2:26 AM ET
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Andrew LopezESPN
NEW ORLYANS – Wherever CJ McCollum goes to New Orleans right now, he says he senses noise in the city for the Pelicans.
On Wednesday, in front of a sold-out audience at the Smoothie King Center, this happened when the Pelicans left with a 113-103 victory over the San Antonio Spurs to advance in the NBA playoffs.
“It’s certainly the beginning of something special,” McCollum said. “You see the energy. Feel the energy. My mother is in town; I have a family in the city. When we go out to eat, you can feel that the city is as excited about basketball as it should be. [be]. There are many talents here. We play the game the right way. There will be many victories in our future. “
McCollum started quickly against the Spurs, scoring 27 points in the first half, including 19 in the second quarter, when the perfect score was 7 out of 7 on the pitch.
Pelicans coach Willie Green said McCollum has been a steady and reassuring force for the team all night.
“We just gave him the ball and he was playing game after game, score after score,” Green said. “The other boys started eating CJ. He was in those moments. He was playing on the big stage. It’s no coincidence that he goes out and has the game he has.”
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McCollum finished with a record 32 points.
“I understand the scale of this game,” McCollum said. “The spurs will always run at some point. They are well trained. They perform. They have a lot of great players who can shoot and score. When you get a chance to get two-digit numbers, you have to put the pedal on the metal and try to be aggressive. “
McCollum also knew how and when to attract others.
Brandon Ingram has missed the previous three games and 13 of the last 18 with a right hamstring problem. So the Pelicans got Ingram’s ball early and he had 11 of his 27 points in the first quarter.
Pelicans center Jonas Valanchunas scored five points at halftime, and New Orleans gave him the ball in the third quarter when he won 12 of his 22.
“Just keep talking to them when I have to. Understand what we’re trying to accomplish,” McCollum said when asked how he was a reassuring factor in the game. “We have to get the ball out and slow down the game. Take the ball to JV. Tell BI to get to the middle and not settle for 3. Be aggressive and attack the basket. We entered the bonus early. And then I try to be more aggressive in the playoffs, I try to go down a little more. “
The Pelicans will play for the LA Clippers on Friday night for a chance to qualify for the playoffs as eighth and face the Phoenix Suns.
If the Pelicans advance, they will become the fourth team in NBA history to qualify for the playoffs after a 1-12 run or worse, and the first since the Suns achieved the feat in 1996-97.
“It’s fun. It’s exciting. I don’t think I’ve ever been to Smoothie King, where there were so many people,” Ingram said. “It shows how far we’ve come when we started 1-12. Having a chance to get into the playoffs is a blessing. We just have to move on, keep our focus. But I liked the energy at Smoothie King Center.”
Although this was the first time McCollum experienced noise levels like Pelican, he remembered that the arena had become so powerful in the past – especially when the Pelicans swept his Portland Trail Blazers into the first playoff round of 2018.
He hopes Wednesday night’s efforts are indicative of what the team will be able to do next.
“I’m happy about it. I’m excited,” McCollum said. “Obviously we should try to take care of the business in LA, but when we come back here, I look forward to seeing more sales. And we will reward them with a high level of play, a high level of energy. We will leave everything on the court. “
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