (14 points) said his team made Denver work “the entire game.”

Per The AP:

CJ McCollum led six Trail Blazers in double figures with 20 points in a 97-90 victory at the Pepsi Center on Wednesday night that evened their series 1-1.

“It’s very important,” said Enes Kanter, who chipped in 15 points for Portland. “Teams can’t guard him with one man. They were sending double-teams, triple-teams. That’s when I said, ‘He’s making himself better, but at the same time he’s making everybody else better around him.’ He was passing the ball, really active on defense. He’s been unbelievable, man.”

The Nuggets trimmed a 17-point, third-quarter deficit to 95-90 in the final minute thanks to an astonishing 14 offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter and a 19-9 run before Rodney Hood’s two free throws with 17 seconds left iced it.

“The good news is they had all of those offensive rebounds but they didn’t convert a lot,” Portland coach Terry Stotts said. “They were 8 for 24 on second-chance points. We were fortunate we came away not hurt as badly as we could have been on the offensive boards.”

Related Jamal Murray: Nuggets Made Damian Lillard ‘Uncomfortable’ in Game 1

The post Nikola Jokic: Portland ‘Didn’t Even Play That Good’ in Game 2 Win appeared first on SLAM.

Portland earned a gritty win in Game Two against the Nuggets to tie the series 1-1. Six Blazer players notched double-digit scoring, led by CJ McCollum‘s 20 points. Rodney Hood provided much-needed support from the bench with 15 points.

Nikola Jokic was plagued by foul trouble all night, finishing with 16 points for Denver.

The series now heads to Portland for two games.

The post Post Up: Blazers Grind Out Win vs. Nuggets, Tie Series 1-1 appeared first on SLAM.

Seven Celtics players finished in double digits in the first round sweep. Gordon Hayward led all scorers with 20 points off the bench. Marcus Morris and Jayson Tatum scored 18 points apiece; Al Horford and Kyrie Irving had 14 points each. This was Boston’s first 4-0 series win in eight years.

Warriors 113, Clippers 105 (Golden State leads series 3-1)

The Clippers couldn’t come out with the much-needed win at home, as Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson combined for 65 points. The Clippers outscored Golden State in the third quarter, 30-25, and cut it to one early in the fourth, but Steph Curry scored seven of the Dubs’ final 10 points.

Raptors 107, Magic 85 (Toronto leads the series 3-1)

Kawhi Leonard put up 34 points in 35 minutes to put the Raptors one win closer to the second round. Pascal Siakam and Norman Powell had 16 points each, and Serge Ibaka had 13 points and eight rebounds.

Blazers 111, Thunder 98 (Portland leads series 3-1)

CJ McCollum (27 points) and Damian Lillard (24 points) snapped an eight-game road playoff losing streak, and return back to Portland with a chance to end the series on Tuesday. Lillard caught the hot hand in the third quarter, knocking down three-straight triples, finishing with 15 points.

The post Post Up: Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum Lead Trailblazers Over Thunder to 3-1 Series appeared first on SLAM.

“I’m going to be better,” Westbrook told reporters Tuesday night after the OKC Thunder fell down a 0-2 hole in the first round of the playoffs.

CJ McCollum (33 points) and Damian Lillard (29 points) led the way for Portland as it took a commanding series lead.

Per ESPN:

“Starting with myself, I’ve got to play better,” Westbrook said. “And tonight, the loss, I’m going to take full responsibility for tonight. Because the way I played was unacceptable. I’m going to be better, so I’m not worried one bit. My job is to make sure I continue to come out and will and lead our guys and make sure we have a chance to win the game.”

Lillard went on to outplay Westbrook in Game 2, leading the Blazers on a series of runs that culminated in a 60-40 second half. Lillard played a stellar defensive game, locking in on Westbrook with physical, hounding defense, knocking the ball away in post-ups and challenging Westbrook into questionable shots.

“I don’t really have a choice but to embrace it,” Lillard said. “That team is going to go as far as him and Paul George.”

This series turns to Oklahoma City for Game 3 on Friday, a virtual must-win for the Thunder.

“They won their first two home games, obviously wanted to try to steal one when we can, but let’s just stay with it,” Westbrook said. “We’re a great basketball team, a lot of great guys on this team that I trust in to make shots and make plays on both sides of the basketball. And we’ll be all right.”

Related Paul George: ‘Four Days Ago I Couldn’t Even Lift My Shoulder’

The post Russell Westbrook: ‘The Way I Played Was Unacceptable’ appeared first on SLAM.

Along with CP3, two more of the League’s superstar point guards wore notable kicks with Kyrie Irving breaking out a dope, cotton candy-like colorway of his Nike Kyrie 5 and Russell Westbrook coming through with his extra wild “What The” Jordan Why Not Zer0.2.

Make sure to check out the rest of Sunday’s NBA playoff kicks in our gallery below.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Playoff Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

“The worst has already happened,” Lillard says of Portland.

Dame is ready to resume hostilities with Russell Westbrook and the OKC Thunder in the first round of the postseason.

Per The Athletic:

“We are the team that went through what we went through last year, everybody else just witnessed it,” Lillard said. “Y’all didn’t have to lose. We had to lose. We got embarrassed, y’all didn’t get embarrassed. Everybody else didn’t go through what we went through. We experienced it.”

And they carried it with them. Silently, but deliberately. As Lillard pointed out, this wasn’t an angry team this season, it wasn’t a pressured team, despite all the outside noise. It was a team that stayed true to themselves and stuck to the course, waiting for this moment. Now that it’s here, in the form of a best-of-seven series with Oklahoma City, it’s time to heal the wound.

“The worst has already happened,” Lillard said. “It’s like, I got beat up at school already. We went through the hard part, took our loss, had our embarrassment. Now, there’s not as much worry, or concern there. It kind of takes that away. We’ve seen it now.

“We aren’t going to go in there timid, like, ‘what if this happens?’ It’s happened already. I don’t know … we are just more strong about it.”

Related Damian Lillard: ‘People Are Sleeping on Us’

The post ‘We Got Embarrassed’: Damian Lillard Seeks Playoff Redemption appeared first on SLAM.

“Let them,” Lillard adds.

The four-time NBA All-Star vows to “bounce back” from a humiliating first round playoff sweep last summer at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Per NBA.com:

Lillard beat himself up over the exit, saying it took “a few months” before his head stopped spinning. “I’m not going to lie, I pouted for a while,” Lillard said. “Watched TV and they were talking crap about me left and right.”

With Portland again poised to finish in the top four in the West — helped by a successful recent Eastern Conference road trip — Lillard and the Blazers field virtually the same team … but with a different swagger and mindset.

“People are sleeping on us,” he said, then paused and added softly, “let them.”

For Lillard, the burn from last season’s playoff exit won’t truly be erased until the Blazers take the next step this spring.

“I had a lot of people I could lean on in situations like that,” he said. “I’m tight with my mom, my dad, my brother, grandmother. They were all like, ‘Hey, a lot of people saying that about you can never be in your shoes.’ A lot of people who have something to say all the time, they’re the same ones who can never be in my position. They can never know what it’s like to have all these people coming down on you in a big moment and come up short.

“Not only can I deal with doing that, I know that I’m going to bounce back. I’m going to answer the call. It was just my turn and our turn as a group to go through it, our turn to go through that devastating time and it’s about how you respond to it. We just want to get back to the playoffs and give ourselves a chance.”

Related Damian Lillard: ‘I’m Not Willing to Sell Myself Out’ for NBA Title

The post Damian Lillard: ‘People Are Sleeping on Us’ appeared first on SLAM.

Out in Denver, the Kyrie 5 was a popular option on the night with no less than four different colorways hitting the floor of the Pepsi Center. The models worn included the “Cookies & Cream,” “Just Do It,” the “CNY” and a tough black/red/cement jawn worn by the Nuggets’ Jarred Vanderbilt.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

Indiana built a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter to hand the Knicks their seventh straight loss.

Darren Collison had 16 points, 9 dimes and 3 steals. Bojan Bogdanovic scored a game-high 24 points.

Cavs 99 (17-51), Sixers 106 (43-25)

Philly blew a 10-point lead with less than 5 minutes left in the fourth, but they managed to close out the game.

Joel Embiid finished with 17 points, 19 boards, 5 dimes and 4 blocks. Ben Simmons scored a game-high 26 points with 10 boards and 8 assists.

Lakers 123 (31-36), Bulls 107 (19-50)

The Lakers battled all the way back from a 20-point second quarter deficit to snap a five-game losing streak.

LeBron James dropped a game-high 36 points with 10 boards, 4 assists and several high-flying dunks.

Bucks 130 (51-17), Pelicans 113 (30-40)

Milwaukee led by as much as 22 points in the third quarter and prevented the Pelicans from getting close during the second half.

Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped a game-high 24 points with 9 boards, 5 assists in just 26 minutes.

Spurs 112 (39-29), Mavs 105 (27-40)

San Antonio was able to pick up a rare road win against a struggling Mavs team.

DeMar DeRozan scored a team-high 33 points with 6 dimes and 4 steals.

San Antonio has now won six straight. Dallas, on the other hand, has lost six straight.

Wolves 107 (32-36), Nuggets 133 (43-22)

Denver outscored the Wolves by 10 in the fourth quarter to beat Minnesota for the third straight time this season.

Jamal Murray dropped a team-high 30 points with 3 steals and a +20 plus/minus. Paul Millsap had 23 points (8-12 FG) with 5 boards and a +23 plus/minus.

Blazers 125 (41-26), Clippers 104 (39-30)

CJ McCollum caught fire in the fourth as Portland outscored the Clippers by 20 points in the final period.

McCollum dropped 23 of his game-high 35 points in the fourth and finished with a +20 plus/minus.

—

Ryne Nelson is a Senior Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @slaman10.

The post Post Up: CJ McCollum Catches 🔥 in Fourth Quarter vs Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

The two All-Stars blame outside voices for the wedge that drove them apart.

New @TheAthleticNBA read: On @aldridge_12 All-Star journey: From growing as a leader with #Spurs to squashing beef with @Dame_Lillard : “We’ve fixed our relationship,” Aldridge said. “It wasn’t us … It was the people around us.” #Blazers #NBA #NBAAllStar https://t.co/y9h2DVD7yg

— Jabari Young (@JabariJYoung) February 13, 2019

CJ McCollum says the trio would be “nasty” had it not broken up.

Per The Athletic:

“We both apologized,” Lillard said. “I think it was a lot of miscommunication from everybody but us. People were saying, ‘I heard LA didn’t like Dame because of this. And I heard Dame said this.’ We got on the phone and I was like, ‘Man look, I came to Portland looking at you like you’re LaMarcus Aldridge. I was trying to be the best compliment to you. I wasn’t in competition with you. I wasn’t jealous of you. I wasn’t trying to be nothing but (supportive). I felt like I was the point guard coming to Portland to help you out. I didn’t look at it like I’m taking over the situation.’

“And he heard otherwise,” Lillard added. “What I said to him was, ‘You was in the locker room with me every day. I never operated like that when you were around.’ And he was like, ‘My bad for letting other people get in my head about something that was right in front of me.’ I said, ‘I apologize for not forcing that line of communication or not making it clear to you that that was not the situation.’ I think it was something we both could’ve stepped up and handled a little bit better because there was no beef. Me and him never had a single argument, never had a single issue with each other.”

And Aldridge concurred.

“We’ve fixed our relationship,” Aldridge said. “It wasn’t us. It wasn’t us having an issue with each other. It was the people around us generating things that wasn’t there. So, it’s harder to see when you’re in it, but I think now that we’re both on the outside looking back at it — we had that talk and it definitely made it better.

“It’s funny (when you’re) older, you grow up and see things differently,” Aldridge added. “I think I understand Dame’s view more. I think he understands my view. I think we just hashed it out. It wasn’t an argument. We just talked it out.”

Related
Report: LaMarcus Aldridge Wanted Blazers to Trade for Him Last Season

The post Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge ‘Fixed’ Their Relationship appeared first on SLAM.

After Saturday night’s 28-point and 12-rebound performance, LaMarcus Aldridge notched his 15th double-double of the season. With no DeMar DeRozan (sore left knee), Rudy Gay had a double-double of his own (22 points, 11 rebounds).

Grizzlies 106 (20-30), Pacers 103 (32-16)

Four of five of the Grizzlies’ starters finished in double digits with Mike Conley leading the way with 22 points to snap an eight-game losing streak. Jaren Jackson Jr finished 20, Marc Gasol had 18 and Justin Holiday scored 16.

Nuggets 126 (33-15), Sixers 110 (32-18)

Nikola Jokic had another amazing stat line (32 points, 18 boards, 10 assists) as the Nuggets defeated a shorthanded Sixers squad. Jokic joined Oscar Robertson as the only two players in NBA history with multiple 30-point, 15-rebound and 10-assist games before turning 24. Denver dominated the paint in the first half, outscoring the Sixers, 42-22.

Warriors 115 (35-14), Celtics 111 (30-19)

Kevin Durant put up 33 points at TD Garden to give the Warriors their 10th straight win. After going scoreless in the first quarter, Stephen Curry caught fire, hitting five three-pointers in a row, to finish with 24 points. Curry extended the lead to four after making two key free throws down the stretch.

Blazers 120 (31-20), Hawks 111 (15-33)

CJ McCollum got his first career triple-double (28 points, 10 rebounds, 10 dimes) in the home win. Seth Curry, who got the start with Damian Lillard out, finished with 22 points. The Blazers shot 50 percent from the field.

The post Post Up: Kevin Durant Puts Up 33 Points in Win Over Celtics appeared first on SLAM.

We caught up with McCollum to talk getting a signature shoe, the design process, keys things he needs in his sneakers and more.

SLAM: What was that feeling like when you first heard you were getting a signature sneaker?

CJ McCollum: It was a dope feeling, honestly. Just to be able to have creative control over logo, location of it, theme of the shoe and all the things that go into making a personalized shoe I thought was good. It’s a unique experience that I’m definitely grateful to be a part of.

SLAM: Now to see it unfold and have a pop-up in the city you play in must be crazy, right?

CM: Yeah, man, it’s a dream come true to be able to have that pop-up shop and hand-pick some of the gear that would be displayed and have a hand in the designing process of T-shirts, jackets, hats, logo stuff, themes and figuring out how we wanted to set up the pop-up shop. It’s a great experience and opportunity for me to learn more about creating these types of things and for people to learn more about the Li-Ning brand, especially up here in Portland being exposed [to] some of the gear we offer.

SLAM: How hands-on are you in the design process, whether it’s with your sneakers or apparel?

CM: When we’re creating a theme shoe, they’re constantly looking for my feedback—sending me pictures of the shoes, figuring out logo location [and] colors that I’d like to see. I’m very involved in the process. In terms of gear, I give them my feedback on what I like and don’t like with the fitting, logo location, colors, hoodies, the design process—everything. I have a hand in at some point or another because at the end of the day, it’s about making it the way I want it to be made and making sure I like it and approve of it because as the person that has to play in it and wear it every day, it’s important that I feel comfortable with it.

SLAM: What’s the No. 1 thing for you when it comes to performance?

CM: I think comfort is everything for me—just making sure the shoe is comfortable first and foremost; making sure I’m able to move, get in and out of my cuts in a comfortable manner, making sure the mid-foot and some of those areas of the foot are patted in a position to wear, so I can freely move and not have to worry about it from a weight-standpoint. And the size of the shoe to make sure it’s not too bulky, not too high, too low and find that comfort zone. I usually play in mids for the most part and have had success with that.

SLAM: Dwyane Wade is also at Li-Ning, and you mentioned he’s one of your favorite players last time we spoke. Is there a special-edition tribute pair in the works?

