CJ McCollum from the New Orleans Pelicans is out indefinitely due to injury.
CJ McCollum of the New Orleans Pelicans has been ruled out indefinitely due to a right lung injury, which has been diagnosed as a pneumothorax or a collapsed lung. The origin of the injury is still unclear, but McCollum played for 33 minutes in a defeat against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. This isn't his first encounter with a serious lung injury; in December 2021, while he was still a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, he missed 18 games owing to a collapsed right lung. However, he recovered in less than three weeks and played for another three weeks with caution due to concerns from the team's medical staff. Doctors are now trying to establish if the two lung injuries are related, and further tests will be conducted over the next two days to determine the length of his absence.
The 32-year-old is the second-highest scorer for the Pelicans this season, with an average of 21.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game. McCollum is one of the team's locker room leaders and is known for his lethal perimeter shooting, which has been missed by the short-handed Pelicans, who also have two other long-range shooters sidelined due to injuries. Forward Trey Murphy is out with a knee issue, while Jose Alvarado is still recovering from an ankle injury. McCollum currently has a 44% overall field goal percentage and a 38% three-point shooting percentage.
Following this setback, the Pelicans will need to make replacements in the roster. Herb Jones, a forward, is optimistic about the challenges they must overcome, saying, "We're so used to dealing with adversity, we just show up each and every day and take on the new challenge that comes with it." Rather than mourning the loss of their prominent player, they will use it as an opportunity for younger players to step up and seize the moment.
One of the most likely candidates is Jordan Hawkins, a rookie who won an NCAA championship with UConn in March and was the #14 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He has started three games for the Pelicans and has an average of 9.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Dyson Daniels, a first-round pick last season, also has the potential to earn more playing time. He is averaging 6.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 23 minutes per game so far this season. Another competitor for extra playing time is Kira Lewis, a first-round selection from the 2020 NBA Draft, who has a career-scoring average of 5.7 points.
When it comes to the Pelicans, the biggest injury concern has always been Zion Williamson, who was chosen first overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. He sat out the entire 2021-22 season due to a fractured foot and played in just 29 games in the previous season because of a hamstring injury. He suffered 135 games' worth of injuries in the last two seasons, and only managed to stay on the court for five of the team's first six games this season. He, too, rested during the second game of a back-to-back series last week, as McCollum scored 33 points in a win over the Detroit Pistons.
Although Williamson is the biggest concern, earlier this season, Brandon Ingram had to miss three games due to tendonitis in his right knee. Despite this, the Pelicans started the season with a strong record of 4-1, before losing by 18 points to the Hawks last Saturday. They currently stand at 4-2.
As the Pelicans prepare for their upcoming match against the Denver Nuggets, McCollum's absence will undoubtedly affect their performance. The game is on Monday in Colorado, and the Nuggets are the favorites to win with a record of 6-1, making them the best team in the Western Conference. The Pelicans, despite their instability due to injuries, still have a chance against the Nuggets. Their odds are +5.5 to win the game, and they are 4-2 against the point spread this season. The odds of the Pelicans winning the Southwest Division have improved to +170, while the Dallas Mavericks are the favorites at -125.
In addition, the Pelicans have odds of +2500 to win the Western Conference Championship and +5000 to win the NBA title in 2023-24. The team's prospects of making it to the playoffs this season also remain uncertain, with oddsmakers placing them at -185 to reach the postseason and +150 to miss the playoffs.
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Source: www.casino.org
