CJ McCollum tied a career-high with 50 points and the host New Orleans Pelicans ended an 11-game losing streak by defeating the Washington Wizards 132-120 on Friday night.
McCollum made 18 of 27 shots, including 10 3-pointers on 16 attempts, and the Pelicans won for just the second time in 22 games. Trey Murphy III added 17 points, Brandon Boston scored 13 off the bench and Yves Missi had 12 points and 11 rebounds as six Pelicans scored in double figures.
The Pelicans have the worst record in the NBA at 6-29, but now share with Washington (6-26) the dubious distinction of having the fewest wins in the league.
McCollum had his foot on the 3-point line when he hit a 21-foot jumper to give New Orleans a 128-111 lead. He was initially considered a 3, which would have given him a career-high in points and tied the franchise high of 11 three-pointers made. But it was reduced to a two-point shot in the video review.
McCollum played only 30 minutes and 40 seconds in the game. In his other previous 50-point game, he played just 29:16, according to ESPN Research. In doing so, he joins Klay Thompson as the only players to record multiple career 50-point games playing fewer than 31 minutes since 1955-56.
“CJ was unbelievable tonight,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said, quoted on NBA.com. “Some of the shots he took were tough and easy. We just wanted to keep getting him the ball.”
New Orleans was playing at home for the first time since the deadly New Year’s Day attack in the French Quarter, and a moment of silence was observed before kickoff.
McCollum scored eight points as New Orleans began the third quarter on a 17-4 run that gave it a 79-72 lead.
Carlton Carrington answered with a field goal for the Wizards, but McCollum scored seven points and the Pelicans opened their largest lead of the quarter, 92-83, with 4:52 left in the third. Jordan Poole scored four points to start a 14-5 Washington run that tied the score at 97 entering the fourth quarter.
Jordan Hawkins hit a three-pointer to tie the score at 101 and start a 10-0 run that gave New Orleans a 108-101 lead. Justin Champagnie’s field goal ended the streak, but the Pelicans scored the next 10 points to take a 15-point lead.
The Pelicans scored the first six points of the game and McCollum scored eight in the first 3:33 of the game as New Orleans took a 13-4 lead. Champagnie scored five points during a 12-2 run that pushed the Wizards to a 16-15 lead.
The lead changed hands four more times before Brogdon and Jonas Valanciunas scored four each to help Washington take a 37-29 lead into the second quarter.
McCollum hit two 3-pointers and Boston and José Alvarado each scored one to help New Orleans take a 43-42 lead. That was the first of 16 lead changes in the second quarter and the score was tied four times before the Wizards scored the final seven points to take a 68-62 halftime lead.
Poole scored 24 points for the Wizards, but was hurt by a hard fall under the basket with 4:38 left in the third quarter. He scored only five more points after the fall, briefly sending him to the locker room to be treated for lower back pain.
Rookie center Alexandre Sarr scored 19 for Washington.
The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.