CM: We’re definitely in the process of working on a tribute shoe and recognizing D-Wade with the career and impact he’s had in my life that’ll be discussed as the season progresses. Big fan of D-Wade. Happy birthday to the OG, 37 years young, doing his last dance right now and finishing up a great, great run.

I’m just thankful to have the friendship and mentorship and be able to have a Hall of Famer—not only on the court but off the court—from a business standpoint that understands life and the importance of building your brand outside of sports and being able to have that relationship is influential.

SLAM: This colorway pays homage to Portland with the roses. Any other special colorways you’re breaking out this season?

CM: Yeah, actually, I just played in a Dark Knight-themed shoe. The Dark Knight’s one of my favorite movies, so one of the homies designed it and I had Li-Ning bring it into production. I’m looking forward to showcasing that and I got some other colorways. I got an “Ace of Spades” shoe I played in. Blackjack is one of my favorite pastimes when I’m gambling. There’ll be some themed shoes—Black History Month, a wine-themed shoe because I’m a fan of wine. But there’s always something that we’re working on depending on the day of the week and time of the year.

SLAM: As you continue to grow with the brand, where do you see the CJ McCollum line going in a couple of years?

CM: I just want to inspire, continue to innovate and figure out ways to change the game, whether that’d be attracting more players or people to the brand. And just showing people that there’s a lot of unique stuff happening with the Li-Ning brand in terms of colorways, gear, lifestyle and continue to expose people to things they may have never been exposed to before.

Feature and body photo courtesy of Cooper Patterson

The post CJ McCollum Talks Li-Ning Signature Sneaker, Design Process and More appeared first on SLAM.

“I’m not willing to put somebody under the bus to do it,” says Lillard.

A look at the Trail Blazers as the trade deadline nears: https://t.co/cBzkNtBgN5

— Jason Quick (@jwquick) January 21, 2019

Lillard likes the way the Trail Blazers are hooping this season, and knows it won’t get any easier for the team to attract top-flight talent.

Per The Athletic:

“If we go away from (team chemistry and continuity), it has to be for certain that we are able to match them talent wise,” Lillard said. “I’m not saying ‘Do it’ if we can get that, I’m just saying if we are ever going to sacrifice (chemistry), it would have to come with us being able to match a team with talent, and that’s unlikely. It’s hard to get that much talent to come to Portland.”

The catch, of course, is that to get big-name talent in a trade, you have to give something in return, and the biggest lure the Blazers have right now is [CJ] McCollum, one of Lillard’s closest friends. Lillard never brought up McCollum, but he was adamant that he would never sacrifice a teammate for his desire to win a championship.

“I’m going to go out there and get to the playoffs and put my best foot forward before I go out there and say (clicks his tongue) ‘Man, you need to go out there and get him instead of him.’ Because that’s not who I am,” Lillard said. “And I don’t care what nobody has to say about it. I’m not going to be the person to say I want to win a ring so bad and all I care about is winning.

“Because at the end of the day, I know in my heart I want to win. I want to win a championship for this city, but I’m not willing to put somebody under the bus to do it. That means more to me than saying ‘I won a championship!’ but now this guy has been traded to a bad situation, and now his team don’t like him as much and he might be out of the league in a year. I’m not going to have that. I’m not going to have that on me.”

Related
Damian Lillard Is ‘All On Board’ for Becoming a ‘Lifetime Blazer’

The post Damian Lillard Unwilling to Sacrifice Teammates for a Big Trade appeared first on SLAM.

We recently caught up with McCollum, who spent a good portion of his childhood at the Boys & Girls Club in Ohio, to talk about the importance of his partnership and the NBA.

SLAM: Why was it important for you to partner with American Express and the Boys & Girls Club?

CJ McCollum: It’s extremely important to me. One, I spent a lot of time at the Boys & Girls Club and it impacted my life, gave me a safe space and an opportunity to do something positive outside of playing sports and being able to find other kids and have that structure, so it was crucial to me. They’re doing a lot of good things in the community with the partnership with American Express and the NBA—anyone who spends money on NBAstore.com with their Amex card before December 25, 10 percent of the total spent will go to the Boys & Girls Club, so I’m excited about the things they’re doing and how it’s impacting the kids now.

SLAM: Do you have any favorite Boys & Girls Club memories from your childhood?

CM: Man, a lot, honestly. Playing a lot of basketball [and] pool; I was really nice in ping-pong back in the day, now I’m not. Just being able to go there early on the weekends and after school during the week just gave me an escape from distractions outside of the neighborhood, kept me focused and allowed me to do homework and focus on certain things I may not have focused on if it wasn’t for the Boys & Girls Club.

SLAM: You’ve done a ton of charity events, what are some of the common questions you get from the kids?

CM: What kind of car do you drive? How big is your house? Did you go to the Boys & Girls Club growing up? How did I work on my jump shot? The main message I try to give kids is take advantage of the resources and the Boys & Girls Club, ask questions and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself in the classroom… I just try to encourage the kids to not be afraid to do the right thing all the time—ask questions. One of the reasons why I became successful in the classroom was that I wasn’t afraid to ask for help, and I think that’s what allowed me to be successful outside of sports.

SLAM: We recently asked fans who would win one-on-one, prime Kevin Durant or prime Tracy McGrady? Who do you think and why?

CM: Man, that’s a tough question and it’s funny you ask. I’m friends with both—T-Mac’s my guy and has helped me over the course of my career in terms of just understanding the game better, meditate and see the game before playing. Obviously people know I know KD, but that’s my homie…you look at their games and they’re similar—explosive, scoring wings, tall, who can play the 3 the 4 and the 2 as well—but look at their primes: T-Mac was unbelievable.  [He averaged] 32 points per game, scored 13 points in 32 seconds; Prime KD is another very, very good player. I really think it depends on who gets the ball first, honestly. Both very good, hard to guard…it just depends on who gets the ball first and dribble limits. I think the dribble limit will matter because that cuts out creativity and they’d have to work on the fadeaway, and they both have fadeaways. I think it’ll be a very good game. I’m not going to say who I think will win because this is a hypothetical that’ll never happen, but I think it’d be a good game. I’d pay to see it. I think one-on-one would be enjoyable for the fans especially in the All-Star setting.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrK-RR_g9I_/

SLAM: So you’re in favor of something like King of the Court during All-Star Weekend?

CM: Oh man, that’d be a lot of fun. Guys would really compete and get after it because it’ll be mano a mano. A lot of creativity comes from playing one-on-one. You see Celtics guys playing after practice. I know a lot guys around the League in the summertime like to play ones. I’ve played ones with Melo, CP, Donovan [Mitchell], D-Wade—the list goes on and on… That one-on-one is always a good way to warm up and get loose. I would love to see it, man. It’s the ultimate challenge because it’s just you and another person and you get to work on your moves and counters.

SLAM: To you, who’s the best one-on-one guy in the League right now?

CM: Man, that’s tough. Dame is good one-on-one; Kyrie is good; KD, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George—there’s a lot of really good one-on-one players with handles that can shoot over the top of you. I don’t know who’s the best, per se, but there’s a lot of guys who can get buckets.

SLAM: Is there at least a top-5 list?

CM: You trying to get me in trouble, fam. You trying to get me headlines. I don’t know, man. I like my game.

SLAM: Another question we asked fans was, ‘Who is the best player to ever wear No. 3?’ What’s your pick and why?

CM: I’ll give two NBA and two WNBA. For me, one is Allen Iverson. I had braids, crossover, everything—so I emulated my playing style and my swagger on the court after A.I. D-Wade is another one who was influential in me wearing No. 3 with how he attacked the basket and was fearless. Going to Marquette he was under the radar…WNBA [is] Diana Taurasi. I’m a fan of her game—always got buckets, poised, big shot, controls the offense [and] was a winner in college. Candace Parker is a very talented athlete. She can get to the cup, has post moves, point-forward.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrVnfqtAack/

SLAM: Do NBA players discuss these type of questions or is that just for the media?

CM: Yeah, I think it’s something y’all do to start up stuff. With me having a podcast and being involved in journalism, I get why it starts. You have to look forward to something over seven months…we just like watching good games. We don’t care who the matchup is. We just want to see guys compete.

—

Drew Ruiz is an Associate Editor for SLAM. Follow him on Twitter at @DrewRuiz90. 

Photos via Getty Images. 

The post CJ McCollum Talks Giving Back, NBA One-On-One Matchups and More appeared first on SLAM.

CJ MADE DONTE DIVINCENZO #TOUCHEARTH (via @trailblazers) pic.twitter.com/qpdapCGpMw

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 7, 2018

McCollum says the visiting Bucks should have put Pat Connaughton on him instead.

CJ’s monster performance, which included six assists, five rebounds and four steals, led the Portland Trail Blazers to a 118-103 win.

A rookie trying to guard CJ? "Very disrespectful!" https://t.co/nyA1Hd2sSJ

— Dwight Jaynes (@dwightjaynes) November 7, 2018

Per NBC Sports Northwest:

“Very disrespectful,” McCollum said when it was over. “It’s very disrespectful.”

Maybe they didn’t have anyone else for the task? “They should have put Pat (Connaughton) in,” he said.

He made 17 of his 26 shots from the floor, including half of his 10 three-point shots, had five rebounds, six assists and four steals. And oh yes, he took that rookie, Donte DiVincenzo, and put him on every sports highlight show in the country Wednesday morning – sending him flat on the floor with another of his change-of-pace, killer crossovers.

“A nice feeling,” McCollum said, when asked how it feels to put someone to the ground like that. “But being able to make the shot after putting someone down is the toughest part. You have to make the shot.”

Related
Post Up: CJ McCollum Drops 40-Piece To Defeat Bucks

The post ‘Very Disrespectful’: CJ McCollum Torches Bucks Rookie appeared first on SLAM.

Trae Young came in to Charlotte and more than held his own against Kemba Walker. By the end of the game, Young earned Kemba’s respect.

The Hornets, however, outscored Atlanta by 14 in the second half and won the game handily. Walker finished with a game-high 29 points and 7 dimes.

Rite of passage. Kemba crossed up the rookie. (via @hornets) https://t.co/K4F7FGfQla

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 7, 2018

Wizards 100 (2-8), Mavs 119 (3-7)

Dallas ripped open a 24-point lead in the second quarter, and the Wizards couldn’t dig themselves back out of the hole.

Harrison Barnes had 19 points and tied a career-high with 13 boards. Dennis Smith Jr also had 19 points, and showed glimpses of his potential.

Poetry in motion. Dennis Smith Jr can really fly! (via @dallasmavs) pic.twitter.com/m0P0nqSqMY

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 7, 2018

Nets 104 (5-6), Suns 82 (2-8)

The Phoenix Suns are just a bad basketball team. They committed twice as many TOs (20) as the Nets and shot a combined 34.6 percent.

The Nets, on the other hand, are looking like a solid NBA team, with Caris LeVert (game-high 26 points) a solid candidate for Most Improved Player so far.

Bucks 103 (8-2), Blazers 118 (8-3)

CJ McCollum began the season on a sub-par note, but after a 40-point, 6-assist, 4-steal night against the red-hot Bucks, the haters have absolutely nothing to say.

Evan Turner played one of his best games of the season with 16 points, 11 boards and 4 dimes off the bench. He’s enjoying a bit of a mini-Renaissance this season.

And of course, CJ delivered the highlight of the night (well, outside of the Duke-UK game) when he dropped rookie guard Donte DiVincenzo late in the third quarter.

CJ MADE DONTE DIVINCENZO #TOUCHEARTH (via @trailblazers) pic.twitter.com/qpdapCGpMw

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 7, 2018

The post Post Up: CJ McCollum Drops 40-Piece To Defeat Bucks 🔥 appeared first on SLAM.

After Saturday’s afternoon win in Detroit, the Sixers came up short Sunday in Brooklyn. Despite Ben Simmons (20 points, 12 rebounds) and Joel Embiid (16 points, 15 rebounds) posting double-doubles, D’Angelo Russell led all scorers with 21 points. Caris LeVert had 18 first-half points and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson chipped in 21 points off the bench, including this left-handed baseline dunk that had no one on the Sixers squad wanting to contest it.

No one was trying to jump with Rondae. (via @BrooklynNets) https://t.co/dgPQdQhKqp

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 5, 2018

Wizards 108 (2-7), Knicks 95 (3-7)

John Wall and Bradley Beal combined for 48 points as the Wiz ended a five-game losing streak. Dwight Howard, who returned to action Friday night, had 10 points in 31 minutes. Enes Kanter was the Knicks’ leading scorer with 18 points.

Magic 117 (3-6), Spurs 110 (6-3)

Four of the Magic’s starters finished in double-digit figures: Aaron Gordon (26 points), D.J. Augustin (18 points), Evan Fournier (16 points) and Nikola Vucevic (13 points). Orlando also got some positive bench contributions from Terrance Ross (17 points) and Mo Bamba (12 points). Bamba also grabbed 11 boards, notching his first career double-double, as the team was on a four-game losing streak. DeMar DeRozan led all scorers with 25 points, but couldn’t rally San Antonio to a win at home.

Suns 102 (2-7), Grizzlies 100 (5-3)

Devin Booker took matters into his own hand down the stretch, sinking a 17-foot jumper with 1.7 seconds on the clock in Phoenix. Booker also scored 14 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and finished with seven dimes. Trevor Ariza chipped in 16 points.

D. BOOK CALLED GAME (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/u2tJP6ptGM

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 5, 2018

Trail Blazers 111 (7-3), Timberwolves 81 (4-6)

Aside from getting bodied by rookie Josh Okogie, Jusuf Nurkic finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds 24 hours after Portland lost to the Lakers at home. Nurk wasn’t the only Blazer to post a double-double as Meyers Leonard (15 points, 12 rebounds) finished with one of his own. Damian Lillard finished with 18 points and C.J. McCollum contributed 16, respectively. Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points, his fourth game with 20 or more points. Derrick Rose, who scored a career-high 50 points earlier this week, earned a DNP-CD, and Jimmy Butler sat out during Sunday’s game.

Raptors 121 (9-1), Lakers 107 (4-6)

There’s always a player that tends to go off against the Lakers and Sunday’s game at STAPLES Center was no different. With no Kawhi Leonard (foot soreness), Serge Ibaka finished with a career-high 34 points (hitting his first 14 shots) as the Raptors had a 31-point lead in the first quarter. Kyle Lowry had 21 points and 15 assists. The Lakers never seemed to get in an offensive groove and their defense was horrendous. Kyle Kuzma was the team’s leading scorer with 24 points and LeBron James scored 18 points.

Serge Ibaka goes 15-17 from the field en route to a career-high 34 PTS in the @Raptors 9th win of the season! #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/VNPRIIzfeX

— NBA (@NBA) November 5, 2018

Bucks 144 (8-1), Kings 109 (6-4)

The Greek Freak messed around and had a triple-double (26 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists) in a rout against the Kings. Aside from his stellar stat line, Giannis put Kosta Koufos on a poster in the second half. A total of eight Bucks players finished in double figures. Kings forward Justin Jackson had 22 points in 25 minutes off the bench.

ANOTHER GIANNIS POSTER. How do you stop this man??? (via @Bucks) pic.twitter.com/CsccZvGIzH

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 4, 2018

The post Post Up: Giannis Antetokoumpo Posts Triple-Double in W Against Kings appeared first on SLAM.

McCollum has no structural damage in the knee.

Yahoo! Sources: Portland guard CJ McCollum received a PRP injection in the offseason to alleviate pain and swelling in right knee. https://t.co/Vr4JjX9j3P

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 2, 2018

The 27-year-old was sidelined for nine weeks during the offseason.

