The New Orleans Pelicans managed to get a much needed victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night, with Brandon Ingram out dueling Damian Lillard in a battle of 40-point scorers. While that obviously stole the headlines of the game, it also marked CJ McCollumās return to Portland for the first time after getting traded to New Orleans last season.
McCollum spent the first eight-and-a-half seasons of his career with the Trail Blazers, forming a rather dynamic duo alongside Lillard in the process. With Portland struggling last season, they opted to trade away McCollum, breaking up their star backcourt duo in the process. McCollum got a warm reception in his return to Portland, and he showed his appreciation for the fans on Twitter after New Orleans' big win.
Always love in the Moda Center šš½ pic.twitter.com/E9ohVCdimg
ā CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) March 2, 2023
While the Trail Blazers and their fans were likely glad to see CJ McCollum return at first, they probably weren't as happy to see him put together a big game (24 PTS, 7 AST, 7 REB, 9-19 FGM) to help Ingram lead New Orleans to victory. Chances are there is a large contingent of fans who wish he hadn't been traded in the first place.
Either way, it was nice to see McCollum return to the place where he managed to get his start in the NBA.Ā The Trail Blazers benefited greatly from McCollum's star turn alongside Lillard, and while they never were able to win a championship together, it's clear they made their impact on the city of Portland. With both teams hanging around the Play-In Tournament right now, it will be interesting to see if they end up meeting again in the postseason.
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