CJ McCollum rides record stanza to 50-point game despite sitting entire 4th quarter
Portland guard CJ McCollum had a monster night.
The Trail Blazers sharpshooter scored a career-high 50 points on 18-of-25 shooting from the field, including 6-of-9 three-pointers as Portland walloped the Chicago Bulls, 124-108.
And he sat the entire fourth quarter.
Portland’s starters got a breather in the fourth, thanks mostly to McCollum putting the Bulls out of reach early.
McCollum did most of his damage in the first quarter, which was one for the record books. While Portland posted a 43-19 advantage after one, McCollum had a nine-point lead over the Bulls by himself.
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“The guys did a good job of getting me open,” McCollum told NBC Sports Northwest of his hot start. “I had some good looks early. … Once I’d seen the ball go in, I knew it was going to be a good night.”
McCollum’s 28-point first quarter was good for the highest individual score in a quarter in team history. That’s more points than Clyde Drexler, Bill Walton, Brandon Roy or teammate Damian Lillard have ever scored in a single stanza for the Blazers.
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The number’s also good for a record by any player against the Bulls in a quarter and set a season-high for a quarter by any player this year in the NBA.
He did it on 11-of-14 shooting from the field, including 4-of-5 from distance. It was a career night for McCollum.
Imagine what he’d have done it he played in the fourth.
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