Per Yahoo Sports:

McCollum experienced persistent soreness during the latter part of the 2017-18 campaign and sought a remedy at the conclusion of the season, sources said. The Blazers’ season ended April 21 after a first-round playoff sweep by the New Orleans Pelicans.

An MRI revealed no structural damage and he was administered a PRP treatment early in the offseason in Los Angeles, sources said.

The NBA’s 2015-16 Most Improved Player was sidelined from basketball-related activities for nine weeks, sources said.

The post Report: CJ McCollum Received PRP Right Knee Injection appeared first on SLAM.

The Portland Trail Blazers’ star shooting guard says he would “never” go ring-chasing.

McCollum has been highly-critical of DeMarcus Cousins‘ move to Golden State this summer.

Per CCTV (via reddit):

CJ McCollum on players signing with Warriors to chase rings:

“I would never do anything of that nature. That’s disgusting.”

Related
Kevin Durant to CJ McCollum: Blazers Not Winning a Title

The post CJ McCollum Says He Would ‘Never’ Join a Superteam appeared first on SLAM.

So,I would get into a gang fight, lose, plot on my brother for 2 months in our home and then go get the gang we lost to and beat him up? U think that low of me CJ? I just did your fuckin podcast. Snakes in the grass boy I tell ya

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) July 26, 2018

KD took exception to these suggestions, as usual, and vowed to keep engaging with folks online.

Durant says he enjoys sparring with his followers.

"I should shut the f— up, right? Man, get out the way. I done did the work, I done showed you what I do … let this s— roll." Kevin Durant sit-down from Las Vegas: https://t.co/aeqehi2PIW

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 27, 2018

Per Yahoo Sports:

“I should shut the [expletive] up, right?” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “Man, get out the way. I done did the work, I done showed you what I do. I know y’all don’t like me, but get out the way and let this [expletive] roll. I ain’t want no smoke with nobody.

“I see guys voicing their opinions on social media, and I’ve always been part of social media, always interacting with fans of basketball and people that I know. I enjoy that [expletive]. All of this is part of the game for me. Of course, I’m on my Instagram, on Twitter, just like the rest of my peers. So what’s the problem if I got something to say? It’s just because I do it.”

He’s walked hotel lobbies in Las Vegas this week, talking smack with fans. For Durant, McCollum is no different. For anyone calling him sensitive, Durant simply states he is now unafraid to speak his mind. Hate it or love it.

“I don’t mind a random person coming up to me in the Encore hotel who wants to talk [expletive] about ball,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “Whoever enjoys the game as much as me, I don’t mind. I’m down for that. When I’m on my phone in the middle and in between practices, of course, I’m going to respond. Now I’m just like, I don’t really care what people think about me, the names people call me. I know every time I say something, people are going to get upset at me. So I feel like I have all the power now. I can make so many people upset by just speaking my mind and speaking my truths, being transparent with everyone.

“It’ll get all these random people coming on national TV to project their feelings onto me. It’s pretty funny actually. I know what’s important. In between those lines, people aren’t going to step in between them. Really, how are the words of those people more valid than mine?

“Me and C.J. are tight. We talk on the phone all the time about little [expletive] like that. It was a friendly jab, and everyone ran with it. But I can’t get into [expletive] like that with other players because people just don’t like me at this point. It won’t stop me. It’ll fuel me to be better and better. I know you think I’m sensitive, but I’m just tired of holding it in.”

Related
Kevin Durant to CJ McCollum: Blazers Not Winning a Title

The post Kevin Durant: ‘I Know You Think I’m Sensitive’ appeared first on SLAM.

KD told his friend that the Blazers need not worry about “what goes on at the top of things.”

Damn, @KDTrey5

– "You guys know you aren't gonna win the championship."

– "But, I mean, c'mon. You can't be upset about this."

– "Yo, get out your feelings, yo."

– "…don't worry about what goes on at the top of things."

– "How'd you play? Like a 8th seed."#kd https://t.co/vIspxACVhg

— LetsGoWarriors (@LetsGoWarriors) July 25, 2018

McCollum made the tactical error of complaining about Durant turning the Golden State Warriors into a virtually unbeatable juggernaut.

(H/T: Deadspin)

The post Kevin Durant to CJ McCollum: Blazers Not Winning a Title appeared first on SLAM.

Pusha began the beef when he came at Drake on “Infrared” off his latest album, referencing ghost writers. Drake fired back quickly, releasing “Duppy Freestyle,” a song that took shots at both Pusha and Kanye West.

Social media seemed to favor Drake in this opening round, but Pusha was not shy on his second diss track, which dropped Tuesday evening. To the surprise of rap fans, including those in the League, “The Story of Adidon” got way more personal and took the battle to another level:

After hearing Pusha pic.twitter.com/QlbEEivQuN

— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) May 30, 2018

— Lonzo Ball (@ZO2_) May 30, 2018

Wow …. Pusha not playing huh. This is getting personal and I like it very cold summer , grab a blanket. People spilling all the tea

— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) May 30, 2018

This is great . We’re about to get an emotional Drake. This album is going to be unbelievable. I need take care vibes mixed with anger and heartache. Thank you Pusha . Now we will all witness more greatness.

— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) May 30, 2018

Im taking Drake in 6 … but Pusha surprised me https://t.co/0ebb5AOAVK

— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) May 30, 2018

Yooo Pusha had to come at Drake like that???? It just became personal…

— Garrett Temple (@GTemp14) May 30, 2018

Omg Pusha T

— John Henson (@Johnhenson31) May 30, 2018

Woke up from my pre dinner to Pusha murdering Drake

— Josh Hart (@joshhart) May 30, 2018

Imma tell y’all like how Craig told Smokey on Friday…. Y’all think @PUSHA_T is playing about his money! Lmao Push ain’t playing 0 games! #ThatBoyDifferent

— Sean Kilpatrick Jr (@SeanKilpatrick) May 30, 2018

W T F DID PUSHA JUST DO!?!?!?!?

— Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) May 30, 2018

1-1. Can’t give pusha a whole game for infrared https://t.co/7mr8xJOj31

— Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) May 30, 2018

Who’s winning #Pusha or #Drake?

— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) May 30, 2018

Drake beefin all summer = G O O D music all summer. Lol

— Terrence Ross (@TFlight31) May 30, 2018

NOBODY GOT BODIED lol but pusha said some fighting words

— malcolm delaney (@foe23) May 30, 2018

Who’s coming out on top?

RELATED
Metta World Peace: Drake Should Coach The Toronto Raptors

The post NBA Players React To Drake vs. Pusha T Beef 🍿 appeared first on SLAM.

While guesting on the Woj Pod, McCollum added that he stopped recruiting George. “[PG] left me on red receipt,” he laughed. Starting at 27:00:

Do the Blazers need Paul George to compliment you and Damian Lillard?

CJ: “I already tried to get Paul George once. He already turned us down once. You can only shoot your shot so many times in the DMs before you just have to give up. He left me on red receipt, you know [laughs].

“But nah, he’s a cool dude, and he’s got to do what’s best for his family. He couldn’t control where he went. He ended up getting traded anyway to OKC.

“I wish him nothing but the best, and I’m sure he’ll enjoy that California sunshine next season.”

[Crowd laughs]

CJ: “What? It’s the truth.”

RELATED:
McCollum: Cavs ‘One of the Worst Defensive Teams I’ve Ever Played Against’

The post McCollum: Paul George ‘Will Enjoy That California Sunshine Next Season’ appeared first on SLAM.

On the latest episode of the Pull Up podcast, McCollum partially blamed Cleveland’s extreme roster turnover for the team’s defensive struggles (starting at 12:06):

Which team makes you work harder: the Celtics or Cavs?

CJ: “Cleveland is one of the worst defensive teams I’ve ever played against, honestly.

“I think it’s just the spacing. They have a lot of players on their roster throughout the season, so terminologies not the same, the continuity isn’t always there.

“Think about how many players they’ve had on their roster the last 3 or 4 years. They’re literally in-and-out, new guys every year. So it’s hard to be on a string and be united as one when you have all that uncertainty on, ‘Hey, if things don’t go well, I might get shipped out.’

“So I think that’s one of the reasons why their defense has been up and down. But then when it’s time to lock in and focus on one team, their defense is a lot better.”

RELATED:
LeBron James Dismisses Tracking Data That He’s Slowing Down

The post McCollum: Cavs ‘One of the Worst Defensive Teams I’ve Ever Played Against’ appeared first on SLAM.

On the latest episode of the Pull Up podcast, McCollum said he expects Leonard to sign in Los Angeles, with Boston being a sleeper candidate (starting at 36:10):

Bet or no way? Kawhi Leonard is not a Spur next year.

CJ: “Bet. I don’t hope it happens or I’m not wishing bad on the Spurs organization. I want to clarify this right now.

“But based on what we’ve seen, obviously, there’s something wrong with the hamstring. There’s a disconnect between his group. By his group, I mean the doctors he’s hired independently apart from the Spurs organization.

“There’s a disconnect or a disagreement in between what’s wrong with the injury and how fast he was supposed to come back.

“With him being away from the franchise in New York for extended periods of time, I’m sure he’s had some time to kind of think about his future and what he would like to receive out of it.

“I’m willing to bet based on the rumors of bigger markets—you hear people say L.A., which is what I think will happen. You also hear whispers about the Sixers, whispers about the New York Knicks. Another sleeper could potentially be the Boston Celtics.

“I think, based on what we’ve seen, there’s a high likelihood that he will no longer be with the franchise in the future. High likelihood.”

RELATED:
CJ McCollum: Kawhi Leonard in ‘Very Sticky Situation’ With Spurs

The post CJ McCollum: ‘High Likelihood’ Kawhi Leonard Isn’t A Spur Next Season appeared first on SLAM.

On the latest episode of the Pull Up podcast, McCollum said Boogie “could potentially team up” with John Wall—his former Kentucky teammate—in Washington (starting at 34:45):

“I think the argument is whether or not [Nikola Mirotic] is a better fit for that team. And if they decide that that is the case—obviously, playoff success goes into that, what happens in the next round and how far they go in this playoff—will factor in to whether or not they want to spend the $200 million on Boogie, who is obviously going to have other suitors attracted to him.

“No slight against the homie. I think he’s a very, very good player. But you just have to look at the team roster and try to figure out what’s best for that roster moving forward.

“And the other question mark will be: Does AD want him back? If AD wants him back, it doesn’t matter if he’s better for the team or not, that’s what’s going to happen because [Davis] is the franchise, and that team goes as he goes as we’ve seen these last 6 or 7 years.” […]

“I think team success, playoff success, factors in to decision-making with personnel moving forward. Obviously, Jrue Holiday, Rondo, AD will have input on what they decide to do going forward. So that’s something to keep an eye out on in the free agency.

“And if that is the case, Boogie would jump out in to the market as a free agent and be a very hot commodity, and could potentially team up with the Washington Wizards.

“You heard it here first. You heard that here first. You know that Kentucky connection, man. I could see that happening. That’s just something to think about going forward.”

RELATED:
CJ McCollum: LeBron-to-Philly ‘A Bigger Possibility Than People Think’

The post CJ McCollum: DeMarcus Cousins-To-Wizards A Real Possibility appeared first on SLAM.

“He’s a nightmare to cover,” Wade told Rooks.

The Heat veteran also shouted out All-Star Damian Lillard, who has helped lead Portland to the No. 3 seed in the West.

More from the @DwyaneWade podcast. Who is the most underappreciated player in the NBA? For D Wade, it’s @CJMcCollum & @Dame_Lillard.
We discuss everything in the latest podcast!
EPISODE LINK: https://t.co/xeH90T79Qq pic.twitter.com/KuuXrfDgxu

— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) April 6, 2018

McCollum, 26, has averaged 21.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game this season.

RELATED
CJ McCollum: Kawhi Leonard in ‘Very Sticky Situation’ With Spurs

The post Dwyane Wade Says CJ McCollum Is Most Underappreciated Player In NBA appeared first on SLAM.

McCollum not-so-subtly hinted that the Los Angeles Lakers have an awful lot of cap space this summer should the Cali native happen to be looking for a new home.

@CJMcCollum when asked about Kawhi Leonard future

“It’s a very sticky situation rn in SA, I’m gonna put it like this… He’s from California, lot of cap space out there in California” #PullUpPodcast #Lakers https://t.co/77ldtvIkAu

— Ralph Mason (@Ralph_MasonJr) April 4, 2018

Danny Green, meanwhile, continues to dispute the perception that Leonard is at odds with the Spurs organization over his long rehab from a lingering quad injury.

Per the In The Zone podcast (via Dime):

“I can say from our team and from their perspective and standpoint, I can speak for most of them, there is no odds,” Green said.

“We’re not at odds with him. I don’t know about the front office, I don’t know about family issues or whatever that is. I would like to guess none because he’s in the facility, he’s at the arena, he’s still there, they communicate, they still talk and check up on him, he still works out with our training staff. But from the team’s perspective, there’s nobody on our team that’s at odds with him. We understand, we have his back regardless of what he’s been going through.”

The post CJ McCollum: Kawhi Leonard in ‘Very Sticky Situation’ With Spurs appeared first on SLAM.

On the premiere episode of the Pull Up podcast, McCollum reasoned that staying in the East, and playing alongside “his young guy” Ben Simmons could make Philly an attractive destination for LeBron (starting at 38:24):

Is there an actual chance LeBron goes to the 76ers?

CJ: “He’s always (been) calculated about his decision-making process going back to his youth. Ben [Simmons] is his young guy. Ben is a member of Klutch Sports, so that also could play a factor.

“Philly is in the Eastern Conference. LeBron has been fond of the Eastern Conference throughout his career on what seems to be his EZ-Pass to the Finals.

“I think it’s a bigger possibility than people think. I’m not sure if they have the space financially for that. Obviously, they have a lot of guys on rookie deals right now.

“But they would need to get some more shooters in there if they do want to bring Bron in.”

RELATED:
LeBron James Denies Looking at Schools in Philadelphia

The post CJ McCollum: LeBron-to-Philly ‘A Bigger Possibility Than People Think’ appeared first on SLAM.

Portland is for real. Despite 35 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, two steals and three blocks from LeBron James, the Trail Blazers were able to pick up their 11th straight win as their dynamic backcourt duo of Dame Lillard and C.J. McCollum combined for 53 points.

LEBRON JAMES WITH THE POSTER

The can FLY (via @nba) https://t.co/bhiXzL6dRK

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 16, 2018

76ers 118 (37-30), Knicks 110 (24-45)

The Knicks led at halftime due to a hot start from Michael Beasley (24 points, 13 rebounds), but a 14-point advantage for the 76ers in the fourth quarter put the game to bed.

Joel Embiid finished the night with a game-high 29 points and Ben Simmons passed a legend in the rookie triple-double leaderboard.

Raptors 106 (51-17), Pacers 99 (40-29)

DeMar DeRozan continued to lead the Raptors as he dropped a team-high 25 on 8-for-15 shooting from the field and dished out seven dimes. Jonas Valanciunas put in work on the glass, grabbing 17 rebounds to go alongside his 16 points.

“AWWWYAAAA GET UP LANCE!”

Lance Stephenson got some BOUNCE (via @TheRenderNBA) https://t.co/n2vPvwpPhf

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 15, 2018

Hornets 129 (30-39), Hawks 117 (20-49)

Dwight Howard showed out in his hometown and against his former team, leading all players with 33 points as the Hornets jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. Nic Batum recorded a triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists.

Rookie John Collins shined for the Hawks, scoring 21 points and grabbing nine rebounds.

Clippers 96 (37-30), Rockets 101 (54-14)

Tobias Harris scored 29 but James Harden did James Harden things in the fourth quarter, dropping daggers to keep the Rockets atop the Western Conference. Eric Gordon went 7-for-9 from behind the arc en route to a 23-point night.

COCKY JAMES HARDEN IS HERE FOR AUSTIN RIVERS

“He wouldn’t even step up! I like him! I like him!” (via @TheRenderNBA) https://t.co/jWIYcnG20y

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 16, 2018

Bulls 111 (24-44), Grizzlies 110 (18-50)

The Grizzlies tank is barreling ahead full of steam and it looks like nothing can stop it. Zach LaVine’s 20 points proved to be the difference as Chicago delivered Memphis its 19th consecutive loss. Bobby Portis continued to shine, scoring 17 and snatching three steals in 23 minutes off the pine.

Suns 88 (19-51), Jazz 116 (39-30)

Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points, but the biggest event of the night was a bench-clearing scuffle that occurred after Jazz guard Ricky Rubio was on the receiving end of shots from Jared Dudley and Marquese Chriss.

Donovan Mitchell is seriously a magician… (via @SportsCenter) pic.twitter.com/yw3JGVR66P

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 16, 2018

Pelicans 93 (39-29), Spurs 98 (39-30)

The Spurs were able to shake off their cold streak in a crucial night for two teams clawing for one of the final seeds in the Western Conference playoffs. LaMarcus Aldridge led San Antonio with 25 points but the most intriguing stat of the night was the six blocks recorded by guard Danny Green.

Anthony Davis scored 21 and grabbed 14 boards, but turned the ball over six times.

Pistons 113 (30-37), Nuggets 120 (37-31)

Jamal Murray led the way with 26 and Nikola Jokic got another triple-double with 23 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and three blocks. Blake Griffin scored 26 and had nine assists and was the only Detroit starter to have a positive plus-minus.

The post Post Up: Portland Trail Blazers Overcome LeBron James, Win 11th Straight appeared first on SLAM.

The Knicks got 26 points out of Tim Hardaway Jr. and 18 off the bench from newly-signed Troy Williams, but it wasn’t enough as the Giannis Antetokounmpo notched 28 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Khris Middleton scored a game-high 30.

Eric Bledsoe is really out here doing push-ups with possession of the ball (via @DefPenHoops) pic.twitter.com/jheGzO1soE

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 10, 2018

Bulls 83 (22-43), Pistons 99 (30-36)

The Bulls offense sputtered all night, shooting just 35.5 percent from the field and 29 percent from behind the arc. Blake Griffin recorded 25 points to go along with his eight assists and eight rebounds, Reggie Bullock added 21 and Andre Drummond grabbed a game-high 17 boards.

Hawks 87 (20-46), Pacers 112 (38-28)

Darren Collison quietly inched closer to the 50-40-90 club as he scored 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the field and 2-for-2 from behind the arc, bringing his season splits to 49.5 percent, 43.2 percent and 89.7 percent. Bojan Bogdanovic led all players with 21 points.

VICTOR OLADIPO GOT THAT BOUNCE (via @pacers) https://t.co/V9oqypZOl2

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 10, 2018

Rockets (51-14), Raptors 108 (48-17)

If Drake putting the Raptors on the spot during pregame gets the job done, then it may be in Toronto’s best interests to have the 6 God make bold predictions before every game.

Drake: “By the looks of it, this win streak is over.”

Rockets: 105, Raptors: 108

6⃣ God knew… (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/Xyt6k5nt0k

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 10, 2018

The Raptors snapped the Rockets’ league-best 17-game winning streak as Kyle Lowry went 7-for-9 from behind the arc en route to a 30-point night. The other half of Toronto’s dynamic duo, DeMar DeRozan, scored 23.

James Harden led all players with 40 points.

Jazz 95 (36-30), Grizzlies 78 (18-47)

The Jazz continued its run as road warriors, earning its 10th straight consecutive road win as Jae Crowder caught fire off the bench, scoring a team-high 22 points. Rudy Gobert had 15 points, 10 rebounds and even dished out five dimes.

Rookie Dillon Brooks scored 18 for the Grizzlies, who have lost 16 games in a row.

Donovan Mitchell got a HANDLE (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/Mmz1NjRMIz

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 10, 2018

Wizards 116 (38-28), Pelicans 97 (38-27)

The Pelicans became the second team of the night to lose their win streak as the Wizards’ starters–Bradley Beal, Tomas Satoransky, Otto Porter Jr. and Markieff Morris all have plus-minuses of at least +17–dominated.

New Orleans struggled without Anthony Davis as Rajon Rondo was the only starter to score double-digit points with 11.

Lakers 116 (29-36), Nuggets 125 (36-30)

Lonzo Ball stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, four steals and a block, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a 22-point outing from fellow young stud Jamal Murray as the Nuggets outscored the Lakers 31-20 in the final period of play. Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap each scored 21 points and grabbed six boards.

Lonzo in his (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/cVVidryxPN

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 10, 2018

Warriors 108 (51-15), Trail Blazers 125 (40-26)

Kevin Durant scored 40 points, but a strong fourth quarter from the Trail Blazers’ duo of Dame Lillard (28 points, eight assists) and C.J. McCollum (30 points) kept Golden State at bay. The Trail Blazers won their ninth game in a row, their first time hitting that mark since 2014.

Steph Curry didn’t make the trip to Portland due to an ankle injury.

Magic 88 (20-46), Kings 94 (21-45)

The heroics of Garett Temple (23 points on 7-for-10 shooting) gave the Kings the victory in the win column but a disadvantage for lottery balls. Jonathon Simmons led all players with 25 points for Orlando.

Major tankathon implications on the line tonight in Sacramento as the Kings host the Magic.

Both teams enter the night 20-45 tied for third-best lottery odds in the league. pic.twitter.com/HCP8kboFGJ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 10, 2018

Cavaliers 102 (38-27), Clippers 116 (35-29)

LeBron James had 25 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals and three blocks but still didn’t manage to have the line of the night as DeAndre Jordan scored 20 points and grabbed an astonishing 23 rebounds.

New addition Tobias Harris led the Clippers with 23 points.

JR SMITH BREAKIN’ ANKLES (via @SportsCenter) pic.twitter.com/brj30nLQuF

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 10, 2018

Man @TeamJuJu was LIT when he got dapped up by @KingJames pic.twitter.com/aeTE5gFnTV

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 10, 2018

The post Post Up: Raptors Snap Rockets’ 17-Game Win Streak on ‘Drake Night’ appeared first on SLAM.

A couple of players had memorable evenings led by C.J. McCollum. He debuted the new Li-Ning Sonic 6 model as he dropped a career-high 50 points in only three quarters of play. Terry Rozier, making his first career start for an injured Kyrie Irving, did so in style as he put up a triple-double in a custom pair of the Nike Kobe A.D. Out in Phoenix, rookie Josh Jackson matched his career-high of 21 points as he wore a new colorway of the Under Armour Heatseeker.

Peep the rest of the Wednesday’s kicks and let us know what you think of Delaney’s chances at the NBA sneaker crown and your thoughts on McCollum’s newest Li-Nings in the comments below.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

McCollum only needed 29 minutes to do his work.

The explosive guard scored 28 points in the first quarter alone.

Per The Oregonian:

“During the game I looked up and was like, I can get like 40,” McCollum said. “Ed (Davis) was like, ‘Nah, you need to get 50.’ Dame (Lillard) was like, ‘Get 50.’ I was like, OK, I’ll get 50 then if you guys want me to.”

McCollum made 18 of his 25 shot attempts, and splashed in nine three-pointers.

He left the arena cradling the game ball that sat in his locker, while everyone else departed a witness to a rarity: McCollum joins Golden State’s Klay Thompson as the only players in NBA history to score 50 in 30 minutes or less.

The post CJ McCollum Hangs 50 Points on the Bulls appeared first on SLAM.

CJ McCollum had the greatest first quarter of his life — and of anyone in Trail Blazers history. He scored a franchise-record 28 points in the opening 12 minutes en route to 50 for the game, done essentially in three quarters, on 18-25 shooting. Portland led 43-19 at the end of the quarter in a game that was never close. Zach Lavine had 23 for the Bulls.

Most FG in a quarter in franchise history (11)
Most points in a quarter in franchise history (28)
Look fresh while doing it @CJMcCollum‘s recording-setting first quarter versus Bulls. pic.twitter.com/iwu3E1VCov

— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) February 1, 2018

Pacers 105 (29-23), Grizzlies 101 (18-32)

Myles Turner hit the go-ahead free throws with 34 seconds left to put the Pacers over the Grizzlies in a thriller. The Pacers followed those free throws with a defensive stand, preventing Memphis from getting a clean look. Bojan Bogdanovic had 21 points to lead seven Pacers players in double figures. Wayne Selden had 24 on 6-10 shooting from three.

pic.twitter.com/MaEBI2Rysr

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) February 1, 2018

Magic 127 (15-35), Lakers 105 (19-31)

The Magic scored 43 points in the third quarter, making nine threes in the process, to give them their highest-scoring quarter of the season. Evan Fournier hit four of those threes en route to 19 total points. Marreese Speights had 21 to lead the Magic. As for the Lakers, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson each had 20. As a team, L.A. went 4-20 from three.

(via @lakers) pic.twitter.com/71bSwfnL74

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) February 1, 2018

Hornets 123 (21-29), Hawks 110 (15-36)

Kemba Walker (38 points) set a franchise record with nine made threes, Nicolas Batum (10 points, 10 assists, 11 rebounds) had a triple-double, and Dwight Howard (20 points, 12 rebounds) had a statement dunk to help the Hornets over the Hawks. Kemba did his damage on 9-13 shooting from three and the Hornets went 17-32 from distance overall. Kent Bazemore had 25 for the Hawks.

Dwight Howard. This is outrageous. (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/I8lqX09LDs

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) February 1, 2018

Nets 116 (19-33), 76ers 108 (24-24)

Spencer Dinwiddie scored 27 points and Jarrett Allen had 16 points and 12 rebounds to help the Nets snap their four-game losing streak. Joel Embiid had game highs in points (29) and rebounds (16) to lead the Sixers.

BEN! (via @sixers) pic.twitter.com/bTKjvonQl0

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) February 1, 2018

Cavaliers 91 (30-20), Heat 89 (29-22)

The Cavs barely held on to a win over the Heat in their first game without the injured Kevin Love. With Miami playing from behind in the final minute, Cleveland tightened up defensively, not allowing the Heat to attempt a game-tying shot in their final possession. LeBron James had 24 points and 11 boards, but the Cavs shot just 35 percent for the game and 23 percent from three.

.@CJC9BOSS MODE #AllForOne pic.twitter.com/w5XKAxu3dd

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 1, 2018

Celtics 103 (37-15), Knicks 73 (23-29)

In a game they already had under control, the Celtics held the Knicks to just eight points in the fourth quarter to turn a comfortable win into a laugher. Overall, Boston outscored New York 22-8 in the fourth quarter and 53-38 in the second half. The Knicks’ numbers reflected their struggles. They shot 32 percent for the game and went 3-17 from three. Enes Kanter did his part with 17 points and 17 rebounds, but six Celtics scored in double figures, led by Marcus Morris, who had 20. Terry Rozier (17 points, 10 assists, 11 rebounds) also recorded a triple-double in his first career start.

Something in the water in Boston tonight? Sheesh. (via @Celtics) pic.twitter.com/k1xIwQak4W

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) February 1, 2018

Suns 102 (18-34), Mavericks 88 (16-36)

Josh Jackson scored 21 points and T.J. Warren had 20 to power the Suns over the Mavericks in the NBA’s night cap. The win snapped a five-game losing streak for Phoenix, but it came at a cost. Late in the first quarter, Isaiah Canaan took a hard fall and suffered a gruesome leg injury. The team later announced that he has a fractured left ankle. Dennis Smith Jr. had 17 to lead the Mavericks.

EPIC DUNK ALERT! pic.twitter.com/0YIAFrUyoQ

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 1, 2018

The post Post Up: CJ’s World appeared first on SLAM.

The Magic entered Tuesday night on a seven-game losing streak, having won just once since December 6th. The Timberwolves entered the evening on a five-game winning streak. Of course, Orlando wound up getting a much-needed W with a strong fourth quarter, a career-high 32 points from Evan Fournier and Khem Birch’s first career double-double. Jimmy Butler (28 points) led Minnesota in the loss.

Orlando’s triumph almost overshadowed the game’s second quarter fireworks, which resulted from Arron Afflalo taking a swing at Nemanja Bjelica on a rebound attempt. Bjelica then put him in a headlock before both benches spilled onto the floor. Both players were immediately ejected and probably will face suspensions. You never know what you’re gonna see when you watch a NBA game.

Arron Afflalo with the hard right hook! (via @MikeSGallagher) pic.twitter.com/GlrQnTYucd

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 17, 2018

Pelicans 116 (23-20), Celtics 113 (34-11)

New Orleans controlled this one most of the way, thanks to another monster game from Anthony Davis (45 points, 16 rebounds), and led by 10 at the break but a 16-6 Celtics run to start the second half evened things up quickly. The same thing happened in the fourth quarter, when Boston was actually able to push ahead with just a few minutes left to play.

Anthony Davis dropped 45 points and 16 rebounds tonight and 48 points and 17 rebounds on Sunday. Man is playing 2K against these defenses. pic.twitter.com/8HswARRog9

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 17, 2018

After a Jrue Holiday (23 points, 7 assists) triple made it 101 apiece, AD and Kyrie Irving (27 points) went back and forth until a Kyrie layup with 11 seconds remaining forced overtime. The extra frame went back-and-forth until a pair of Jrue jumpers gave New Orleans the lead for good. The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for the C’s.

Nuggets 105 (23-21), Mavericks 102 (15-30)

Perfect example of a final score not really capturing what went on in a game. The Nuggets dominated Dallas almost from the opening tip but a massive late letdown (in the form of a 19-4 run for the Mavericks) nearly resulted in one of the worst losses you could imagine. A Dennis Smith Jr. (25 points on 18 shots) three-point play with 10 seconds left made it 103-102 Denver and gave the Mavs a legit chance to finish off the comeback.

JUST A VERY NICE FINISH AT THE RIM. CAPS LOCK NICE. pic.twitter.com/gxWsd4RMsQ

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 17, 2018

However, they struggled to get the foul down on the ensuing possession and once Gary Harris (25 points) made his free throws, time was almost up. Dallas’ Christian Laettner-like heave failed and the Nuggets eked out a victory. Nikola Jokic (29 points, 18 rebounds, 7 assists) posted another ridiculous line while Will Barton added 22 points.

Trail Blazers 118 (23-21), Suns 111 (16-29)

Imagine if the Suns were (1) healthy and (2) able to surround Devin Booker with a solid supporting cast. He dropped a casual 43-point, 6-rebound, 8-assist night while the rest of the Phoenix starting lineup managed just 28 points. A big halftime deficit put the Suns out of this one until late, when Booker caught fire and kept Phoenix hanging around long enough to force Terry Stotts to put his own starters back in.

For Portland, the formula was the same as it usually is: ride Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. They combined to score 58 on 37 shots and the Suns had absolutely no way to stop them. Al-Farouq Aminu (14 points and 9 rebounds) made some big corner threes down the stretch to help maintain the lead.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

The post Post Up: Birds Of Prey appeared first on SLAM.

San Antonio finally found some offense in the second quarter after both teams combined for a wretched 29 points in the first quarter.

Behind the steady play of LaMarcus Aldridge (17 points, 7 boards), the Spurs’ 10-point halftime lead ballooned to as much as 20 points in the fourth quarter.

Over the past two weeks, the Spurs have put together the League’s No. 2 in defense, and they’re also taking care of the glass—No. 3 in rebounding during that span.

Magic 111 (8-12), 76ers 130 (11-7)

Don’t look now, but the Sixers have won three games in a row by an average of 20 points.

Even without Ben Simmons (left elbow), Philly had no trouble handing Orlando their eighth consecutive loss.

TJ McConnell stepped up in Simmons’ absence and nearly recorded a triple-double with 15 points, 13 assists and 7 boards.

Blazers 108 (12-8), Wizards 105 (10-9)

Washington led 94-77 with 8:14 left in the fourth when CJ McCollum started to get hot.

McCollum made 6-7 field goals during Portland’s furious comeback, and calmly knocked-down the game-winner.

CJ with the cold-blooded shot

Blazers rally back from 17-down to beat the Wizards in Washington (via @NBCSNorthwest) pic.twitter.com/WVRbhxVRW1

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2017

Portland has struggled offensively recently, but their defense is humming. Over the past two weeks, the Blazers have the League’s No. 1 defense and are No. 4 in rebounding.

Raptors 112 (12-7), Hawks 78 (4-16)

Thanks to a 39-14 second quarter, Toronto took a 28-point lead into halftime. By the end of the third quarter, the lead was up to 41.

Toronto sat their starters during the forth quarter, inadvertently causing DeMar DeRozan’s 113-game streak of scoring in double-figures to come to an end.

Toronto has been shooting the hell out of the ball over the past two weeks with a 61.2 true shooting percentage.

The Raptors also boast the League’s No. 2 offense and No. 6 defense during that span. They’re balling right now.

Celtics 108 (18-3), Pacers 98 (11-9)

After struggling in the first half, Boston turned it on during the third quarter—outscoring Atlanta by 21 points in the frame.

Kyrie Irving, again, led the way with 25 points and 6 dimes.

1. Smh at how causal Kyrie is. 2 That spin move. 3. Collison still playing defense on his back (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/WKKWFYTMwl

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2017

Al Horford had 21, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks while Marcus Smart added 15 points on 7-8 (!!!) shooting.

Knicks 102 (10-9), Rockets 117 (15-4)

No Porzingis, no Kanter, no chance for the Knicks, who are now 1-6 on the road.

The Rockets, however, are cruising right now. Over the past two weeks, Houston has the League’s fifth-best defense, which is almost more impressive (for them) than their No. 1 offense.

James Harden led the way with 37 points, 10 assists and 3 steals.

Thunder 81 (8-11), Mavs 97 (5-15)

A few days ago, the Thunder beat the Warriors. Tonight, they lost by 16 to the Mavericks.

Paul George managed only 2 points on 1-12 shooting in more than 39 minutes.

Maybe OKC is still trying to gel as a team. But maybe Sam Presti’s experiment just isn’t working.

Pelicans 95 (11-9), Warriors 110 (15-5)

Kevin Durant was out for a second straight game with a sore ankle, but the Warriors managed just fine without him.

New Orleans got off to a quick 14-point lead in the first quarter, but Golden State outscored the Pelicans by a combined 23 points in quarters 2 and 3.

Stephen Curry led the way for Golden State with 27 points, and had to wear a fanny pack after the game (Davidson lost to JaVale McGee’s alma matter Nevada earlier this week).

When Davidson loses to Nevada (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/r7n9NObniA

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2017

Bucks 108 (9-9), Jazz 121 (9-11)

Utah broke their franchise record for most three-pointers in a game with 18.

Star rookie Donovan Mitchell (24 points) contributed 6 treys of his own and was out there collecting ankles.

.@spidadmitchell, Certified Ankle Collector (via @utahjazz) https://t.co/cv39KJUaT5

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2017

Without Rudy Gobert, the Jazz have been struggling on defense and rebounding, but over the past two weeks, their offense has been No. 4 in the League.

Clippers 97 (7-11), Kings 95 (5-14)

Sacramento went ice cold after building a 16-point lead early in the second half.

They were outscored by 19 in the third quarter, but clawed back to tie the game with 15 second left off a Buddy Hield (27 points) trey.

Blake Griffin had the last laugh, though—nailing a tough fadeaway over Willie Cauley-Stein in the final seconds.

Blake Griffin with 33 points and the game-winner in Sacramento (via @LAClippers) pic.twitter.com/mt6cRc6nNf

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2017

BONUS: Collin Sexton, whose name you’ll probably hear in the top-5 of the 2018 NBA Draft, went off for 40 points while playing 3-on-5 at the Barclays Center tonight.

The 6-3 freshman point guard is averaging 25.2 points on 55.4 percent shooting for Alabama this season.

The whole situation of Alabama having just 3 players for over 10 minutes is just insane. You’ll want to check this out…

Alabama freshman PG Collin Sexton dropped 40 points (12-21 FG) while playing 3-on-5 vs No. 14 Minnesota

: https://t.co/8UY8pp6vRE pic.twitter.com/fZ7DjJFPmA

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2017

The post Post Up: He Called Game appeared first on SLAM.

Their teammates quickly stepped between them, making sure cooler heads prevailed, but not until McCollum decided to diffuse the situation himself.

McCollum’s response? To blow his foe a quick kiss.

CJ and Fournier get tangled, exchange pleasantries #ripcity https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC pic.twitter.com/CtzOgIrIAC

— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) November 16, 2017

The post CJ McCollum Blows a Kiss after Exchanging Words with Evan Fournier appeared first on SLAM.

SLAM 213 hits some newsstands this weekend and should be all over the country by late next week.

Related:
Deserve It — SLAM 213 Cover Story on Draymond Green
Savage Mode — SLAM 213 Cover Story on Devin Booker
The Beautiful Struggle — SLAM 213 Cover Story on  CJ McCollum

The post Draymond Green, Devin Booker and CJ McCollum Cover SLAM 213! appeared first on SLAM.

More than an hour has passed since Portland’s practice has ended and yet McCollum still remains in the team’s facility. It doesn’t matter that he just sat through a lengthy interview, or that a photo shoot—where his black Blazers uniform, diamond chain and Li-Ning PEs were perfectly on point—immediately followed our sit down. It doesn’t matter that he then had to shoot choreographed jumpers as a videographer documented his every move. McCollum is in no rush.

If the time commitment isn’t a problem, perhaps it’s because he’s gotten used to things slowing down a bit.

At least that’s how it appears on the court, as McCollum has made a habit of freezing time during games in order to victimize hapless defenders with a series of deft moves. The exact method to the victimization always varies, yet more times than not, the result is the same.

McCollum takes great delight in besting his opponents like this. So much so that he has created a dishonor roll of sorts, playfully entitled “Law & Order: CJ’s Victims Unit,” which is a semi-weekly social media video series of him scoring on his adversaries. Each episode is well-made and very amusing. It also serves as an ever-growing video document of how potent of an offensive player McCollum has become.

“There’s guys who can score and there’s guys who are scorers,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers says about McCollum. “He’s a scorer. He’s a born scorer. A professional scorer is what I call him.”

Last season, McCollum averaged 23 points per game while shooting 48 percent from the field, 42.1 percent from three and a League-leading 91.2 percent from the stripe. McCollum’s scoring average was 20th overall in the League—higher than players like Klay Thompson, Kyle Lowry and Carmelo Anthony.

“His shooting numbers are unreal,” McCollum’s teammate Evan Turner says. “It shows the type of work he puts in and the confidence he has.”

Now in his fifth season, expect McCollum to continue his offensive onslaught on the rest of the League, having publicly set high expectations for himself based on his game getting better every year. But it’s easy to forget that McCollum’s mercurial rise to being one of the game’s best offensive players was relatively slow to develop.

Drafted 10th overall in 2013, McCollum broke his left foot at the tail end of training camp before the start of his first season—an injury made even more devastating because he’d broken the same foot his senior year at Lehigh. And while McCollum was able to bounce back from that injury, the fact that it happened again less than a year later led to a whole bunch of uncertainty.

“It was a tough blow for me, honestly,” McCollum says. “I was picked by the rookies to win Rookie of the Year. I felt like I was going to have a good season. I just remember getting the X-ray, looking at [Portland general manager] Neil [Olshey] and crying. Because I’m like, This is it, again. This is two breaks in less than a year. What’s going to happen with my life?

“I just remember him saying, ‘Ten years from now, we won’t even remember this.’ And that’s how I carried myself. Put this in the past and [focus] on playing so well and preparing so much that as I get older, no one will really remember what happened my rookie year.”

Olshey’s seemingly simple words of inspiration resonated deeply with McCollum, in large part because he was raised to always maintain an optimistic outlook. His parents passed the ideals of positivity, hard work and belief in oneself—all qualities they exemplified themselves—to McCollum and his older brother Errick, who has made a name for himself playing overseas.

“[My parents] always taught us that no matter what happens in life, prepare,” CJ says. “Because you don’t blow an opportunity by not getting the opportunity. You blow the opportunity by not being prepared when it comes.”

Taking this message to heart, McCollum went through the rehabilitation process hyper-focused and eventually played in 38 games during his first season. He showed flashes of offensive potential as a rookie, but in his second season, he only averaged around 16 minutes a game while playing behind Wesley Matthews and later Arron Afflalo.

An injury to his index finger sidelined McCollum for close to a month in his second season. And when he returned, his minutes were inconsistent and on a few occasions, he didn’t even play.

“I [used to] show up to the arena, my girl might be here, my family is in town and I know I’m not playing,” McCollum says. “The most humbling thing you will ever experience is going to your job, knowing you’re not going to play and people are there specifically to watch you. And you know you’re good enough to play—but you’re not playing.”

The NBA’s history is littered with players in similar instances who fade out of the League’s consciousness. But McCollum remained undeterred. His work ethic and internal hunger fueled his confidence, which made him work even harder on his game and in practice. And when Matthews tore his Achilles and Afflalo injured his shoulder, the Blazers were essentially forced to give McCollum a larger role. A role that he fully embraced and one that was on full display during the Blazers’ 2015 first-round matchup against the Grizzlies.

That playoff series, which the Blazers ultimately lost in five games, turned out to be McCollum’s coming out party. He struggled at the start of the series but ended up scoring 26, 18 and 33 points respectively in the final three games. And based on that performance, McCollum solidified his role as Portland’s starting 2-guard for the foreseeable future.

Promoting McCollum to a starting spot immediately proved to be the right move for the Blazers, as he thrived in a larger role and won the 2015-16 Most Improved Player award with averages of 20.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.2 steals.

“You can always judge someone based on how they respond to turmoil,” McCollum says. “I struggled and I overcame it.”

“CJ never seemed to view himself the way the basketball market viewed him,” Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, the man CJ modeled his work ethic after, tells SLAM via email. “He always felt like he was better than what people viewed him to be. Because of that, I think he has always played with a chip on his shoulder. He’s always worked harder than everyone else to prove what he believed his value was.”

The me-against-the-world mentality that Bryant talks of is quite apparent when you watch CJ play. His swagger is almost unrivaled. And as “Law & Order: CJ’s Victims Unit” shows, McCollum will not only humiliate you—he’ll gladly demonstrate how he did it.

“I think you have to have a humble arrogance about yourself to be successful at your craft, in the sense that you believe in yourself,” McCollum says. “Like, I have the utmost confidence regardless if I miss free throws down the stretch or if I airball a three. The next shot is still going up because I’ve prepared so much. I’ve put myself in a position where in my head, if I fail, the next time I’m going to succeed.”

This is likely why he is able to play so effectively alongside Blazers PG Damian Lillard. The two forged a bond way before they were NBA teammates. During his senior year at Lehigh, McCollum reached out to Lillard—also a mid-major alum out of Weber State—looking for some advice, and Dame was the right guy to dish it out.

“Nobody just gave him anything,” McCollum says of Lillard. “He went to Weber State, where he probably took ice baths in trash cans just like me. He wasn’t in the position where schools were trying to get him, so he worked hard.”

The two frequently texted and Lillard even helped McCollum through the recovery process after he broke his foot during his senior year. Lillard had also broken his foot at Weber State.

That texting relationship has since blossomed into a professional partnership and close friendship. Despite similar games, the two play together seamlessly and complement each other on offense well.

“We genuinely want to see each other succeed, and that’s how we’re able to get along so well on the court,” McCollum says. “We want to see each other be great.”

As he frequently does, Lillard offers up similar praise for McCollum. He even reveals that he’s often in awe of CJ’s offensive arsenal.

“My whole life, I’ve always had that knack for scoring,” Lillard says. “It will look like I’m stuck and I can’t do nothing. But then I can make something happen. For me, that’s normal. Everybody else, though, will be like, Oh, how you do that? CJ gives me that feeling where I’m like, How did he get out of that?”

But while Lillard and McCollum rarely find themselves stuck on offense, the Blazers as a squad have been treading water as a low-tier playoff team for the last couple of seasons.

A second-round playoff appearance in 2016 did heighten expectations, but last season the Golden State Warriors swiftly defeated Portland in four games in the first round. And with the Warriors still being the Warriors, and other teams like the Thunder and Rockets adding superstars, they’ll have to work hard to avoid another first-round exit.

The Blazers do, however, have reason for optimism. Big man Jusuf Nurkic, acquired last season, is in the best shape of his young career and will now be with the team for a full season. Power forward Ed Davis is healthy and provides some necessary depth in the frontcourt. Turner seems far more comfortable in his second season with the team and 24-year-old Pat Connaughton has evolved into a steady rotation player. Oh—and the Blazers still have Lillard and McCollum.

CJ, for his part, doesn’t sound too concerned. A little adversity is nothing new—he’s used to a fight.

“The motivation still comes from within,” he says. “Because I always remember the struggle.”

Related
Deserve It — SLAM 213 Cover Story on Draymond Green
Savage Mode — SLAM 213 Cover Story on Devin Booker
—

Ananth Pandian is a contributor to SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @Ananth_Pandian.

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson

—

SLAM 213 is on sale next week! Pick it up at newsstands and bookstores nationwide.

The post The Beautiful Struggle appeared first on SLAM.

“I felt like we were both on the same page,” McCollum says about his decision to sign with Li-Ning. “There was mutual interest and admiration. Some of the things I want to accomplish, I think that Li-Ning is the right brand for me, allowing me to be more involved with the brand and with that Eastern influence, allowing me to get into that market in China. I felt like it was the right move at the right time for me in my career.”

McCollum spent the first four seasons of his career as a Nike athlete, after spending the four years before that at Lehigh University, a Nike school. McCollum steadily climbed the ranks with the Swoosh, working his way up to wearing PE versions of the Hyperdunk last season.

This season he’ll be playing in the Yu Shuai, Li-Ning’s flagship sneaker and the sneaker that his teammate, Evan Turner, helped to introduce this summer.

“It’s a very functionable shoe,” McCollum says. “It’s in that mid to hightop range. It’s kind of similar to what I played in last season, when I played in the Hyperdunk PEs. It’s a similar build, similar mold. Some of the colors I play in will look really nice.”

McCollum says the next step in working with Li-Ning is picking out his logo and nailing down the specific colorways that he’ll be rocking on-court. And though there could be a signature silhouette at some point, he’s not focused on it yet.

“I’m sure we’ll discuss a lot of things here in the future,” McCollum says. “I’m sure the sky’s the limit in terms of opportunities.”

One of the early opportunities includes outfitting his older brother, Errick, who plays overseas, in the latest Li-Ning sneakers.

“I’ve already spoken to my contacts from Li-Ning and once we start getting some PEs and colorways underway, my brother will be getting blessed with whatever he wants,” CJ says with a laugh.

That’s what drew McCollum to Li-Ning. He wants to be able to have a voice within the brand. That’s what Wade and Turner told him about Li-Ning.

“Evan’s locker is very close to mine,” McCollum says. “And I also reached out to DWade earlier in the summer, just to get a better idea of the brand and what to expect from the transition. They were telling me they’re very happy with their situation. The brand has transformed and evolved since 2012. The shoes are comfortable. They’ve never had any setbacks with the shoes. Most importantly, they have input with the brand. They have input in some of the decision making. And obviously D-Wade with his Way of Wade brand, he’s able to be very involved in the production of on and off-court lines that he wears.”

Li-Ning’s headquarters are based in China, a basketball-hungry country that loves the game and houses die-hard fans of players that hoop in the domestic leagues and in the NBA, which makes the brand an attractive alternative to the powerhouse American sneaker companies.

“They’re amazing,” McCollum says about the fans in China. “They’re eager to learn more about basketball here in the United States. They’re eager to learn more Western culture, in general. I’ve been to China twice, my brother plays in the CBA so I understand their support of basketball and how much time and effort they put in to it with the time difference, staying up to watch games. You see the turnout when we do go to China, selling out shootarounds. It doesn’t even have to be a game. 20,000 people will come out and watch us run through some drills. The fact that it’s about four times the United States is a huge factor. All those people, willing to learn, willing to put their time into our sport. Why not dive into that market?”

McCollum’s portfolio with Li-Ning will continue to grow throughout the season and in the next few years. The Blazers shooting guard is definitely excited for what’s to come.

“I’m extremely blessed and thankful to be in this position of where someone even wants me to wear a shoe of theirs coming from where I come from.”

Top photo courtesy of Getty Images, body photo by Joseph Sherman

The post CJ McCollum Talks About Signing with Li-Ning appeared first on SLAM.

Here's the unforgivable, reputation-damaging crime CJ McCollum committed that the NBA suspended him for. Should be ban for life. /sarcasm pic.twitter.com/pQHkj8MHSX

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) October 14, 2017

McCollum took a few steps on the court, he says, to pull teammate Caleb Swanigan away from Alex Len.

CJ says he’d have been OK with a larger fine than the $165K he’ll have to fork over, if it meant he wouldn’t miss the first game of the Portland Trail Blazers’ regular season Wednesday night.

CJ's reaction… pic.twitter.com/4UeuF2WceH

— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) October 15, 2017

Per The Oregonian:

“They could have suspended me for the preseason game,” McCollum said. “They could have fined me more money and allowed me to play in the regular season game. It’s the intent and it’s usually up to them, it’s to their discretion. So they had a choice. They didn’t have to suspend me.”

 

Added Evan Turner: “I thought CJ was at the level where you don’t get in trouble for that. I was going to walk on the court, but I was like, ‘No. They’re not messing around — they would cancel the whole year if I was on the court.’ I just figured (with) CJ, they would just let it go.”

 

Len and Swanigan were given technical fouls.

 

“I was disappointed,” he said Sunday at the Blazers’ practice facility in Tualatin. “You never want to miss games, especially like that, at the start of the season. You work so hard to prepare for the season. You go through a lot of preseason games that don’t mean anything and then you miss a regular season game because of an incident that you weren’t even involved in. But there’s nothing I can do about it now but move forward and learn from it.”

The post CJ McCollum: NBA ‘Didn’t Have to Suspend Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

It sounds simple enough but it requires a high level of multitasking. Dude with the rock has to be able to occupy two defenders at the same time while avoiding a turnover or a wild shot. And then he has to make the right read, quickly deciding whether to find an open teammate or call his own number. There are few very guys in the League good enough to take advantage of it.

CJ McCollum is in the elite minority.

He breaks defenses down with the snake dribble every damn game. His handle has become air -ight and he uses his long-ass arms to catch defenders with abrupt left-to-right dribbles and hesitations. The snake and his collection of crossovers have helped the 26-year-old develop into a dangerous one-on-one scorer.

Sixty-one percent of McCollum’s baskets came without any help at all last season. He would navigate throughout the floor, at his own pace, and find alley ways to get to his patented stepback from inside the arc.

He made 230 shots from the midrange, good for sixth most in the League. And he barely had help on those makes, too. Of those 230 connections, only 29 percent of them were assisted.

On the rest of the 71 percent, it’s safe to assume that McCollum was weaving around defenders, seeking out an opportunity to snap an ankle. On the low, the Lehigh product has some of the filthiest handles in the League. He blows by big men that switch out on him with too much ease. If a guard dares to D up, he’ll one-two yank ‘em real fast. Then when he has them leaning, he raises up and knocks it down.

The 6-3 McCollum missed only two games last season, averaging a career-best 23 points on 48 percent shooting from the field. He converted at a 42 percent rate from distance, good for seventh best in the NBA.

He erupted for 41 points in Game 1 of the playoffs against the Warriors, showing the national TV audience what he had been doing all season long up in the Northwest. Even though the Blazers lost the game and the series, he put a legitimate scare in the Dubs by easily scoring against everyone they put on him.

Klay Thompson? Smooth catch-and-shoot. Draymond Green? Pull-up off the bounce. Kevin Durant? And-1 opportunity right at the front of the rim. Stephen Curry or Shaun Livingston? Light work.

His back court mate, superstar point guard Damian Lillard, willingly found him time after time that night (Dame chipped in a big 34 points) and together they gave the whole League a glimpse of their unbelievable scoring ability and what’s to come this season.

McCollum has increased his scoring, PER and True Shooting percentage in each of his four seasons in the League. With his bag ever-expanding, and with coach Terry Stotts allowing him to dip into said bag whenever he wants to now, CJ’s looking at a 25 points per game type of season full of stepbacks, head fakes and snake dribbles.

Previous Rankings:
2016: No. 42
2015: Not Ranked
2014: Not Ranked
2013: Not Ranked

Rankings are based on expected contribution in 2017-18—to players’ team, the NBA and the game.

No. 50 – Dion Waiters
No. 49 – Ben Simmons 
No. 48 – Brook Lopez
No. 47 — Harrison Barnes
No. 46 — Jrue Holiday
No. 45 — Lonzo Ball
No. 44 — Myles Turner
No. 43 — Goran Dragic
No. 42 — Andre Drummond
No. 41 — Al Horford
No. 40 — LaMarcus Aldridge
No. 39 — Kevin Love
No. 38 — Paul Millsap
No. 37 — Hassan Whiteside
No. 36 — Andrew Wiggins
No. 35 — Marc Gasol
No. 34 –  DeAndre Jordan
No. 33 — Bradley Beal
No. 32 — Kemba Walker

The post SLAM Top 50: CJ McCollum, No. 31 appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Lillard and McCollum have done “a really good job” recruiting, and that the Blazers have at the very least “piqued Carmelo’s interest.” From the Russillo Show:

“Portland’s an interesting team in this because CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard have done a really good job of recruiting Carmelo. They’ve been on him.

 

“McCollum’s in New York. You saw the video of them playing pick-up. Selling him on, ‘Hey, look what our team could look like with you.’

 

“But that’s incumbent on, can Portland put a package together that appeals to New York? If they could, that’s a sleeper team to get Carmelo to waive his no-trade.

 

“I’m told they’ve piqued Carmelo’s interest at the very least.”

RELATED:
Carmelo Anthony and CJ McCollum Dominate Pickup Game

The post Report: Lillard, McCollum Doing a ‘Really Good Job’ Recruiting Carmelo Anthony appeared first on SLAM.

McCollum hasn’t been shy about recruiting Melo to Portland this summer.

Anthony has yet to relinquish his no-trade clause and (unhappily) remains a Knick.

Related
CJ McCollum Says Carmelo Anthony Would Make the Blazers a Top-3 Team in the West

The post Carmelo Anthony and CJ McCollum Dominate Pickup Game appeared first on SLAM.

In a Players’ Tribune interview with CJ McCollum, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that Seattle will “no doubt be on a short list of cities” when the NBA expands.

Silver wouldn’t give a timeline, but added that expansion is “inevitable.”

“I think it’s just a question of when the right time is to seriously start thinking about expansion.” […]

 

“I don’t want to put a precise timeline on it, but it’s inevitable at some point that we’ll start looking at growth of franchises. That’s always been the case in this league.

 

“And Seattle will no doubt be on a short list of cities that we’ll look at.”

With former Sonics greats Gary Payton, Ray Allen and more lending support, loyal SuperSonics fans may eventually get their wish.

RELATED:
Ray Allen Wants To Bring Back The Seattle SuperSonics

The post Adam Silver: Seattle on ‘Short List of Cities’ for Possible NBA Expansion appeared first on SLAM.

While at his basketball camp in Beaverton, OR, on Wednesday, Lillard said “good luck” to any team trying to stop the Blazers with Carmelo (starting at 1:42):

“We can compete with anybody in the West, but I think when you get to those teams like Golden State, if we happen to run into them in a playoff situation now—we getting in the paint, and if they want to help off someone like Melo…good luck.”

Once Draymond Green saw a skewed headline containing Lillard’s comment, he posted this response: “give it a break @damianlillard”

Lillard immediately tried to diffuse the false headline, but it was already too late at that point.

Yea I never said that lol… https://t.co/0YtwX3O0Gd

— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) July 21, 2017

RELATED:
CJ McCollum Says Carmelo Anthony Would Make the Blazers a Top-3 Team in the West

The post Draymond Green on Carmelo-to-Blazers Hype: ‘Give It a Break’ appeared first on SLAM.

While guesting on SiriusXM NBA Radio on Wednesday, McCollum stated that Portland would become a championship contender with Melo (starting at 0:33):

“We get Carmelo Anthony, and we’re a top-three team in the West immediately.

 

“I think we’d become a championship contender with Carmelo Anthony. I can’t guarantee a Championship. It’s very, very hard to win a Championship in this league.

 

“But I think we could compete with anybody with Carmelo Anthony on our team.”

Whether or not Carmelo would waive his no-trade clause for a team other than the Rockets or Cavs still remains to be seen.

But McCollum and Damian Lillard seemed confident in Portland’s chances of landing Carmelo while at Dame’s annual basketball camp in Beaverton yesterday.

RELATED:
Report: Carmelo Anthony Not Interested in Staying with Knicks

The post CJ McCollum Says Carmelo Anthony Would Make the Blazers a Top-3 Team in the West appeared first on SLAM.

McCollum tweeted, “Klay gonna get another ring and find his own squad. They better enjoy him while he there ”

Klay gonna get another ring and find his own squad. They better enjoy him while he there

— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) June 2, 2017

Compared to last season, Thompson is averaging 8 fewer touches and 10.5 fewer points in the playoffs. In Game 1, he shot just 3-16 from the field.

Thompson, however, has maintained that he’s happy with the looks he’s getting.

https://youtu.be/X3mxV06naZc?t=5s

RELATED:
Klay Thompson: ‘I’m Not Sacrificing Sh*t’

The post CJ McCollum Thinks Klay Thompson Will Leave The Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

McCollum responded with Paul George‘s handle “@Yg_Trece”.

@Yg_Trece https://t.co/hscPgLyUAT

— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) April 27, 2017

George has been the subject of trade rumors for seemingly the past year, and the Pacers reportedly were listening to offers prior to February’s trade deadline.

CJ opened up a bit about his desire to play with George during a conversation with Taylor Rooks this week in New York:

https://soundcloud.com/timeoutwithtaylorrooks/blazers-guard-cj-mccollum-talks-george-curry-and-100-million#t=4:30

“Paul George is the homie. He’s with Nike. I’ve had some discussions with him about the season, and what it’s like to go from… He was behind Danny Granger for a while. [Granger] gets hurt, and then he comes up and becomes a star and kinda takes over.

 

“So just talking to him about his mindset. He would look good in red and black that’s all.

 

“He gives you that star power. You’re in the Western Conference. Obviously there’s a lot of very good teams. A lot of teams that are deep. A lot of teams that have three, four horsemen. Some teams have five. And you have to be able to match them blow for blow.

 

“It takes a lot more than one good player, two good players, three good players. You need to have a collective unit. Obviously, Paul George would help any team in the NBA.”

RELATED:
Danny Granger: ‘Can’t Fault’ Paul George If He Leaves Indiana

The post CJ McCollum Says Paul George ‘Would Look Good in Red and Black’ appeared first on SLAM.

Both Lillard and McCollum’s deals extend through the 2020-21 campaign.

Q: Are Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum off limits or are they like everyone else and open to being dealt?

 

Neil Olshey: The odds of anything ever coming up of commensurate value is so hard to even fathom.

 

I could give you the trite answer that nobody is untradable, but clearly they are.

Portland was swept by the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs this month, but not for any lack of effort by the Blazers’ star backcourt.

Lillard and McCollum dropped a combined 75 points in Game 1 and averaged 50.3 points for the series.

https://youtu.be/QiRQiJVlG7M?t=37s

RELATED:
Damian Lillard: ‘I Wouldn’t Say it Was a Successful Year’

The post Blazers GM Says Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum Are ‘Untradable’ appeared first on SLAM.

Lillard says he won’t back down from the fiery Warriors forward, and that he enjoys the back-and-forth.

Damian Lillard on Draymond's trash talking: "That's just good for the game. The league has softened up a lot."pic.twitter.com/bkqQOIPuhU

— Kevin Jones (@Mr_KevinJones) April 17, 2017

Portland will attempt to steal Game 2 Wednesday night in Oakland.

Per ESPN:

“For me, it’s just going to make me raise the level of my game because I take [Green’s trash talk] as a challenge,” Lillard said after his team’s 121-109 loss. “I’m going to take exception to it, and I’m going to say something back. That’s what it’s going to be, as long as that’s how he’s approaching it — it’s going to be coming right back.”

 

Through all the chatter that may occur in this series, Lillard said he respects and appreciates what Green brings to the game.

 

“I think the league has softened up a lot, and it’s not like that, so you’ve got to have a rough guy like him out there,” Lillard said. “I think it’s necessary. I think their team depends on him to be that dog out there and to be that person.”

Related
Damian Lillard: ‘Blazers in 6’

The post Damian Lillard: ‘I’m Going to Say Something Back’ to Draymond Green appeared first on SLAM.

Jordan Clarkson‘s 30-point night was spoiled by Dario Saric, who went off for a career-high 29 points with seven boards and five dimes. Jahlil Okafor tallied 23 points and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot added 18 to wrap up the road W. After the game, Joel Embiid cast his vote for Rookie of the Year:

https://youtu.be/Yt5R5M90um0

Celtics 100 (42-25), Bulls 80 (31-35)

They’re just 1.5 games out of a playoff spot, but the Bulls look like a team just riding out the season. The Celtics, who at one time held a 30-point lead, shot a combined 46.5% in an afternoon rout of Chicago. Isaiah Thomas led the way with 22 points, Avery Bradley added 17p/6r and Jae Crowder grabbed 10 boards.

Isaiah Thomas just became the 3rd Celtic to make 200 3’s in a season.

Antoine Walker (2002, 2003)
Paul Pierce (2002)
Isaiah Thomas (2017)

— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) March 12, 2017

Nets 120 (12-53), Knicks 112 (26-41)

It was “Biggie Night” at Barclays Center, and the Daily News backpage burned Carmelo Anthony after another lethargic loss for the Knicks:

Daily News backpage after the Knicks dishonor Biggie's legacy pic.twitter.com/MkPYejAyGY

— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) March 13, 2017

The Knicks finished with a spirited fourth quarter, but Brook Lopez (25 points) and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (14p, 11r) were just too much for Jeff Hornacek’s squad to overcome. Jeremy Lin and Caris LeVert scored 13 points apiece in this one, while Trevor Booker managed 14.

Pacers 102 (34-32), Heat 98 (32-35)

The Pacers picked up a much-needed W behind a 28p/10r double-double from Paul George. Hassan Whiteside posted a monstrous stat-line of 26 points and 21 boards, but Miami lost for just the sixth time in their last 26 games. Erik Spoelstra and the Heat remain just one game out of the eighth seed following Sunday’s loss.

That was sick, @yungsmoove21 pic.twitter.com/3IPhmwrb4H

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 13, 2017

Trail Blazers 110 (28-36), Suns 101 (22-44)

Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum had 39 and 26 points, respectively, holding off a late Phoenix rally for the W. After trailing by 18, the Suns went on a run to eventually take a 93-92 lead with 6:37 left in regulation. The Trail Blazers regained their composure, however, for a 15-0 run to close the show. Devin Booker turned in a 28-point performance, while Eric Bledsoe scored 19 and Alan Williams dropped another double-double off the bench.

Rockets 117 (45-21), Cavaliers 112 (43-21)

After watching Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich rest their regulars on Saturday, it was nice getting a legitimate preview of the playoffs. James Harden went off for 38 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, guiding Houston to their second straight W. The Cavs- who played in Orlando the night before- weren’t able to come away with the W despite shooting a combined 52.5% from the field. LeBron James scored 39 points to go with Kyrie Irving‘s 28, while Richard Jefferson scored 16 first half points on four treys. Mike D’Antoni was happy with his team’s effort against the defending champs.

“Obviously, when you have the champs on the floor, there’s a little more excitement in the room,” D’Antoni said. “If there’s a little more excitement in the room, players feel that also. It’s a good place to see where we are.”

The post Post Up: Selection Sunday appeared first on SLAM.

The other great thing about All-Star Weekend is that the entire basketball world gets together in one place. And the likelihood of having Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook sit next to each other skyrockets up to an inevitability. Throw in CJ McCollum, who majored in journalism at Lehigh, patrolling the sidelines for TNT and you have the makings of a great moment.

Watch the video above to see CJ, Kyrie and Russ chop it up about the three-point contest, fashion and letting the world see another side of Mr. Triple-Double.

Video courtesy of Ximo Pierto

The post WATCH: CJ McCollum Interviews Kyrie Irving, Russell Westbrook appeared first on SLAM.

The Portland Trail Blazers overcame a late push by Dirk Nowitzki.

McCollum finished with 32 points in the road victory.

Per the AP:

McCollum’s shot capped a final minute in which the two teams traded leads six times and Dirk Nowitzki hit two clutch 3-pointers, the second a potential game-winner with 3.9 seconds left. McCollum scored Portland’s last seven points.

 

Damian Lillard added 29 points for the Blazers, who tied their season series with the Mavericks at 2-2 — each team winning twice on the others’ home floor.>

 

Harrison Barnes had 26 points and Nowitzki 25 for Dallas.

The post C.J. McCollum Floats in Game-Winner vs Dallas appeared first on SLAM.

What a finish. Down by one with 3.9 second left in regulation, C.J. McCollum drove past Wesley Matthews and Harrison Barnes to sink a one-handed floater, giving Portland a crucial victory in their playoff push. On a bittersweet night for the Trail Blazers- the team lost Evan Turner to a broken hand- McCollum and Damian Lillard were sublime, scoring 32 and 29 points, respectively. The Mavs hung in well in Tuesday’s heartbreaker, as three players (including 38-year-old Dirk Nowitzki!) scored at least 23 points. Yogi Ferrell appears to be coming back down to earth, as the former Hoosier scored just 12 points through 35 minutes.

“We’ve struggled to win games in these close situations,” Lillard said. “To finally close one out, it feels good going back home.”

Hornets 111 (24-17), Nets 107 (9-42)

Despite outscoring Charlotte 70-57 in the second half, the Nets absorbed their 10th straight loss. Former SLAM Podcast guest Spencer Dinwiddie received the start for Brooklyn, tallying seven points with four assists and a steal. Bojan Bogdanovic and Brook Lopez combined for 42, but ultimately a well-rounded attack (six players scoring in double-digits) helped the Hornets snap a seven-game skid.

This season:
Hornets +177 with Cody Zeller ON
Hornets -139 with Cody Zeller OFF https://t.co/5aD9RZyPa2

— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) February 7, 2017

Rockets 128 (38-17), Magic 104 (20-33)

The Magic cut their deficit to eight points early in the fourth quarter, before Houston’s torrid 24-2 run put the game out of reach for good. James Harden scored 25 points and Trevor Ariza added 20, handing Orlando their seventh loss in the last 10 games. The loss is particularly demoralizing to the Magic, who now sit five games behind the eight-seed in the Eastern Conference. Serge Ibaka, who scored a game-high 28 points, will be the team’s primary asset at the trade deadline.

https://youtu.be/Dtu1ZG4rI9I

The post Post Up: Winning Collum appeared first on SLAM.

• Klay Thompson (third appearance)
• Kemba Walker
• Kyrie Irving (fourth appearance)
• Kyle Lowry (second appearance)
• Wesley Matthews (second appearance)
• Nick Young
• Eric Gordon
• CJ McCollum (second appearance)

With the exception of Irving (tied for twentieth), all the players are in the top-12 for three-pointers made. Gordon’s second with 170, trailing Stephen Curry. Gordon, Lowry, Thompson and Thomas are third-through-sixth in percentage entering Thursday’s games.

First-time participants include Kemba Walker, Nick Young and Eric Gordon. Kyrie Irving won the Contest in 2013. The Three-Point Contest gets underway on Saturday, February 18 on TNT.

The post 2017 Three-Point Contest Participants Announced appeared first on SLAM.

As part of his “Press Pass” program, CJ is partnering with Prep2Prep, to give 20 hand-selected high school students the opportunity to cover local high school sporting events, receive mentorship and personalized feedback from journalists.

“I love working with these students as they gain hands-on experience as members of the media,” said McCollum in a press release. “This behind-the-scenes look will expose them to all of the different ways to pursue a career in journalism and help them focus on what draws their interest.”

The program will kick off on February 8 when McCollum meets with the students, who were chosen based on applications to the program. On February 13, CJ’s Press Pass students will receive media credentials to attend the Trail Blazers’ matchup against the Atlanta Hawks where they will be on assignment to produce a column, video or podcast of the game. In addition to a back-of-house tour and post-game press conference attendance, the group will also participate in an exclusive Q&A session with local journalists, McCollum and one of the team’s assistant coaches.

Assignments will be submitted to McCollum and the student with the best piece will be recognized on-air when the group visits the iHeart Radio station to watch CJ tape one of his shows on March 24.

The post CJ McCollum Mentors Journalism Students With “CJ’s Press Pass” appeared first on SLAM.

Parsons clapped back at the Blazers, saying, “Good luck in the lottery show this year.” (Portland currently is a half-game back from the 8-seed.)

CJ McCollum, who scored 18 points on 7-11 shooting, then ripped Parsons with a Hall of Fame-worthy tweet: “We hit the lottery by not signing you.”

The shot left McCollum’s teammates shocked.

https://t.co/fM0T3QIwxV

— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) January 28, 2017

These tweets are for the ages. I think both participants should shake hands after this. I'm just speechless. Unbelievable https://t.co/fQ1FWboLDY

— Evan Turner (@thekidet) January 28, 2017

https://t.co/sMUCNY5m3a

— Pat Connaughton (@pconnaughton) January 28, 2017

Parsons signed a four-year, $94.4 million deal with the Grizzlies in July, but has appeared in just 20 of Memphis’ 48 games this season.

He looked to get the last word with his response to McCollum: “Stop it. Technically, I hit the lottery.”

RELATED:
David Fizdale Says Chandler Parsons and LeBron James Have The Same Skill Set

The post CJ McCollum Blasts Chandler Parsons: ‘We Hit The Lottery By Not Signing You’ appeared first on SLAM.

Up 10 with 2:29 left in the game, the Knicks had to have felt pretty good about their chances. But Joel Embiid, who had 21 points and a career-best 14 rebounds, responded with eight quick points to bring Philly in position to steal the game. Kristaps Porzingis air-balled a corner trey, which led to a transition opportunity for the Sixers with six seconds left. TJ McConnell got the ball on the baseline, stopped, turned and faded away before sinking the game-winning shot.

https://vine.co/v/5YEi2UJu6OU

Embiid said after the game that the 76ers are thinking about getting to the playoffs. They’re actually just seven games out. Anything is possible?

.@JoelEmbiid: "We're thinking about Playoffs." pic.twitter.com/OCLE8XK2SJ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 12, 2017

Grizzlies 95 (24-17), Thunder 103 (24-16)

Very nice win for OKC, who never trailed through all 48 minutes. Russell Westbrook had his 18th triple-double of the season (24 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists), matching last year’s total in half as many games. The Thunder destroyed the Grizzlies 53-39 on the boards and 27-9 in fast break points.

Rockets 105 (31-10), T-Wolves 119 (13-26)

Houston dropped a dud on the second half of a back-to-back. To Houston’s credit, though, it actually was the first time all year that the Rockets have lost on the second half of a back-to-back. Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks to lead the Wolves, who blew open the game with a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter. Ricky Rubio tied a career-best 17 assists, and it looks like his struggles this season could be behind him.

Wizards 108 (19-19), Celtics 117 (24-15)

No doubt this was a chippy ballgame. Both teams on the second half of a back-to-back. Boston won the rebounding battle, 45-44—something that’s been a major issue for them recently. Isaiah Thomas put up 20 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter. He’s been an absolute assassin in the fourth this season. Boston outscored the Wiz by 11 in the final quarter, and that proved to be the difference.

After the game, things got heated between Jae Crowder and John Wall, which ultimately resulted Crowder poking Wall on the nose, and Wall tapping Crowder on the cheek.

Magic 96 (16-24), Clippers 105 (27-14)

January has been good to the Clippers. They’ve gone 5-0 this month and could get Blake Griffin back in a couple weeks. Orlando has been the exact opposite. They’ve dropped six of their last seven and have really struggled to put the ball in the basket. Still, they were tied in the fourth quarter before L.A. eventually pulled away. DeAndre Jordan grabbed 20 rebounds, scored 10 points and blocked 3 shots to lead the Clippers.

Cavs 86 (28-10), Blazers 102 (18-23)

A snowstorm in Portland caused travel problems for both teams as they tied to arrive in Rip City after playing on Tuesday. The Cavs looked like they left their game on the plane, though, as LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love combined to shoot under 33 percent. Five of Cleveland’s 10 losses have come on zero days rest on the road. CJ McCollum led Portland with 27 points—his seventh consecutive 25+ point night. He’s the first Blazer since Clyde Drexler in ’87 to accomplish the feat.

The post Post Up: Trust TJ appeared first on SLAM.

Tim Hardaway Jr. nailed a clutch game-tying trey with just over 3 seconds remaining in regulation. Kawhi Leonard had a chance to win the game, but his jumper just rolled off:

The Hawks went on to get the narrow victory in overtime. Paul Millsap dropped a season-high 32 points and had 13 rebounds. Hardaway Jr. finished with 29, nine of which came in the extra period. The Spurs were led by LeMarcus Aldridge, who posted 27 and 13 boards.

Pistons 107 (16-20), Heat 98 (10-25)

After trailing by eight at the half, Detroit turned up the defense, holding Miami to just 32 points on 39% shooting in the final two quarters. Big man Andre Drummond was a monster tonight (25p, 18r) and Reggie Jackson did his thing as well (27p). The Heat were without Goran Dragic, Hassan Whiteside, Dion Waiters, Justise Winslow, and Josh McRoberts. James Johnson was their top scorer with 20 points off the bench.

Pacers 117 (17-18), Magic 104 (15-19)

Six players scored in double figures for the victorious Pacers. Myles Turner led the way with an impressive 23 points and 12 rebounds. Vucevic had a double-double of his own for Orlando (18p, 11r).

Trail Blazers 95 (15-21), Timberwolves 89 (11-23)

Welcome to the CJ McCollum show. Portland was without Damian Lillard for the fourth straight game (sprained ankle), so CJ put the team on his back. The sharpshooter put up a career-high 43 points on 16/25 shooting, helping his team to overcome a 14-point first-half deficit. The highlight of the game came from Timberwolves rookie Kris Dunn, however:

Wiggins led Minnesota with 24.

Raptors 123 (23-10), Lakers 114 (12-25)

Kyle Lowry was a beast tonight, hanging 41 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists on the Lakers. DeMar DeRozan contributed 31 as well. As a team, the Raps shot an impressive 56% from the field for the game. D’Angelo Russell led LA with 28 on 9/18.

The post Post Up: Thriller in Atlanta appeared first on SLAM.

Heading into tonight, the Blazers had lost seven of their last eight and were set to face the Timberwolves without Lillard, who continues to sit with a sprained ankle. So CJ put the team on his back.

The sharpshooter dropped a career-high 43 points on 16/25 shooting, leading his team to a much needed 95-89 victory.

Related
Starboy

The post WATCH: CJ McCollum Drops Career-High 43 Points appeared first on SLAM.

In late July, Andrews received a call from her son, Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum. CJ was calling with bad news—it was obvious in his voice. He was down, depressed. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “What happened?”

“Ughhhh,” he said, letting out a deep sigh. “We’re finalizing the extension now. Four years, $106 million.”

“And she just started screaming,” CJ says now, cracking up.

It’s easy to look around the NBA landscape and think that of course McCollum—a 25-year-old up-and-comer who averaged 20.8 points per game last season on a young Portland team that needs to retain its stars at whatever cost—was going to get paid. But it wasn’t that long ago that such an outcome seemed wildly unlikely.

McCollum was selected 10th overall by Portland in the 2013 NBA Draft. As a skinny 6-3 tweener, his potential was uncertain. He had broken his left foot early in his senior season at Lehigh University, and then at Blazers training camp he broke it again, sidelining him for the first six weeks of his rookie season. He wound up playing just 38 games in 2013-14, and when he was active, minutes were light—the team had a steady rotation of Damian Lillard, Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge and Robin Lopez, with veteran off-guard Mo Williams gobbling up the sixth-man minutes and Dorell Wright as the primary swingman off the bench. When CJ did get in the game, he looked apprehensive, uncomfortable, even a little unsure how to fit in.

“There’s a feeling-out process, especially when you’re on a playoff team,” he says. “There’s less room for error as a rookie. If you’re making mistakes, you’re coming out, because the vets and the older guys don’t make mistakes, and everything is amplified because you’re in the Western Conference fighting for a playoff spot. You’re kinda walking on eggshells trying to do the right things. And from a comfort standpoint, not knowing when you’re going to play and not knowing how long you’re going to play can be nerve-wracking—showing up to work every day not knowing what your situation is gonna be like, because of matchups or Coach decides he doesn’t wanna play you that day.”

His second season began with more of the same—inconsistent minutes off the bench leading to relatively unsteady production within an unsteady role. Then that November he broke his right index finger, sidelining him for a month. He’d return in December to the same scant playing time, only occasionally producing well during the 8-15 minutes he’d get on and off throughout that winter.

Errick McCollum, CJ’s older brother and mentor, made sure to remain in little bro’s ear. “I just told him the NBA lacks shooting guards who can create off the bounce, off screens, and do what he does,” Errick says. “I was like, ‘You’re going to get your chance, because of your position. You’re basically a point guard who’s long enough and strong enough to defend the 2. And obviously they liked you, because they wouldn’t have drafted you if they were completely satisfied with what they had.’ I knew his opportunity was coming. I didn’t know if it was gonna be with Portland or not, but I knew somebody would give him a chance.”

That opportunity did come in Portland. In March of 2015, seemingly ever-durable Wesley Matthews tore his Achilles, ending his season. CJ, as the next man up, saw his minutes escalate, even starting a couple late-season games before the postseason commenced. The undermanned Blazers would fall in the first round of the playoffs to the Memphis Grizzlies, but CJ showed out individually, scoring 28, 18 and 33 points during the Blazers’ final three contests.

“Going against [Grizzlies guard] Tony Allen and playing in hostile environments, kinda getting exposed to that early on, that’s when I knew, Alright, I can sustain this for a long period of time,” CJ says. “I just have to continue to work.”

“He’s just the type of player where if you give him an opportunity, you can consider it done,” Errick says. “That’s all he needs, a chance. I knew throughout his whole career, that’s been his M.O.—you get underestimated, and sometimes you don’t get that chance, so when you do get it, you’ve gotta be ready to capitalize. He took full advantage.”

And yet, you don’t have to go back much earlier than that to find a time in which it wasn’t clear that McCollum, who’s currently averaging 22.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 3.6 apg as the Blazers’ starting shooting guard, would ever be sitting on an NBA team’s bench in the first place.

CJ wasn’t highly recruited out of high school in Canton, OH, and he wound up at mid-major Lehigh University, a school of about 5,000 undergraduate students in Bethlehem, PA. For Lehigh standards—and as a fellow LU alum and former sports editor of the student newspaper, I feel plenty qualified to speak freely on the school’s athletic standards—CJ was a good get, maybe a little too competent for our relatively off-the-radar university. But he honestly wasn’t hailed as the savior of…much of anything. At first, he didn’t even start.

“At Lehigh, I was coming off the bench and I was in the rotation playing about 20 or 25 minutes per game the first two games,” he says. “The starter in front of me kept getting in foul trouble. I played well in those two games and then I started in our home opener and had 22 points.”

And he never slowed down. CJ averaged 19.1 points per game that season, winning Patriot League Player of the Year and establishing himself as a force in a college basketball conference that typically didn’t feature anyone who could be described as much of a “force” at all. Talk around campus was that this kid could play—but even still, expectations were tempered, and the thought was maybe we were looking at a future overseas pro or, at best, a late first-round or second-round draft pick. But his freshman season ended with an NCAA Tournament berth and a surprisingly hard-fought game against the mighty Kansas Jayhawks, and though Kansas (with a stacked roster that included future NBA players Cole Aldrich, Thomas Robinson, Xavier Henry, Tyshawn Taylor and the Morris twins) won by 16, it was apparent CJ could hang with the big dogs. He dropped 26 points and kept things close into the second half.

“[Kansas] had five or six NBA guys and their whole gameplan was to stop [CJ],” Errick says. “And you’re looking at a kid who’s barely 18 years old, and he goes out there and scores 26 on them. I said, he’s going to the League. That’s when he realized it. That was the turning point for him.”

“Yeah, that’s when I was like, OK, if I’m able to play with them right now, as a freshman who’s about 165 pounds, once I put some weight on and mature and develop, I’ll definitely be able to stand out, at any level,” CJ says.

He then spent four years more or less dominating the Patriot League but also proving better competition couldn’t slow him down, finishing his junior season with arguably the biggest and best NCAA Tourney upset of all time—don’t @ me!—when 15-seeded Lehigh took down 2-seeded Duke in 2012. CJ finished that game with 30 points, besting nationally renowned NBA prospect Austin Rivers in the process. And from there, anyone and everyone could see CJ McCollum had an NBA future ahead of him.

Growing up, Errick knew CJ had talent, though back then the idea that CJ’s talent could take him as far as it has was likely pretty preposterous. Errick is three-and-a-half years older than CJ, and yet CJ would always play with Errick and his friends instead of his own. “It was too easy for him to play with kids his age,” Errick says. And lil’ bro would keep up. Errick, along with NBAer Kosta Koufos, would go on to star at GlenOak High School in Canton, and when he graduated, it cleared the way for the younger McCollum to take over the team. CJ had averaged single-digit points per game as a sophomore—“you know, a role player,” Errick says—but when Errick and Kosta graduated, CJ was given the reigns.

“We expected him to step his game up,” Errick says. “I was hoping maybe he’d have 16, 17 points a game. And he goes and averages 25—and drops 54 in the first game. I was like, ‘You wanna go to school for free, I see.’”

Nine years later, CJ doesn’t have to stress about paying for school—or much at all. His massive contract extension came on the heels of a 2015-16 season that saw him receive the Most Improved Player award, which he earned after never relinquishing the starting role he was given at the tail end of ’14-15. He averaged 20.8 ppg and 4.3 apg in ’15-16, forming one of the most exciting young backcourts in the NBA with Lillard, a fellow former mid-major standout. Through hours and hours of work put in with Blazers assistant coach David Vanterpool, CJ has developed a reliable floater for finishing around the basket, and has maintained his almost Iverson-esque ability to get buckets as an undersized off-guard.

CJ remains reliant on his big bro to keep pushing him, though it’s more difficult than it was in high school—Errick now plays in China, where last season he scored a Chinese Basketball Association record 82 points (!) in one game. Errick’s contract has him locked up through this February, after which he can return to the States or search for another hoops gig abroad. In the meantime, the younger McCollum will handle the family business on this side of the planet.

“I wanna continue to work and continue to be a shark,” CJ says. “Sharks eat, but they’re always hungry. That’s the premise of my mindset, and that’s what Coach Vanterpool always tells me: You need to continue to eat, even when you’re full. Continue to be hungry and continue to keep that underdog mindset and remember where you came from. This could all be taken away in a hurry.

“Just two years ago I wasn’t nothing. I wasn’t shit. In the eyes of the public and the eyes of the world, I was just another lottery pick who’s been injured on and off and hadn’t proven that he belongs in the NBA.”

No longer.

—

Adam Figman is the Editor-in-Chief of SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @afigman.

Photos via Getty Images

The post Starboy appeared first on SLAM.

It took the Spurs a little bit of time to wake up for this early game in Boston. The Cs led by 14 in the first quarter thanks to a slow start from the Spurs’ starters. David Lee then led a big charge from San Antonio’s bench. The second unit finished with 56 points, including 15 points and 12 rebounds from Lee. With 19 from Patty Mills and a career-high 15 from rookie Davis Bertans, they outscored the Spurs starters.

The Celtics won the assist battle and had fewer turnovers than the Spurs, but they shot only 9 free-throws, compared to 25 from the silver & black. Isaiah Thomas had 24 and 8 for Boston, Jae Crowder chipped in 18 and Avery Bradley got 19 points and 8 rebounds.

David Lee goes strong to the rim. https://t.co/hIWlNnlhxT

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 25, 2016

Wizards 94 (5-9), Magic 91 (6-10)

John Wall jumped on the Magic early, helping the Wizards build a 26-7 lead. He had 5 dimes and 3 steals midway through the first. But Orlando slowly climbed back into the game by keeping the Wizards out of the lane after that big first quarter. Washington had just 10 free-throw attempts.

In the end, Wall proved too much for Orlando. He scored the final 8 points for the Wizards. The Magic had 19 turnovers and 18 assists. Serge Ibaka had 19 points and 4 blocks and Nik Vucevic had 17 points and 17 rebounds. Wall led the ‘Zards with 26 points and 10 helpers. All five starters scored in double-figures for Washington. Bradley Beal had a season-high 8 assists.

Bradley Beal got Evan Fournier in a chokehold tonight. (via @BleacherReport) pic.twitter.com/7h4romcHd0

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2016

Cavs 128 (13-2), Mavs 90 (2-13)

The Cavs are on fire. A game after scoring 40, Kevin Love led Cleveland with 27 points and 10 rebounds. He was backed up by 25 from Kyrie Irving and 19 points and 11 assists from LeBron James. The wine & gold led by as many as 45, limiting Dallas to 8-35 from downtown and 8-12 from the foul line. The Cavs made 20 threes and every player on their roster scored. Dirk Nowitzki had 15 for Dallas.

Knicks 113 (8-7), Hornets 111 (8-7)

There were 22 lead changes and 17 ties in this one. The Knicks led early, then the Hornets took control between the second and third quarters. During the fourth, they traded body blows, eventually needing overtime to decide a winner.

Carmelo Anthony stepped up for New York, registering a season-high 35, making the game-winner with 3 seconds remaining. The Knicks have now won six in a row at the Garden and three straight overall. The Hornets get a shot at revenge when they host the Knicks on Saturday night.

Game winner for @carmeloanthony. Slight work. pic.twitter.com/xAUx24lkgu

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2016

Bulls 105 (10-6), Sixers 89 (4-12)

The Bulls ended their six-game road trip with a 4-2 record, capping off two weeks on the road with a wire-to-wire win against Philly. Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler both had 26. Rajon Rondo had team-highs in assists and rebounds, with 10 and 8, respectively. Without Joel Embiid (rest), the Bulls built the lead up to 28, giving their starters some much needed rest towards the end of this game.

Pistons 108 (8-9), Clippers 97 (14-3)

The Clippers suffered just their third loss of the season because of a balanced team effort from Detroit. The Pistons grinded their way to this win with 17 from Marcus Morris, 16 from Andre Drummond, Ish Smith and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, 15 from Tobias Harris and 11 from Jon Leuer. They simply outplayed LA, earning this win with pure determination. The Pistons had more rebounds, three-pointers and steals, and fewer turnovers than the Clippers.

LA grabbed an 82-80 lead thanks to a JJ Redick barrage late in the third. But there was no way Detroit was losing this game, overcoming 24 from both Redick and Griffin, and a season-best 15 assists from Chris Paul.

.@AndreDrummond coming through for the big finish! https://t.co/7IlTOCfCcz

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2016

Jazz 95 (9-8), Hawks 68 (10-6)

The Hawks hadn’t scored fewer than 92 points all season. But Utah put the clamps on them. Atlanta also had season-lows in assists and field goals, getting only 11 dimes and 26 buckets. Dennis Schroder scored 16 for the Hawks, but needed 19 shots to do it.

Utah had their best defensive performance of the season, which is saying a lot. The Jazz currently have the second-best Defensive Rating in the League, trailing only the Hawks. The Jazz had 55 total rebounds, 9 blocks and 9 steals. It marked the third time this year that they’ve gotten at least 50 rebounds. They’ve won all three of those games.

Rudy Gobert had 5 rejections and Shelvin Mack had 4 takeaways. Gordon Hayward led the Jazz in scoring with 24, while George Hill had 23.

Gordie with the swat! https://t.co/SzeFZsWigd

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2016

Raptors 105 (10-6), Bucks 99 (6-8)

Somebody gotta stop DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry in the clutch. DeRozan hit a downhill midrange jumpers with two defenders in his face, Lowry drilled a 27-footer with 1:06 left, then he got a steal to put the dagger in Milwaukee. The duo combined for 45 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. They scored Toronto’s final 13 points.

Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds on 12-17 shooting. But that monster performance will go unnoticed because of how lethal DeRozan and Lowry were. DeRozan led Toronto in rebounding and Lowry led them in assists.

Gonna take more than two defenders to stop @DeMar_DeRozan these days. https://t.co/WQD4S31vB3

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2016

Heat 90 (5-10), Grizzlies 81 (10-6)

The Grizzlies inexplicably brought Mike Conley off the bench tonight in their loss to the Heat, citing minutes-management as the reason. Conley still led the team in scoring, but didn’t get any help. JaMychal Green was the only other member of the Grizz to score in double-figures. Without Zach Randolph (indefinite leave of absence to mourn the passing of his mother), Memphis didn’t have the firepower.

Tyler Johnson had 22 for Miami. Four other Heat players scored at least 10 points and Miami led for the whole game.

.@dionwaiters3 with the ill crossover. https://t.co/R7GvSDttzu

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2016

Pacers 118 (8-9), Nets 97 (4-11)

The Pacers are dealing with some major injury problems at the moment. Paul George sat out yet another game, and will miss the next three because of injuries to his left ankle and back. CJ Miles’ return is uncertain and Kevin Seraphin will also miss at least the next three games to rehab his sore knee. With three rotation players out, the Pacers used their depth to rout the Nets.

Glenn Robinson III made the most out of his second appearance in the starting lineup, dropping 20 points. Al Jefferson and Rodney Stuckey combined for 34 of Indiana’s 48 bench points. Myles Turner, Monta Ellis and Thad Young all scored at least 11 points.

After a close first quarter, the Pacers blew the game open and were up by as many as 31. Jeremy Lin hasn’t played since November 2 and his absence has really made a difference for the Nets, who have now lost six in a row.

Thunder 132 (9-8), Nuggets 129 (6-10)

Russell Westbrook put up yet another triple-double tonight, going for 36 points, 12 rebounds and an NBA season-high 18 assists. It’s his sixth of the season and 43rd of his career. He’s now sitting with season averages of 32 points, 10.9 assists and 9.8 rebounds. Yeah.

OKC had trouble putting the Nuggets away. Behind Wilson Chandler’s 32 points and a no-fear performance from 19-year-old Jamal Murray (20 points), Denver was able to keep Westbrook under wraps for three quarters. Even when Russ scored 24 points in the fourth and OT, the Nuggets were still right there, narrowly missing out on this win.

Wolves 98 (5-10), Suns 85 (5-12)

Zach LaVine had one of the best dunks of the season and the young Timberwolves were able to outlast the Suns for an impressive road victory, just their second win away from Target Center this season. Andrew Wiggins broke out of his three-game shooting slump to lead Minnesota with 25 points. Along with 22 from Karl-Anthony Towns, the Wolves pulled off a 23-point turnaround in the fourth quarter. The Wolves also got good minutes from Tyus Jones. The Suns committed a season-high 26 turnovers and scored only 10 points in the fourth.

Blazers 119 (9-9), Pelicans 104 (6-11)

This wasn’t an easy win for the Blazers. Anthony Davis and the Pelicans hung tough till late in the fourth, trailing 105-101. Then the Blazers responded with a quick 8-0 burst to seal the game. Davis went for 31 and 13. Jrue Holiday had 16 points off the bench. Langston Galloway and Terrence Jones helped New Orleans stick around, making timely buckets and key defensive stops.

Damian Lillard went off late in the third, pushing the Portland lead to 94-78. He finished with 27 points and 11 helpers. CJ McCollum had 24, Mason Plumlee had 12 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists, Mo Harkless had 19 points and 11 boards. Portland outrebounded New Orleans 52-34.

Warriors 109 (14-2), Lakers 85 (8-9)

No Nick Young, Julius Randle or D’Angelo Russell meant for trouble for the Lakers tonight. They played hard but Golden Sate’s on a roll. The Dubs last loss was on November 4, to the Lakers. They’ve seemingly figured out how to play together since then. Tonight, they had 31 assists on 43 field goals, getting 29 from Kevin Durant, 24 from Stephen Curry and 18 from Klay Thompson. That trio combined for 8 of GSW’s 11 triples on the night. Durant also chipped in a season-high 9 assists and 6 rebounds.

Jordan Clarkson had 20 for the Lakers. Luke Walton got great minutes of out Tariq Black and Thomas Robinson. They combined for just 14 points and 15 rebounds, but they infused LA with much needed energy and a willingness to compete.

Rockets 117 (10-6), Kings 104 (6-10)

The Rockets set a single-game NBA record with their 50 attempted three-pointers tonight. They made 21, paced by Trevor Ariza, who hit 6-11. Of the 10 Rockets that played, only Nene, Clint Capela and Montrezl Harrell didn’t make or attempt a three-ball. Everyone else hit at least one.

James Harden picked up his fourth triple-double of the season, getting 23, 10 and 10. He was one of seven Rockets to score in double-figures. Houston had 27 dimes on 40 baskets.

They held Sacramento to 9-32 shooting from outside. And though DeMarcus Cousins had 32, no other King had more than 12. Cousins made a career-best 5 three-pointers, but that couldn’t overcome the Rockets’ lead of as many as 29.

The post Post Up: Full Day appeared first on SLAM.